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Australia has fallen quick in its bid to tug off a clear sweep of South Africa, with the Proteas hanging on to attract the rain-soaked third Take a look at on the SCG.
Bowled out for 255 in its first innings and requested to observe on, South Africa survived 41.5 overs to be 2-106 when the sport was known as with 5.1 overs left.
However the closing session was not with out controversy, with Heinrich Klaasen surviving an lbw choice on umpire’s name and a claimed catch at slip in the identical Nathan Lyon over.
After Steve Smith appealed that he had taken the catch cleanly, third umpire Richard Kettleborough dominated for the third time within the match that the ball brushed the grass on reaching a fielder.
Klaasen was later bowled by Josh Hazlewood on 35, earlier than Sarel Erwee (42) and Temba Bavuma (17) carried South Africa to the shut unbeaten.
The end result left Australia as 2-Zero sequence victors, however with out assured qualification within the World Take a look at Championship closing earlier than subsequent month’s tour of India.
There, it might want to win or draw one of many 4 Assessments to be able to attain the ultimate, or hope New Zealand doesn’t lose each its dwelling Assessments towards Sri Lanka in March.
Australia had entered day 5 needing 14 wickets to win, earlier than the Proteas produced their first actual resistance of the summer time following defeats in Brisbane and Melbourne.
Decrease-order batters Simon Harmer and Keshav Maharaj supplied essentially the most battle, as they helped the vacationers navigate by the primary session of Sunday for the lack of one wicket.
And whereas Hazlewood (4-48) eliminated them each after lunch, South Africa’s high order carried out a lot stronger of their second innings.
Pat Cummins briefly opened the door when Dean Elgar was caught behind down legside for the fourth time this sequence on 10, capping a horror tour as captain.
However other than when Hazlewood eliminated Klaasen after tea, the vacationers have been resolute in defence.
“Fourteen wickets was a tricky ask,” Hazlewood mentioned.
“If we did not lose something to rain, who is aware of what might need occurred.
“It could have been good to have seen the wicket after 5 days of site visitors on it and seen how that will have performed, whether or not it was again to the old fashioned SCG, however it was good enjoyable as we speak.”
Australia had three lbw critiques go towards it on the idea of umpire’s name on the ultimate day, but additionally had themselves guilty.
4 possibilities have been put down, with Marnus Labuschagne, Alex Carey, Travis Head and Ashton Agar dropping catches.
Additionally notable was that Ashton Agar went wicketless in his return Take a look at, after selectors opted to choose him as a second spinner forward of Scott Boland as third fast.
Sydney’s rain additionally harm Agar, with the pitch not breaking apart as Australia anticipated.
In the end, the climate meant Australia’s first innings 4-475 went to waste after Cummins declared on Usman Khawaja halfway by day 4, leaving the opener unbeaten on 195.
-AAP
