Cricket |Tempers fray as Australia close on victory against South Africa

Former South African cricket captain Graeme Smith has called David Warner a fool while adding Nathan Lyon may regret his unnecessary celebration following AB de Villiers’ run out in the Kingsmead Test.

The first Test provided a major talking point on day four when De Villiers was run out by Warner and Lyon without scoring. Warner, Australia’s vice-captain, then unleashed a spray on centurion Aiden Markram, who was involved in the run out, while Lyon dropped the ball in the direction of De Villiers who was sprawled on the turf in trying to make his ground.

“The Aussies were pretty fired up at that time pushing for a victory,” Smith told cricket.com.au in Durban, where Australia need just one wicket on day five for victory. “But he [Lyon] is an experienced cricketer. I think he’ll probably say it was unnecessary himself. We’ve got used to Davey over the years. I think the less interest you take in him the better. He can be a bit of a fool at times. It’s best just to let him be.”

Australia require just one wicket to take a 1-0 lead in the four-Test series after setting South Africa 417 for victory. The Proteas are 293-9 with Quinton de Kock (81) and Morne Morkel (0) at the crease after youngster Markram stalled Australia’s bid for victory.

The Proteas crashed to 49-4 and looked set to suffer an ignominious defeat but Markram spearheaded a commendable fightback, producing a gutsy knock of 143 in his seventh Test before falling to Mitch Marsh. Marsh, nursing a sore shoulder, and Tim Paine, keeping up to the stumps, combined to end Markram’s remarkable resistance that spanned five and a half hours.

Paine snapped the 147-run stand between Markram and De Kock by holding one of the sharpest – and most important – catches of his career. Mitchell Starc followed it up soon after with the scalps of Vernon Philander, Keshav Maharaj and Kagiso Rabada in a triple-wicket maiden that eased Steve Smith’s nerves.

The light meter, a device used on every day of the contest, then delivered the latest dose of drama on a day when tensions repeatedly frayed. With the second new ball due and Starc gunning for the second 10-wicket haul of his Test career, Smith was told by the umpires he couldn’t use any of his quicks.

De Kock and Morkel survived some nine overs as Smith and Lyon unsuccessfully attempted to end the final partnership in gloomy conditions. Smith was locked in deep discussions with umpires throughout the final-wicket stand, but officials Sundaram Ravi and Kumar Dharmasena eventually decided enough was enough with five overs remaining in the day.

The Proteas’ attempt to almost better the Test-record run chase of 418 is likely fail, but their fight is a sign of things to come in the series, according to Markram. “It does definitely give us confidence,” he said.

Contests between the sides have produced no shortage of incredible finishes and anticipation was building that another thriller could be on the cards prior to Markram’s dismissal. “They frustrated us by playing really well,” Paine said. “I’m sure some guys were worrying, but we knew we had a new ball coming up, we knew we were one wicket away from unleashing Mitchell Starc and our pace attack on their tail.”

(GUARDIAN)