AUS vs SA Day 2: Rain prevented Usman Khawaja from reaching his first double century on Day 2 of the enduring 2nd Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Thursday, leaving Khawaja stuck on 196. Australia had reached 475/4 in the 3rd period when the day was abruptly curtailed by rainfall.
Following Steve Smith scoring his 30th Test century to surpass Don Bradman on the chart, Travis Head was removed for 70. Matt Renshaw was undefeated at the time on 5. Anrich Nortje has taken 2 victims for South Africa, and Keshav Maharaj & Kagiso Rabada all had shared 1-1 wickets . Australia took control of the 3rd Test at the Sydney cricket ground with the help of Usman Khawaja and Steven Smith, who scored his 30th Test hundred.
AUS vs SA Day 2: Khawaja and Smith’s solid partnership
AUS vs SA Day 2: Smith and Khawaja seized the maximum benefit of a pitch sluggish and predicted to get worse as the game went on by partnering for 209 runs to humiliate South Africa on day 2. This was their greatest combination since their 188 versus England at the SCG in 2018 & with their 10th-century collaboration within only 33 games.
Smith was dismissed for 104 after unconvincingly squishing a comeback catch to spin bowler Keshav Maharaj after passing Sir Donald Bradman for the most consecutive Test centuries.
Following a sluggish beginning, Smith put on a masterful performance to achieve his century with a pull stroke to the fence off the speedy Anrich Nortje. Despite being improved previously in the campaign, Smith’s back-foot trigger mobility gets more noticeable in this session, but Smith playing with the bowlers meant it had little impact on his performance.
AUS vs SA Day 2: Smith surpasses Hayden and Clarke after his century
AUS vs SA Day 2: Smith has been especially pleased since in his 20 prior games versus South Africa, he averaged 41.67, which is over 20 points under his lifetime average. When Smith hit 100 in the initial session of his 2014 match versus South Africa in Centurion, it was his lone Test 100.
Smith then passed Matthew Hayden and Michael Clarke to take 4th place altogether in Australia’s Test total statistics. As Smith hit his 4th century in his hometown stadium. He also reached 1,000 Test runs there at Sydney cricket ground. Khawaja, enjoys playing at the SCG and is one of just four batsmen to have hit 3 straight 100 there. Along with Wally Hammond, Doug Walters, and VVS Laxman.
AUS vs SA Day 2: Khawaja’s unstoppable innings
Well before noon, Khawaja scored his 13th Test hundred, which marked by a jump, an aerial smash, and the removal of his headgear prior to a brief dance. Khawaja, whose Test record rejuvenated by a pair of hundreds versus England on this field one year earlier. He has already averaged over 100 in 4 of his 7 Test hundreds at the Sydney cricket ground. For Khawaja, who’d already lost on Australia’s run surplus yet only averaging 27.43 from 7 prior games. It marked the conclusion to a trying Test summer.
With their triumph to book their place in the World Test Championship finals. Smith and Khawaja have placed the Australian side on pace for a resounding triumph in the campaign. The duo has also entirely drained the spirit out of the South African team. That is under siege and has no alternatives.
South African bowlers under pressure
After a fruitless initial period, South Africa was hoping to make some progress after taking the 2nd fresh ball just prior to lunch. With Nortje seeming as threatening as usual. Following lunchtime, though, Nortje and Kagiso Rabada, not utilized. Instead, spin bowler Simon Harmer had to use a seemingly fresh ball. Despite being under bowled in the opening round, particularly in the initial hour. Harmer was unable to establish an impression and eventually struck by a quick-footed Smith for a big 6.
30 mins into the game, Rabada eventually joined the offensive and bowled a spirited spell, however, his stability woes persisted. Rabada did come close to catching a blazing Khawaja, but a slow-moving Nortje dropped him at the backward position. After receiving a bounce, Nortje struck Khawaja with a beast of a shorter delivery just prior to tea.
Maharaj dismisses Steve Smith
AUS vs SA Day 2: However, after abruptly dismissing Smith, it was ultimately Maharaj who ended the alliance. After leaking 247 runs off 75.5 overs in the game prior to taking his longa-waited breakthrough victim. Maharaj ultimately obliged.
With just 1 dismissal in 2 periods, under-pressure captain Dean Elgar. Who already seems to have appeared to be reactive in his approach. May come underneath even more scrutiny.
South Africans had minimal prospects of entering the World Test Championship finale, and their likelihood of winning would seem hopeless. After experiencing unusually bright circumstances in the latter period. South Africa may require Sydney’s unpredictable conditions to return in order to escape a complete sweep.
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