Australia on top after wild day at Gabba

Oliver Caffrey | December 17, 2022

Counter-attacking brilliance from Travis Head has Australia within touching distance of a first-innings lead over South Africa after 15 wickets tumbled on a wild opening day at the Gabba.

Australia trail the visitors by just seven runs to be in control of their first red-ball match against the Proteas since the infamous ball-tampering tour of 2018.

Head quickly raced away from South Africa in the last session, hitting an unbeaten 78 from only 77 balls with Australia going to stumps at 5-145 after they had collapsed to 3-27.

Head put on a 117-run partnership with Steve Smith (38) but the former Australia captain was bowled by speedster Anrich Nortje (2-37) with 10 minutes remaining.

Fast bowler Scott Boland was sent in as a nightwatchman, but could not survive and was dismissed by star quick Kagsio Rabada (2-50) to end the day.

While Head and Smith’s good form continued, David Warner’s miserable Test summer continued as he was out for just the second golden duck of his career when Rabada took his scalp for the fifth time in Tests.

Pat Cummins became the first Australia captain to opt to field after winning the toss at the Brisbane venue in 22 years and the bold decision reaped rewards on a green pitch.

Australia’s star-studded bowling attack ran through South Africa’s inexperienced batting lineup with the Proteas bowled out for 152 in the 49th over.

South Africa were demolished either side of a brave 98-run fifth-wicket partnership between wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne (64) and white-ball captain Temba Bavuma (38) as their innings ended just before the tea break.

Opener Sarel Erwee (10) was the only other South African to reach double figures as Australia took full control of the opening match of the three-Test series.

The bowlers shared the wickets around as Boland fired before lunch, Mitchell Starc ended the Proteas’ mini-fightback by dismissing Bavuma, while Nathan Lyon got the ball turning to claim figures of 3-14.

“I think it was a brilliant day of Test cricket,” Lyon told reporters.

“You got arguably the two best bowling attacks in world cricket going at each other so you can expect wickets on day one with a little bit of moisture in the wicket.

“I’m pretty happy with where we are, I thought Travis was absolutely exceptional to go out there and play his game.”

Starc started the match four shy of reaching 300 Test wickets but he will have to wait to become the seventh Australian to reach the milestone after taking 3-41.

Cummins returned from a quad injury for this match, taking the place of luckless Queenslander Michael Neser, as Boland retained his spot.

But the Gabba crowd showed no ill-feeling towards the Victorian, warmly cheering Boland (2-28) as he came into the attack in the eighth over.

The ground erupted during Boland’s second over, the bowler adding to his growing highlight reel by taking two wickets in three balls to finish with a double-wicket maiden.

South Africa crashed to 4-27 early on as Boland caused havoc, before Verreynne and Bavuma briefly steadied the ship to take them to 4-84 at lunch.

“I think we’re probably still a bit behind the game but those two wickets at the end can sort of bring us back into it a little bit,” Verreynne said.

“There’s a bit of a window open for us now … it would have been nice when we had them (3-27) to get a couple more then but I think these two at the end sort of give us a bit of hope.”