Horror start for Proteas before Verreynne & Bavuma bring relief

There was a horror start for South Africa in their Test series against Australia on Saturday, before Kyle Verreynne and Temba Bavuma brought some relief for the Proteas by taking them to lunch on 84/4 on the first day of the first Test at the Gabba in Brisbane.

It initially looked as if South Africa had turned up with a sword to a gunfight as they chose the extra bowler – Marco Jansen – instead of another batsman on a green pitch which was similar in colour to the outfield. Australia then won the toss and sent the Proteas in to bat.

It took a few overs for the home bowlers to find their radar, but once they did, the wickets tumbled, South Africa crashing to 27/4.

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Captain Dean Elgar (3) was the first to fall, caught down the leg-side as the Gabba pitch provided some steep bounce for left-arm quick Mitchell Starc.

Five overs later, a flatfooted Rassie van der Dussen (5) provided a second catch for wicketkeeper Alex Carey, edging an excellent delivery from Pat Cummins that was just outside off-stump.

Further disaster followed for South Africa as Sarel Erwee (10) and Khaya Zondo (0) also fell with the score on 27, three wickets going down on that score in the space of two overs.

Erwee went for a drive against Scott Boland but edged to gully where Cameron Green took a sharp, low catch. The 33-year-old Boland has the penchant for taking wickets in clusters and two balls later he nipped the ball back into Zondo, who was playing from the crease, trapping him lbw.

Batsmen for hire

But if South Africa were looking to hire two batsmen to dig them out of trouble then there would not be too many better options than Bavuma and Verreynne, a tenacious duo who had added an unbeaten 57 for the fifth wicket by lunch.

Verreynne decided to counter-attack and scored 11 off all-rounder Green’s first over, including a well-controlled pull for four and an uppercut for six. The wicketkeeper also unfurled a reverse-sweep for four off spinner Nathan Lyon, reaching the break on 35 not out.

Bavuma was more circumspect, but did play one crunching cut shot for four off Cummins as he lunched on 21 not out.

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