Rabada rips through Australian batting

PORT ELIZABETH, South Africa: South African fast bowler Kagiso Rabada ripped the heart out of Australia’s batting when he took four wickets in seven balls on the first day of the second Test on Friday.

Rabada added a fifth wicket in the same spell as Australia were bowled out for 243 after winning the toss and batting on a green-tinged pitch on an overcast day at St George’s Park.South Africa were 39 for one at the close.

Rabada finished with five for 96, having done all his damage on either side of tea, taking the key wicket of Australian captain Steve Smith, then following up by dismissing the Marsh brothers, Shaun and Mitchell, in his next over.

Tea was taken after Mitchell Marsh was out. With his remaining ball in the over, Rabada had Pat Cummins caught behind to be on a hat-trick. He didn’t manage that but 11 balls later he bowled Mitchell Starc.

Cameron Bancroft was out for 38 off the last ball before lunch.Two more wickets fell quickly after the interval, including that of Warner for 63, made off 100 balls with nine fours.Warner had at least let his bat do the talking after a week punctuated by the fallout from his altercation with South African wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock during the first Test.

Smith and Shaun Marsh steadied the innings with a patient fourth wicket stand of 44 before Rabada started his devastation. Rabada produced a fast delivery angled in to the stumps to strike Smith on the back pad.

In Rabada’s next over Shaun Marsh was beaten by a ball which swung into his pads and was also leg before. Mitchell Marsh edged a four but then was caught behind off an inside edge.Australia were 182 for eight when Starc was out but wicketkeeper Tim Paine batted well with the last two batsmen, Nathan Lyon and Josh Hazlewood as the last two wickets added 61 runs. Paine was last man out for 36.

Australia won toss

Australia 1st Innings 243 all-out (D Warner 63; K Rabada 5-96)

South Africa 1st Innings

D Elgar not out 11

A K Markram lbw b Cummins 11

K Rabada not out 17

Extras 0

Total (1 wicket; 12 Overs) 39

To bat: H M Amla, A B de Villiers, *F du Plessis, T B de Bruyn, †Q de Kock, V D Philander, K A Maharaj, L Ngidi

Fall: 1-22

Bowling: Starc 4-0-14-0; Hazlewood 5-1-16-0; Cummins 2-0-9-1; Lyon 1-1-0-0

Umpires: C Gaffaney (New Zealand) and K Dharmasena (Sri Lanka). TV Umpires: S Ravi (India). Match Referee: J Crowe (New Zealand)