Mitchell Starc’s devastating burst on the shadow of stumps not only saved his captain but also his team.
A day in which Australia were behind from the moment Pat Cummins sent South Africa in to bat finished with honours shared after Starc’s match-turning four wickets in the space of six deliveries.
Only those in the camp can honestly answer if the visitors would have settled for a Proteas total of 329 if offered before the day, but such a scoreline would have been gleefully accepted when openers Aiden Markram and Marques Ackerman destroyed the new ball.
So dominant were they in reaching 0-158, Cummins’ decision to bowl first was rivalling that of former England captain Nasser Hussain, whose infamous call to send Australia in at the Gabba in 2002 resulted in a stumps score of 2-364.
The hosts were still in control when Cummins handed Starc a second brand-new Kookaburra about 20 minutes before stumps.
At 6-325, a score of 400-plus was on the cards for the Proteas, who had wicketkeeper Ryan Rickelton and damaging all-rounder Marco Jansen settled at the crease and another of their lower-order tormentors from Gqeberha, Simon Harmer, padded up in the pavilion.
Hours earlier in the first session, Starc – and Australia’s vaunted quicks – repeatedly found the middle of the bat. Now, his golden left arm was launching missiles that curved wickedly late to smash pads and stumps.
Starc, who had seen Travis Head drop a dolly, did not need his teammates. His final four victims were all out bowled or lbw.
Shortly after tea, Starc had the unflattering figures of 0-62 from 12 overs. By the close of play, he had taken his 20th bag of five or more wickets, his analysis of 6-72 his seventh-best return in his 110-Test career. Of his eight best figures, six have come in his past two years. Age is not wearying him.
80.4 overs, Ryan Rickelton lbw b Starc 42 (South Africa: 7-327)
After capturing his first two wickets with bouncers on a surface not offering much lateral movement off the seam, Starc made the pitch just about a non-factor.
Armed with the second new ball, Starc aimed full and straight to Rickelton, who had provided the ballast in an ominous 95-run stand with the damaging Jansen.
The yorker straightened and swung extremely late, thudding into the back pad of Rickelton, who had been squared up by a delivery he attempted to play through mid-wicket when a fuller face of the bat was needed.
A despondent, and defeated, Rickelton accepted his fate without asking the video umpire for salvation.
80.6 overs, Marco Jansen b Starc 52 (South Africa: 8-328)
Jansen was the pick of Starc’s wickets, dismissed by a 143.6 km/h thunderbolt that was reminiscent of his delivery to New Zealand great Brendon McCullum in the 2015 World Cup final.
Having spent the best part of two hours at the crease for his 52, Jansen’s eye was well and truly in, but he was beaten for pace and swing.
He played late and down the wrong line, unable to jam his bat down on a ball to prevent it from clattering into the base of his off stump.
82.1 overs, Gerald Coetzee b Starc 0 (South Africa 9-329)
With a Test average of 13.40, Gerald Coetzee is no bunny with the bat, so it’s understandable why his partner Simon Harmer did not attempt to shield the No.10 from Starc. He should have. The man who made a career-best 82 last week did not face another ball.
After seeing his more skilled teammates fired out by Starc’s yorkers, Coetzee did not want his toes near the ball first up. He backed away slightly to a 144.1 km/h full delivery, which ricocheted off his front pad into the stumps for a golden globe.
82.3 Kagiso Rabada lbw b Starc 0 (South Africa 329 all out)
There was no disgrace in Kagiso Rabada’s dismissal, trapped plumb in front to almost the identical delivery that removed Rickelton minutes earlier.
If a top-six batter with a Test average of nearly 50 could not defend it, then what hope for a No.11?
Starc’s timing could not have been better. By completing his rout with less than 10 minutes before stumps, he spared Australia’s openers a nervy over or two in fading light.
Thanks to Starc, Australia are back in the game. Now comes the hard part. They have to bat.
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