“Rank humiliation”: Australia's “gutless” and shambolic batting performance

• Australia all out for 99 and forced to follow-on
• Marco Jansen backs up his 85 with 5/33 with the ball
• Australia 4/156 at stumps, trailing by 170 runs

Australia is staring down the barrel of a humiliating second Test defeat to South Africa at St George's Park in Gqeberha.

The Aussies were rolled for 99 inside 43 overs after a South African bowling masterclass, forced to follow-on for just the third time since 1988 and first since January 2019

SEN Cricket's Gerard Whateley described it as “rank humiliation” whilst Vernon Philander called it “a pretty gutless batting performance”, arguing “it’s almost like they’ve just thrown in the towel.”

After having South Africa at 6/110 yesterday, Australia in no way thought whey would be batting twice within a day. Three players – Marnus Labuschagne, Matt Renshaw and Beau Webster – were out twice on the same day.

If Australia can’t find a way through for a draw on Day 5 – and the odds are against them with 98 overs to be bowled – there will be big questions asked by the cricket public.

South Africa’s fast bowlers stamp their authority – but did they make the right call with the follow-on?

Australia feared the return of Kagiso Rabada – and there was plenty of reason to fear him - but it was Marco Jansen who dominated in the first innings, taking 5/33 in a blistering performance to tear through the Australian batting line-up. Having already made 85 with the bat, Jansen showed why he might be the best all-rounder in world cricket.

Rabada (2/33) and Wiaan Mulder (2/14) also carved through the Aussies, whilst Anrich Nortje removed Labuschagne before succumbing to an adductor injury. Despite being one bowler down, Proteas skipper Temba Bavuma sent Australia back in, wanting to strike whilst the tourists looked vulnerable.

Whilst Travis Head batted well (87 not out) and Marnus (39) helped put on a 92-run partnership, South Africa were still able to have them four-down at stumps. They need six wickets to win and with the night to rest can start afresh tomorrow to finish the job.

What does Australia do with Marnus?

In the first dig Marnus fell to Nortje for 14, but he wasn’t alone in the collapse. In the second innings he did all the hard work in the fighting partnership with Head to once again reach the 30s. He even got a reprieve from an LBW decision on 36. He then threw his wicket away once again on 39 with a poor shot holing out to Jansen off Simon Harmer.

Katich was scathing in his assessment: “What the hell was that!? You’re trying to hang on for a draw, and you try and go downtown over mid-on into the breeze after getting a reprieve?! You have to wonder what’s going through his mind, and it’s not like it’s a one off because it’s been going on for three years.”

Whateley was blunt: “Complete and utter madness from Marnus Labuschagne. That is just daft cricket.”

Vernon Philander called it a “brain fart.” Whateley continued: “If Australia lose this Test match he has to be dropped now, as a matter of principle. We cannot tolerate this from our senior players.”

Katich agreed: “He should be dropped on principle, because the principle of this whole innings now is for Australia to get a draw and stay one-nil up in the series. It’s not about how many runs you get individually, it’s about you doing a job for the team and making it as hard for the opposition to get you out, and he didn’t do that. Holing out to deep mid-on!?”

There is at least one selection decision to be made

Nic Maddinson went cheaply again – falling to Rabada for the second time in two days, this time for 8.

Whateley declared as he came from the field: “The case is closed – he is not a Test opener, and that is one of the emergency steps Australia takes after the events at St George’s Park.”

Whateley reflected on Maddinson’s selection: “It was never about Maddinson, it was always about the selection. This panel broke all of its rules here. They have rules around how they use one-day cricket, the A squad. They have two active teams at the moment and they went rogue. They reach outside all of all the layers that they have built and defer to and chose a player that hadn’t been playing red ball cricket. It was a rogue selection. It was a rank gamble, but it broke all of their own rules. They reached outside of the pools that they have been selecting from.”

The positive – Travis Head’s second innings

After a lean series against Bangladesh and scores of 9 and 11 in Durban, Head was due, and he stood out in the second innings amongst the misery, finishing the day unbeaten on 87 off 138 deliveries with nine boundaries.

“A lot better looking Travis Head, a lot more fluent in his shot choices,” reflected Philander. Whilst there are lots of questions around the Australian batting order, it was important for Head to find runs and he can hopefully carry his form from this innings to Cape Town.

Another milestone for Smudge – but concerns for his fitness

Upon reaching 28 in the first innings, Steve Smith moved to 11,000 Test runs, becoming the 12th cricketer and third Australian to reach the milestone.

He didn’t add to that score in an erratic innings whilst clearly hampered by a neck issue that required treatment and saw him wear a neck apparatus. He didn’t return to bat in the second innings for the rest of the day, and his status beyond Day 4 isn’t known at the time of writing.

A thought for Scott Boland…

Nightwatchman two nights in a row – can’t keep Scotty out of the game!

Image credit: Getty