Scatterbrained Australian approach opens door to South African victory

Among those who fret over the ongoing primacy of Test cricket in the face of the T20 onslaught, Australia's tour of South Africa had long shaped as an enticing proposition: the two best sides in the world squaring off, a clutch of veteran tourists confronting ghosts of controversies past, and Australia commencing a year-long run of battles its aging superstars see as legacy-shaping.

Some of that probably distracted us from what a bittersweet prospect it was, too. For how, as anyone glued to this contest in the past two weeks will have asked themselves at some point or other, can a game so awash with money have conspired to deny us regular helpings of this fun and fascinating South African outfit? Of real cricket that matters?

Twenty-four hours ago, it was centurion Temba Bavuma reminding the world not only of his life-affirming resurgence as a batsman, but of the great shame that in the last two years, he's only had eight other opportunities to strut his stuff at Test level.

Early on day four at Gqeberha, the focus shifted to beanpole all-rounder Marco Jansen, fresh from his swashbuckling 85 with the bat, now tearing through the Australian batting order like the Grim Reaper. Lurking not so much in the shadows as slightly off to the side of the stage, stirring up drama and intrigue, there was also the imposing figure of Proteas attack leader Kagiso Rabada.

That and a few subtler problems added up to an unmitigated disaster for Australia. Replying to South Africa's declared total of 425, the scatterbrained and frankly embarrassing tourists were skittled for 99 in their first innings and asked to follow on.

By default, Australia fared a little better in the afternoon, finishing the day at 4-156 with Travis Head undefeated on 87. But with its deficit of 170, and a neck injury to Steve Smith — who hasn't appeared to bat yet in the second innings — it will take something truly remarkable for Australia to pull this game out of the fire on the fifth and final day.

The main impression Australia's performance left was of the sheer needlessness of the entire debacle. What was the first innings batting plan, if any? Why were so many batsmen in such a hurry in a scenario from which Australia was never going to win?

Which is not to take the focus of South Africa's unstinting excellence. Another emblematic figure in that sense was off-spinner Simon Harmer, who many thought should have been dropped for this game.

Instead, he's made big runs, caught everything that has come his way, and chipped in with two key wickets. Australia has had no such unassuming star.

Jansen, with 5-33 from 11 overs in the first innings chaos, was the chief destroyer, but there were wheels within wheels. The mere presence of Rabada, who was missing from the first Test, seems to have transformed South Africa's collective energy from a little too amiable in Durban to ruthless and faintly menacing here.

Jansen was the most visible example of this phenomenon. In Durban, he'd bowled with pace and incision to spark Australia's initial collapse. But as his influence waned and Matt Renshaw got going, he silently brooded away in his own world, looking a little like Alain Delon's expressionless assassin in Le Samourai. 

Today he was an entirely different man — gregarious, energetic, fired up. To his usual bouncers he added fist-pumps and fiery send-offs. Like Rabada in the memorably testy corresponding game eight years ago, he got up in Australia's grill and wouldn't go away.

A brief catalogue of Australia's worst misdemeanours in the first innings bears mentioning. Marnus Labuschagne again drove with hard hands, slightly off balance, with his bat plane all wrong, therefore couldn't complain about the bad luck of departing to a one-handed screamer by Harmer in the cordon. Alex Carey, Beau Webster, Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins each either walloped or wafted at deliveries they should have respected, especially given the dire state their team was in at the time.

In the second innings, Nic Maddinson again nudged lamely at Rabada to be caught behind the wicket. As in Durban, Labuschagne again squandered a promising start when a break in sight, heedlessly thrashing Harmer into the deep to hole out for 39 when drinks were about to be brought on. And Webster, again neither looking comfortable nor batting with due caution, was dismissed cheaply at the worst possible time. Renshaw, who had looked relatively comfortable, shouldered arms to be bowled by Rabada.

And for all that, and Australia's loss of 13 wickets for the day, South Africa's attack was a man down for most of the day after lionhearted quick Anrich Nortje suffered a groin injury in his fourth over. Things could actually have been worse.

Only a day ago, one felt the confluence of luck, momentum and a single special innings had changed the game's course without any great culpability on Australia's behalf. The feeling is very different now. South Africa will arrive for the final day with victory in its mind — in this game, foremost, but also perhaps in a series that is now thrillingly alive.