01/03Result
1st Test, Australia tour of South Africa at Durban, Mar 1-5 2018
Australia won by 118 runs
Player of the Match
Mitchell Starc
Mitchell StarcAustralia
01/03Result
1st Test, Australia tour of South Africa at Durban, Mar 1-5 2018
Australia won by 118 runs
Player of the Match
Mitchell Starc
Mitchell StarcAustralia
1860dThe Report by Brydon Coverdale

Starc, Hazlewood swing Australia to 118-run win

Starc misses out on hat-trick but South Africa's resistance lasts 22 balls on the fifth and final day at Durban

Match Centre

Statistics

Best performances - Batsmen

AK Markram
AK Markram
143(218) 19x4 - 0x6
Control %83%
  • Productive Shot
  • cover drive
  • 47 runs
  • 9x4 - 0x6
6 9 9 20 59 10 15 15
MR Marsh
MR Marsh
96(173) 13x4 - 1x6
Control %85%
  • Productive Shot
  • cut shot
  • 21 runs
  • 4x4 - 0x6
14 7 3 23 24 5 5 15

Best performances - Bowlers

MA Starc
MA Starc
O10.4
M3
R34
W5
Eco3.18
RHB
OFFLEG
2W1W
  • FTFULL TOSS
  • YYORKER
  • FFULL LENGTH
  • GGOOD LENGTH
  • SGSHORT OF GOOD LENGTH
  • SSHORT LENGTH
LHB
LEGOFF
1W
1W
KA Maharaj
KA Maharaj
O33.4
M5
R123
W5
Eco3.65
RHB
OFFLEG
1W
1W
1W
  • FTFULL TOSS
  • YYORKER
  • FFULL LENGTH
  • GGOOD LENGTH
  • SGSHORT OF GOOD LENGTH
  • SSHORT LENGTH
LHB
LEGOFF
1W
1W

Scorecard Summary

AUSTRALIA 351(110.4 OVERS)
1ST INNINGS

SOUTH AFRICA 162(51.4 OVERS)
1ST INNINGS

AUSTRALIA 227(74.4 OVERS)
2ND INNINGS

SOUTH AFRICA 298(92.4 OVERS)
2ND INNINGS

Scorer: Chandan Duorah | Commentator: Alan Gardner

10.45am: Right, that wraps up a pretty decent first Test - a morsel of what's to come. Australia were the better side but, the way South Africa came back at them, they'll know they're in a battle for the rest of the series. I'll leave you with Brydon Coverdale's report on the last knockings, we'll be back for more later in the week. Thanks for joining us, cheerio!

10.30am: Time for the presentations, starting with South Africa captain Faf du Plessis: [Always behind on first innings?] "Spot on, they posted 50 runs too many, that's credit to the way they batted, their tail added vital runs. Both team were around 150-160 for 5. Our first innings total was always under par, that's the batters responsibility, not enough partnerships. To lose by 100-odd runs, we know we didn't have enough in the first innings. [Fightback?] First of all with the ball, we were really good, to restrict them to 220, then with the bat, Markram was really special. Really proud of our fight but not quite good enough to live with Australia. [Port Elizabeth next] The character of this team means we'll never go down without a fight."

Mitchell Starc is Man of the Match for his nine wickets (plus some biffing with the bat): "It's nice to put a few in the right spot. Little bit of work to do with the new ball, getting early wickets. Winning a Test match, I'll take that for the group. [Changing wrist position between orthodox and reverse swing?] I don't find it too difficult, probably more natural when it's reversing, it's a good habit to have. [Batting?] Probably got stuck in two minds during the home innings, but nice to get some runs, always encouraging for the tail to add to the total. [Bowl spin in bad light?] I didn't want to ... the skipper might have been trying to jag one himself. Just special to win a Test match."

Australia captain Steven Smith: "Yeah, nice way to start, especially against a top-quality opposition. Really pleased with the way the boys played, Mitch Marsh coming in with 96, the way the tail contributed, that was obviously the difference in the end. A really good game of cricket. I think winning the toss and batting was ideal. Reverse swing played a part through the game. It was a hard-fought Test match, yesterday was a great day of Test cricket, Aiden Markram played exceptionally well, but when Mitch Marsh broke that partnership it got a bit easier. Our practice in the game before this Test was spot on and its pleasing to play as we have. There's not doubt SA will come out hard against at Port Elizabeth and we'll be up for the fight again."

10.20am: Australia go 1-0 up in the four-match series - not bad for 20 minutes work. The wicket that eluded them last night was never likely to keep the tourists waiting for too long today. De Kock played extremely well, to the extent that when he and Markram were batting during the evening session on Sunday, it was possible to imagine the scales shifting - but really, having conceded a 189-run deficit on first innings, they were always hoping for miracles. Still, it was important they showed some fight, with the teams meeting again in Port Elizabeth on Friday.

92.4
W
Hazlewood to de Kock, OUT, reversing in, smack on the back pad - given! Hazlewood has done it, de Kock looks guilty although he belatedly asks for the review, which pretty much tells the story. Thought there might have been an inside edge, but no, it beat the bat as de Kock drove, would have hit leg stump. So Australia wrap up a 118-run win, finishing the innings off without drama on the final morning

Q de Kock lbw b Hazlewood 83 (218m 149b 11x4 0x6) SR: 55.70

92.3
3
Hazlewood to Morkel, 3 runs, full, Morkel slashes a thick outside edge through gully and they pick up three - he's off the mark!
92.2
0
Hazlewood to Morkel, no run, round the wicket, pitched up and Morkel goes for an airy swish, fails to connect
92.1
1
Hazlewood to de Kock, 1 run, length outside off and de Kock pops it in the air through point, this time they do take the single

More news from this feisty old Test: Nathan Lyon has been charged by the ICC for his conduct during the AB de Villiers run-out on day four

END OF OVER:
92 | 1 Run | SA: 294/9

  • Morne Morkel0 (36b)
  • Quinton de Kock82 (147b)
  • Mitchell Starc18-2-75-4
  • Josh Hazlewood15-2-57-2

Morkel has now dead-batted six overs on his own, still without a run... Not even halfway to Geoff Allott's Test record, though

91.6
0
Starc to Morkel, no run, fired in straight, clipped square on the leg side off the inside edge - but they won't run
91.5
0
Starc to Morkel, no run, hello, there's the Starc boomerang, curving with a dangerous beauty out of the hand but it started wide and bent back towards Paine allowing Morkel to leave

Match Coverage

All Match News

Markram's mark

2

No. of fourth-innings centuries in Durban since 1992, including Markram's in this match. The only other was Herschelle Gibbs' 104 also v Aus in 2002. SA had chased down 335 in that Test.

Rare dismissal for ABD

6

Instances of AB de Villiers being run out in Tests. This was his first such instance since Oct 2013. It's also his first duck in 39 Test innings v Australia

Tough for SA

370

The highest 4th-innings total in a Durban Test since South Africa's return to Test cricket. SA made that score v Australia in 2009, in a Test they lost by 175 runs

Maharaj's marches ahead

0

No. of SA spinners to take more than six wickets in a Test at Durban since readmission before this Test. Keshav Maharaj has taken nine in this match.

Bancroft gets one

2

No. of 50s for Cameron Bancroft in his 10 Test innings, including the one in the second inns of this Test. He hasn't crossed 30 in rest of the 8 inns.

Warner in SA

90.50

David Warner's average in Tests in South Africa, before this match. In the 2013-14 tour he had scored 543 runs in three Tests with three centuries and two fifties. He's got to another fifty in this match.

Smith's Streak

5

No. of consecutive 50+ scores for Steven Smith in Tests, including his 56 in this inns. He had scored 239, 76, 102* and 83 in last two Ashes Tests before this series.

Home disadvantage

0

No. of Test series wins for South Africa against Australia at home since readmission. They have played 7 series in SA of which Aus won 5 and 2 were drawn.