4-Match Test Series Schedule
- First Test @ Kingsmead, Durban March 01 - 05 ,2018
- Second Test @ St George's Park, Port Elizabeth March 09 - 13,2018
- Third Test @ Newlands, Cape Town March 22 - 26,2018
- Fourth Test @New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg March 30 - April 03,2018
First Test Preview
In battles between Australia and South Africa, the visitors should start
as favourites. The past three series in Australia have all been won by
South Africa; Australia haven't lost a series in South Africa since
1970.
When the home team last won a series between these two sides, it
was Ricky Ponting's men in 2005-06, at the beginning of a world-record
stretch of 16 consecutive Test wins
The last two times Australia and South Africa played series of more than
three Tests, South Africa won them both - but they were in 1966-67 and
1970 respectively
Morne Morkel is six wickets from reaching the milestone of 300 in Tests
and he would be the fifth South African to the mark, behind Shaun
Pollock, Dale Steyn, Makhaya Ntini and Allan Donald
South Africa enter this series ranked No. 2 in the world, with winning
form behind them, and no shortage of class and experience. There's
Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers, both over the 8000-run mark in Tests;
the soon-to-retire Morne Morkel with nearly 300 Test wickets; Dean
Elgar, the leading opener in Test cricket in 2017; Kagiso Rabada, the
top fast bowler in Tests last year. And that's without even mentioning
du Plessis, Vernon Philander and Quinton de Kock, all of whom have
previously troubled the Australians
For Australia ,its captain Steven Smith is clearly the best batsman in Test cricket right now and David Warner has three centuries from his three previous Tests in South
Africa. Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins are a pace attack
of match-winning potential, and Cummins will relish a return to the
country of his unforgettable Man-of-the-Match performance on Test Debut as an 18-year-old. And then of course, there is Nathan Lyon, Test cricket's leading wicket-taker in 2017
Day One Thursday March 01,2018
Australia won the toss and chose to bat first
At close of play Australia were 225/5 with Mitchell Marsh 32* and Tim Paine 21* at the crease
Smith made his fifth consecutive score of 50 or more as he continued the form he showed in the Ashes series against England in which he scored 687 runs at an average of 137.40.
The spin of Nathan Lyon and the reverse swing of Mitchell Starc sent South Africa crashing on the second day of the first Test against Australia at Kingsmead on Friday.
South Africa were bowled out for 162 in 51.4 Overs shortly before the close, giving Australia a lead of 189 runs on the first innings.
Day One Thursday March 01,2018
Australia won the toss and chose to bat first
At close of play Australia were 225/5 with Mitchell Marsh 32* and Tim Paine 21* at the crease
Smith made his fifth consecutive score of 50 or more as he continued the form he showed in the Ashes series against England in which he scored 687 runs at an average of 137.40.
The spin of Nathan Lyon and the reverse swing of Mitchell Starc sent South Africa crashing on the second day of the first Test against Australia at Kingsmead on Friday.
South Africa were bowled out for 162 in 51.4 Overs shortly before the close, giving Australia a lead of 189 runs on the first innings.
Lyon started the slide for the hosts and finished with 3/50( 16 Overs) before the tall left-armer Starc gave a magnificent display of fast, reverse swing bowling to take 5/34(10.4 Overs)
AB de Villiers played almost a lone hand for South Africa, making 71*(127 Balls 4x11)
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