New Delhi, Nov 1 (IANS) Australia’s humiliating series defeat to South Africa has triggered a savage backlash and mounting calls for changes, with former great David Warner calling the loss “disgraceful” and “un-Australian.”
Entering day five with 288 to chase down, Australia never looked likely. Losing two wickets in the first over, the visitors found themselves at 6/42 through just 18 overs before bowing out with a measly 111 runs. With this, South Africa won the series 2-1.
The result helped South Africa overtake Australia to become the No. 1 ranked side in the ICC Men’s Test team rankings and also pushed Australia down to the No. 3 spot in the World Test Championship standings.
“I’m just upset. It’s terrible. It’s un-Australian. There’s no fight whatsoever. It’s disgraceful,” Warner said on Fox Sports. “288, you’re winning a Test match; you could win a series. It’s on the line. And this is the way they’re playing?”
A tour of South Africa that began with the Matt Renshaw-inspired visitors claiming a famous victory in Durban ended in ignominy on the fifth day in Cape Town, with an all too familiar batting collapse bringing about a first series loss in more than 1,300 days.
“I think it’s deplorable. The batters have let the bowlers down the whole series. Yes, Matt Renshaw showed fight in that first Test, but I think the batters have been disgraceful. What the batters should know is that this bloke here (Rabada) is going to come out firing. And he has done that. If you get through 10-15 overs…” Warner added.
In each of the three Tests in the series, the eventual winner had struggled in the earlier stages of the test before eventually successfully winning the game. Australia were 124/6 in the Durban Test before eventually posting a match-winning first innings total of 390 that contributed to their 214-run win.
Similarly, South Africa were 110/6 in the following Test in Gqeberha before posting 425/9 dec and winning the Test by an innings and 31 runs. In the Cape Town Test, South Africa collapsed from 203/1 in the first innings to 329 all out.
They conceded a lead of 100 runs to Australia and looked in deep trouble at 131/4 in the third innings before a brilliant bowling show saw them claim the win.
–IANS
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