South Africa vs Australia: 3rd Test, Day 2 - Reaction, Predictions and Betting Tips
Akarshak Roy
If one could handpick a day to encapsulate the Test series between South Africa and Australia, it would be the opening day of the Cape Town test.
The topsy-turvy series, locked at 1-1, saw the hosts post 329 at the end of stumps in an innings that contained plenty of subplots. Openers Aiden Markram (79 off 141) and Marques Ackerman (95 off 94) starred, with a pair of fifties each from David Bedingham and Marco Jansen taking them to a respectable total. Mitchell Starc's 6-72 was a befitting reply, meanwhile.
Pre-match chatter was around Steve Smith's last-gasp attempt to prove his fitness, along with Australia's best player of the second Test - Scott Boland - omitted from the starting XI, much to the displeasure of the Aussie faithful.
If all that weren't enough, Pat Cummins won the toss and elected to bowl first on what was looking a batting paradise. Comparisons akin to Ricky Ponting's infamous call at Edgbaston in 2005 were raised, and the problems only swelled when the Proteas opener blazed to 140-0 at lunch.
South Africa's top order lead the charge
Ackerman led the charge as a disruptor, unsettling the Aussie pacers as he raced to a half-century off just 62 deliveries.
Markram, who is naturally an instinctive, intuitive player, played second fiddle to the southpaw whilst he was tormenting the opposition.
The pair unfurled a range of shots on the up that made for a palatable highlights package. Be it an off-the-ground backfoot punch off Josh Hazlewood or a cover drive from a length delivery on seventh stump, Markram illustrated why he is one of the most elegant batters in world cricket.
The latest South Africa vs Australia Test match odds are available on LiveScore Bet
Gifted moments and Starc's second new-ball rampage
Bedingham, too, looked mostly comfortable for his contribution. But, when Markram miscued a pull shot to deep fine leg, the floodgates opened for Australia.
In all fairness, Ackerman trying to race to a century by dancing down the track to Nathon Lyon, along with Markram's soft dismissal, were gifts.
Temba Bavuma and Matthew Breetzke played down the wrong line to Lyon and Cooper Connolly respectively; the latter bagging his maiden Test wicket.
A short-ball barrage from Starc prised the wicket off Wiaan Mulder for a duck, but South Africa continued to coast with Ryan Rickelton and Marco Jansen's 95-run seventh wicket stand.
At 327-6, what followed was the final bit of carnage for the day. Starc took us down the memory lane with four wickets in the space of six deliveries and 15 minutes, devouring the tail as South Africa endured a dramatic collapse 2.3 overs after Australia took the second new ball.
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Top Wicket Taker - South Africa, Innings 1: Kagiso Rabada
They slid from 203-1 to 329, ultimately. While most of it was down to outstanding new-ball bowling and South Africa's lack of discipline at times, the Newlands track showed signs of spongy bounce and slowness.
Markram's wicket perfectly uncovered it, as the ball never arrived as he found a bottom edge. In such circumstances, Kagiso Rabada is likely to hurry the Australian batters.
What's more daunting for the visitors is his record at Newlands. The speedster has 52 scalps at 21.56 from 10 innings, with a best of 6-55.
Recommended Bet: Top Wicket Taker - South Africa, Innings 1: Kagiso Rabada
