Live cricket scores: Australia face big day as batters get chance to stand up
Mitchell Starc blitzed the Proteas tail late on day one to give his batting line-up the perfect chance to shine on day two. But can they make it count? Follow the action with our live blog.
Mitchell Starc blitzed the Proteas tail late on day one to give his batting line-up the perfect chance to shine on day two.
But can they make it count?
Follow the action with our live blog.
Aaron Kirby is reporting live.
Noise
The crowd are back in the game now as Harmer makes it sound like every ball is a grenade.
Green is using a very open stance against him which is not his usual.
AUS 5-58
DUCK!!!!
Marnus nicks off to first slip!
Hopeless doesn’t begin to describe it. He was nearly out on the first three balls he faced as well.
He went back and prodded and gets the outside edge.
There was some nice drift but just hopeless from Marnus Labuschagne.
AUS 2-58
Marnus dicy
The No.3 has prodded his first ball back and then nearly spooned his second to mid-wicket.
Harmer is finding some turn.
AUS 1-58
Chopped on again!
Harmer only needs one ball to take down Head!
The opener pushes onto the back foot and tries to push him through the off side but the inside edge crashes back onto his stumps.
Head goes for 41 just as he was ready to get going.
AUS 1-58
Good foil
Renshaw looks a good partner for Head.
He is nice and calm, can attack the bad balls but is solid in defence.
He will make the South Australian feel like he is safe to play his game becuase Renshaw can be a rock at the other end.
It’s working well so far, anyway.
AUS 0-58
50 partnership
Head climbs into a square drive off the back foot and then ramps a straight bouncer straight over the keeper for back-to-back boundaries.
It brings up the 50-run partnership for the Aussies.
AUS 0-50
Mulder’s turn
Bavuma has turned to Mulder but without movement, he may struggle.
He bowls very well when the ball swings but at the moment Renshaw is getting right across at him.
AUS 0-42
Ouch
Renshaw ducked into a Rabada bouncer and copped it in the shoulder.
He shrugs it off but that will leave a very nice bruise.
Coetzee is into the attack for the first time.
AUS 0-32
Proteas problem
This is becoming a small issue for South Africa.
They are bowling far to short.
They have not given the ball a chance to swing and we’ve seen no movement at all.
They have had to put a deep point out for Head to stop the boundaries and he is using it to get cheap, risk-free singles.
He also times it better when he knows it’s only going to be a single anyway.
AUS 0-27
Calm start
Australia will be happy with the quiet start here.
Anything wide is going to the rope but otherwise, Renshaw and Head have been smart.
The crowd is very quiet which is a win.
AUS 0-25
