South Africa levelled the four-match series against Australia at 1-1 with an important six-wicket victory in the second Test at Port Elizabeth on Monday.
Chasing 101 to win in the final innings, the hosts survived a late response by Australia’s bowlers to make up for the 118-run loss at Durban in the opener.
Here, we take a look at the key talking points from the fourth day at Port Elizabeth.
RABADA’S MAGIC 10
The Proteas pace sensation was on fire in the first innings after his five-wicket burst within the space of just 18 deliveries decimated Australia’s batting order after they had got off to a strong start.
He went a step further in the second innings, accounting for six Aussie wickets to leave the hosts with a paltry total to chase down. Kagiso Rabada had done the bulk of the damage on Sunday itself with three key wickets of David Warner, Usman Khawaja and Shaun Marsh.
The visitors added just six runs to their overnight score when Rabada burst through the gates of the younger Marsh sibling to give South Africa a flying start on Monday morning. The 22-year-old pacer then dismissed Pat Cummins to complete his second five-for in the match and fourth 10-wicket haul in Test cricket. It is the joint-most 10-wicket haul by any bowler in Test history before the age of 23, along with Pakistan great Waqar Younis. For reference, the leading South Africa pacer Dale Steyn has five to his name.
It is indeed crazy to think that he is spearheading South Africa’s pace attack at the age of 22 and already has 124 Test wickets in his kitty. It is scary to think that he is only going to get better and is he keeps going like this, he is almost certain to end up as the greatest pacer in South Africa’s history.
Rabada completed a 11-wicket haul in the Test.
RABADA FACES SUSPENSION
The first Test had been overshadowed by the Warner-Quinton de Kock saga but all the talk in the second Test has centered around Rabada. While plenty of it has to do with his sensational display of fast bowling, most of it pertains to his disciplinary issues.
He came into the Test with five demerit points and has already been charged with an ICC Level 2 offence for his aggressive send-off for Australia skipper Steve Smith in the first innings. The Proteas pacer has now been charged with another Level 1 offence for his send-off for Warner on Sunday evening. This time, instead of a brush of the shoulders, it had been for screaming in the face of the batsman as he walked by.
Another three demerit points for his Level 2 offence could see him suspended for two Tests, effectively ruling him out for the remainder of the series.
The pacer could be out for the rest of the series with eight demerit points.
ABD SALVO NULLIFIES LATE AUSSIE CHARGE
Australia had dismissed opener Dean Elgar at the stroke of lunch to carve a miniscule opening, If they had any faint hopes of staging a dramatic comeback in the second session after dismissing Aiden Markram, they were quickly dashed as AB de Villiers carried off from where he left in the first innings.
The South African stalwart was in a hurry to finish off the match and made batting look easy on a difficult wicket as he launched a counter-attack on Australia’s bowlers.
The 33-year-old clubbed Nathan Lyon for a huge six at the start of his innings and was equally ferocious against the pacers. He, along with Hashim Amla, brought the hosts to the brink of victory before Australia dismissed the pair in quick succession.
With 20 runs still to get, Cummins had Amla caught behind before Lyon had De Villiers caught in the deep in the very next over. It was, however, scant consolation for the visitors as the Test had well and truly been lost by then.
