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Australia crumble in Cape Town
Bowlers run amok as 23 wickets fall on manic second day at Newlands
By Joe Drabble - Twitter: @SkySportsDrabs Last updated: 10th November 2011
Shane Watson also took five wickets during a sensational day at Newlands
Vernon Philander claimed five wickets on debut as Australia crashed to 47 all out
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// A bit of a hack but it works // The article snippet is wrapped onto a second line, even when #article-sub is empty if( $("div#article-sub").children().length == 0 ) { $("div#article-sub").remove(); }Australia were bowled out for their fourth lowest Test score of all time as South Africa launched a remarkable fightback on the second day of the first Test match at Newlands.
On a day where 23 wickets fell and parts of all four innings took place, Shane Watson and Vernon Philander starred for their respective nations with five-wicket hauls.
The match moved along at an incredible rate just after lunch when South Africa spectacularly collapsed from 49-1 to 96 all out - all-rounder Watson turning in a devastating spell of 5-17 and Ryan Harris finishing with 4-33.
Australia, taking a 188-run lead into their second innings, then produced one of the worst batting performances ever witnessed at this famous Cape Town venue as they crashed to 47 all out in just 18 overs.
South Africa debutant Philander (5-15) claimed five wickets and only a 26-run partnership between last-wicket pair Peter Siddle and Nathan Lyon saw Australia avoid the ignominy of setting a new record lowest total of all time.
The carnage meant South Africa required 236 runs to win and the Proteas look favourites to reach their target after captain Graeme Smith (36 not out) steered his side to 81-1 at the close.
Breakthrough
The second day began with Australia resuming their first-innings on 214-8 and captain Michael Clarke found an able companion in Siddle as the tourists clawed their way up to 284 all out.
Clarke's brilliant innings was finally ended for 151 with South Africa taking 80 minutes to claim Australia's final two wickets, during which time the visitors added 70 runs.
Morkel claimed both wickets, although he had to wait over an hour for the initial breakthrough as Clarke and Siddle built a 59-run stand.
Their combination was eventually broken when Siddle (20) offered a leading edge to AB De Villiers at cover and Clarke, who hit a pair of straight boundaries to bring up his 150, fell just one run later when Morkel sent his leg stump cartwheeling.
It was hard to judge at that stage exactly what a competitive score on this surface was and South Africa's new-looking opening pair of Smith and Jacques Rudolph were charged with negotiating a fiery new ball spell from Harris and Mitchell Johnson.
Rudolph, playing his first Test match since August 2006, moved fluently on to 18, however Harris eventually won the battle when he breached the left-hander's defences and crashed the ball into the top of off-stump.
Skipper Smith and Hashim Amla took the Proteas through to lunch on 49-1, however the introduction of Watson after the interval, combined with the shrewd use of the Decision Review System, left South Africa in tatters.
Watson claimed five wickets in a devastating 21-ball spell and Harris mopped up the tail to dismiss the home side for 96 in only 24.3 overs - their lowest Test score against Australia since 1932.
Both of Watson's first two scalps came courtesy of a review after an lbw appeal on Amla and caught behind shout on Jacques Kallis were both turned down by the on-field umpires.
Watson then struck twice more in two balls when Smith unluckily dragged on, after making 37, before Ashwell Prince was caught plumb in front to a yorker.
Australia's use of the TV review was proving vital as they sent two more appeals upstairs and were rewarded when De Villiers and Mark Boucher - to hand Watson his third Test five-for - were both lbw with the score on 77.
South Africa were now struggling just to avoid the follow-on and Philander edged Harris to Ponting at third slip before Siddle ran out Morkel with a direct hit.
That left it up to last pair Dale Steyn and Imran Tahir to get their side across the follow-on mark - a job they did in a 13-run stand - before Harris bowled Tahir.
With South African spirits dejected, a heavy defeat looked the only possible outcome with Australia taking a 188-run lead into their second innings.
However, with plenty of seam movement still on offer, Steyn exploited the bowler-friendly conditions perfectly and gave the Proteas an immediate boost when he trapped Watson lbw for four just three deliveries into the reply.
Ricky Ponting's dismal form continued when he went the same way for a 12-ball duck despite reviewing his call to become Philander's first wicket, and Phil Hughes followed his former captain back to the pavilion when he edged Morkel to third slip off the final ball before tea.
Danger
Australia came back out for the final session tottering on 13-3, but only one delivery later it was 13-4 as Mike Hussey drove Morkel loosely to gully.
Brad Haddin survived the hat-trick ball, however the procession of wickets continued when Philander claimed the crucial wicket of Clarke to yet another reviewed lbw decision.
The wickets continued to tumble, with the situation clearly getting to Haddin when he edged behind after advancing down the wicket, as Australia slumped to 18-6.
Harris, Johnson and Shaun Marsh, batting at No.10 due to a back injury, all then fell with the score on 21 and at this stage New Zealand's record-low Test total of 26 against England in 1955 looked in serious danger.
But Siddle and Lyon saved some of their side's blushes before the spinner was last man out caught by AB de Villiers off Steyn as Australia slumped to 47 all out - their lowest total since 1902.
That left South Africa a victory target of 236, with every run cheered deliriously by the shell-shocked Cape Town crowd.
The 23rd, and final, wicket of the day was claimed by Siddle when Rudolph was dismissed for a second time in the day, edging through to Haddin with 27 on the board.
The drama still wasn't over though, Hussey grassing a simple chance at gully off the final ball of the day to give Amla (29no) a second life after he and Smith (36no) had dug in to share an unbroken 54-run partnership, and reach the close with South Africa 155 runs from victory.
Bowlers run amok as 23 wickets fall on manic second day at Newlands
By Joe Drabble - Twitter: @SkySportsDrabs Last updated: 10th November 2011
Shane Watson also took five wickets during a sensational day at Newlands Vernon Philander claimed five wickets on debut as Australia crashed to 47 all out1 of 2
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Teams
Also see
// A bit of a hack but it works // The article snippet is wrapped onto a second line, even when #article-sub is empty if( $("div#article-sub").children().length == 0 ) { $("div#article-sub").remove(); }Australia were bowled out for their fourth lowest Test score of all time as South Africa launched a remarkable fightback on the second day of the first Test match at Newlands.
On a day where 23 wickets fell and parts of all four innings took place, Shane Watson and Vernon Philander starred for their respective nations with five-wicket hauls.
The match moved along at an incredible rate just after lunch when South Africa spectacularly collapsed from 49-1 to 96 all out - all-rounder Watson turning in a devastating spell of 5-17 and Ryan Harris finishing with 4-33.
Australia, taking a 188-run lead into their second innings, then produced one of the worst batting performances ever witnessed at this famous Cape Town venue as they crashed to 47 all out in just 18 overs.
South Africa debutant Philander (5-15) claimed five wickets and only a 26-run partnership between last-wicket pair Peter Siddle and Nathan Lyon saw Australia avoid the ignominy of setting a new record lowest total of all time.
The carnage meant South Africa required 236 runs to win and the Proteas look favourites to reach their target after captain Graeme Smith (36 not out) steered his side to 81-1 at the close.
Breakthrough
The second day began with Australia resuming their first-innings on 214-8 and captain Michael Clarke found an able companion in Siddle as the tourists clawed their way up to 284 all out.
Clarke's brilliant innings was finally ended for 151 with South Africa taking 80 minutes to claim Australia's final two wickets, during which time the visitors added 70 runs.
Morkel claimed both wickets, although he had to wait over an hour for the initial breakthrough as Clarke and Siddle built a 59-run stand.
Their combination was eventually broken when Siddle (20) offered a leading edge to AB De Villiers at cover and Clarke, who hit a pair of straight boundaries to bring up his 150, fell just one run later when Morkel sent his leg stump cartwheeling.
It was hard to judge at that stage exactly what a competitive score on this surface was and South Africa's new-looking opening pair of Smith and Jacques Rudolph were charged with negotiating a fiery new ball spell from Harris and Mitchell Johnson.
Rudolph, playing his first Test match since August 2006, moved fluently on to 18, however Harris eventually won the battle when he breached the left-hander's defences and crashed the ball into the top of off-stump.
Skipper Smith and Hashim Amla took the Proteas through to lunch on 49-1, however the introduction of Watson after the interval, combined with the shrewd use of the Decision Review System, left South Africa in tatters.
Watson claimed five wickets in a devastating 21-ball spell and Harris mopped up the tail to dismiss the home side for 96 in only 24.3 overs - their lowest Test score against Australia since 1932.
Both of Watson's first two scalps came courtesy of a review after an lbw appeal on Amla and caught behind shout on Jacques Kallis were both turned down by the on-field umpires.
Watson then struck twice more in two balls when Smith unluckily dragged on, after making 37, before Ashwell Prince was caught plumb in front to a yorker.
Australia's use of the TV review was proving vital as they sent two more appeals upstairs and were rewarded when De Villiers and Mark Boucher - to hand Watson his third Test five-for - were both lbw with the score on 77.
South Africa were now struggling just to avoid the follow-on and Philander edged Harris to Ponting at third slip before Siddle ran out Morkel with a direct hit.
That left it up to last pair Dale Steyn and Imran Tahir to get their side across the follow-on mark - a job they did in a 13-run stand - before Harris bowled Tahir.
With South African spirits dejected, a heavy defeat looked the only possible outcome with Australia taking a 188-run lead into their second innings.
However, with plenty of seam movement still on offer, Steyn exploited the bowler-friendly conditions perfectly and gave the Proteas an immediate boost when he trapped Watson lbw for four just three deliveries into the reply.
Ricky Ponting's dismal form continued when he went the same way for a 12-ball duck despite reviewing his call to become Philander's first wicket, and Phil Hughes followed his former captain back to the pavilion when he edged Morkel to third slip off the final ball before tea.
Danger
Australia came back out for the final session tottering on 13-3, but only one delivery later it was 13-4 as Mike Hussey drove Morkel loosely to gully.
Brad Haddin survived the hat-trick ball, however the procession of wickets continued when Philander claimed the crucial wicket of Clarke to yet another reviewed lbw decision.
The wickets continued to tumble, with the situation clearly getting to Haddin when he edged behind after advancing down the wicket, as Australia slumped to 18-6.
Harris, Johnson and Shaun Marsh, batting at No.10 due to a back injury, all then fell with the score on 21 and at this stage New Zealand's record-low Test total of 26 against England in 1955 looked in serious danger.
But Siddle and Lyon saved some of their side's blushes before the spinner was last man out caught by AB de Villiers off Steyn as Australia slumped to 47 all out - their lowest total since 1902.
That left South Africa a victory target of 236, with every run cheered deliriously by the shell-shocked Cape Town crowd.
The 23rd, and final, wicket of the day was claimed by Siddle when Rudolph was dismissed for a second time in the day, edging through to Haddin with 27 on the board.
The drama still wasn't over though, Hussey grassing a simple chance at gully off the final ball of the day to give Amla (29no) a second life after he and Smith (36no) had dug in to share an unbroken 54-run partnership, and reach the close with South Africa 155 runs from victory.
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