Talking points as South Africa leave Australia reeling after brilliant second day

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  • Bavuma remained unbeaten on 95. Pic credit - @OfficialCSA Twitter.

    South Africa took complete control of the final Test against Australia in Johannesburg after some outstanding batting and bowling performances on day two.

    The hosts put up 488 runs on the board in the first innings before causing the Aussies all kinds of trouble at 110-6 in their reply when stumps were called on Saturday.

    Here, we look at the talking points from day two at Johannesburg.

    CUMMINS REPEATS DEBUT HEROICS

    More than seven years after he made his debut for Australia in a man-of-the-match performance against the same opposition at the very same venue, Pat Cummins completed only his second five-wicket haul in his career.

    After picking up three wickets on the opening day after bowling his heart out, Cummins continued in the same vein on Saturday. Always willing to bend his back, the Aussie pacer removed Keshav Maharaj and Morne Morkel off consecutive deliveries to end the South African innings.

    Finishing with 5-83, Cummins now has 12 wickets in three innings at Johannesburg. After an injury-laden spell which kept him out of the international reckoning for long, Cummins is now playing in his 13th consecutive Test, a testament to how far he has come fitness wise.

    BAVUMA SUFFERS CENTURY HEARTBREAK

    It was down to the efforts of Temba Bavuma that the hosts ended up with 488 runs on the board after being reduced to 299-6 by the Aussies on Friday. The South African had scored only six runs in the two innings at Cape Town but he more than made up for it with a fine unbeaten 95 at Johannesburg.

    After scoring just one run in the first hour on Saturday, the right-handed batsman added 175 runs more to the South Africa total on day two along with the tail. He formed an 85-run seventh-wicket stand with Quinton de Kock before adding 76 runs for the ninth wicket with Maharaj.

    The 27-year-old was on course for only his second Test ton but Cummins struck twice in two deliveries to leave Bavuma stranded on 95. Nevertheless, it was a superb effort from the batsman who put South Africa firmly on top with his gem of an innings.

    AUSTRALIA’S ‘REPLACEMENTS’ FACE THE MUSIC

    With the long bans handed out to Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft, the Aussies had been forced to fly out Queensland opening pair of Matt Renshaw and Joe Burns straight after their match-winning efforts in the Sheffield Shield finals. Peter Handscomb meanwhile, had taken the place of Smith in the batting line up.

    With 488 runs on the board for the Proteas, Renshaw and Burns were thrown straight into the cauldron as they came out to bat in the final session of the day. Vernon Philander had Burns beaten repeatedly as he nervously prodded around the off-stump.

    The opener ultimately fell to Kagiso Rabada for four runs as he finally knicked one to the slips. Renshaw’s stay lasted just marginally longer as he was caught-behind after playing a loose shot away from his body to Philander.

    Handscomb fell without opening his account as he was caught in two minds to a Philander delivery outside off stump. Handscomb ultimately chose to leave the delivery but the ball swung-in sharply, clipping the edge of his bat before crashing onto the stumps leaving Australia reeling at 38-3.

    BEE-STING CAUSES MISSED STUMPING

    Australia had been given a late jolt when Quinton de Kock caught Usman Khawaja brilliantly down the leg side off the bowling of Philander. Batting precariously at 91-4, it could have been a whole lot worse for the visitors had a bee-sting not come to their rescue.

    Shaun Marsh charged down the wicket to take on Maharaj but was beaten as the ball went on straight with the arm. Luckily for Marsh, De Kock failed to collect the ball cleanly and was instead stuck on the pads, giving the Aussie batsman a huge reprieve. Replays then showed that the Proteas wicket-keeper has been stung by a bee just moments before impact with the ball, which could have caused him to lose his bearings.

    All that would be moot ultimately though, as the Marsh brother both fell in the closing stages of the day to leave Australia staring at a huge first-innings deficit.

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