Aussies beat Proteas in two-day Gabba Test

Oliver Caffrey | December 19, 2022

Australia have pulled off a Test victory inside two days for the first time in 20 years by defeating South Africa on a Gabba pitch Proteas captain Dean Elgar criticised as verging on “unsafe”.

Needing just 34 to win, Australia stumbled to the target with six wickets to spare as South Africa tearaway Kagiso Rabada (4-13) capitalised on a green, bowler-friendly pitch that appeared harder to bat on the longer the game went.

South Africa sent down 19 extras, including 15 wides, out of Australia’s total of 4-35.

It came after South Africa were rolled for 152 when sent in by Australia captain Pat Cummins, while the struggling visitors were all out for 99 in their second innings.

Australia made a modest 218 in their first dig, led by a superb 92 from player-of-the-match Travis Head, but it proved enough against the inexperienced Proteas batting line-up on the green Gabba wicket.

After 15 wickets tumbled on Saturday, the game continued to move at a rapid pace on day two as another 19 fell.

Elgar was disappointed the match was over so quickly and asked the umpires if the pitch was unsafe.

“You’ve got to ask yourself the question – is that a good advertisement for our format?” he said.

“I am obviously a purist of this format and we want to see the game go to four or five days. 

“I don’t think it was a very good Test wicket, no.

“I did ask the umpires when KG (Rabada) got Head out down leg, I said ‘how long does it go on for until it potentially is unsafe’.”

The Gabba pitch is certain to come under a thorough review from the International Cricket Council. However, an India-England Test in Ahmedabad last year that also lasted only two days was investigated by the ICC without any sanction being handed down.

Cummins was surprised Elgar was so critical of the pitch.

“If you’re going to lose the match, you’d probably try anything, wouldn’t you?” the Australia skipper said.

“There was some sideways movement, a little bit of up and down bounce but, no, it was fine.”

Cummins’ team will have an unexpected extended break before the Boxing Day Test, where they will aim to wrap up their first series win against South Africa on home soil since 2005-06.

The last time Australia won a Test in less than two days was in 2002 when Steve Waugh’s team dismissed Pakistan for 59 and 53 in Sharjah.

The only previous two-day Test played in Australia was in 1931 when the hosts beat the West Indies by an innings in Melbourne.

Cummins finished with 5-42 in South Africa’s second innings on Sunday for his eighth five-wicket haul, after he claimed openers Dean Elgar and Sarel Erwee, then cleaned up the tail including Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje in consecutive balls.

Scott Boland (2-14) produced another double-wicket over by removing wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne and Marco Jansen to finish with four for the match as he tries to keep Josh Hazlewood, who could be fit for the MCG Test, out of the team.

Star quick Mitchell Starc (2-26) became just the seventh Australian to take 300 Test wickets when he bowled Proteas No.3 Rassie van der Dussen with a classic in-swinger.

Temba Bavuma (29) showed some resistance before he was out lbw to spinner Nathan Lyon, while Khaya Zondo finished unbeaten on 36 for his best Test score.

Australia lost 5-73 before lunch to be all out with a 66-run first-innings lead.

Rabada finished with eight wickets for the match to take his Test tally in 2022 to 45 in a rare bright spot for South Africa.

The Proteas’ firebrand set the tone for South Africa, removing under-pressure Australia opener David Warner twice, including for a golden duck with the first ball of Australia’s first innings.

“(Rabada) is a massive figure for us, not just in our bowling group but in our 16-man squad,” Elgar said.

“Hopefully that can inspire our batting unit to get their heads right and to knuckle down and get some performance under their belt for us.”