On a day that could have ended Test careers, a few young ones flourish
Fri, 11 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, IAW 117, AAW 4/121
Mon, 14 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, ZIM 235, AUS 8/294
Mon, 14 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, IAW 7/148, AAW 2/178
Wed, 16 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, IAW 161, AAW 5/168
Thu, 17 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, ZIM 272, AUS 6/356
Thu, 17 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, INU 6/182, AUU 7/175
Thu, 17 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, WAU 9/238, SAM 0/58
Fri, 18 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, QUE 7/335, VIC 7/339
Sat, 19 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, ZIM 8/271, AUS 9/272
Sat, 19 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, IAW 6/239, AAW 235
Sat, 19 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, WAU 115, TAS 1/117
Sun, 20 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, INU 7/341, AUU 239
Mon, 21 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, QUE 358, NSW 6/359
Tue, 22 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, IAW 6/338, AAW 8/341
Tue, 22 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, INU 4/255, AUU 254
Tue, 22 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, SAM 7/383, TAS 8/376
Wed, 23 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, SAF 8/297, AUS 230
Thu, 24 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, IAW 6/364, AAW 9/362
Thu, 24 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, INA 334 & 199, AUA 171 & 200
Thu, 24 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, VIC 212, NSW 257
Sat, 26 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, SAF 9/365, AUS 333
Mon, 28 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, INU 494, AUU 217 & 229
Mon, 28 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, SYW 4/168, QUW 167
Mon, 28 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, VIW 8/293, SAS 7/290
Mon, 28 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, WAW 6/236, TAW 232
Tue, 29 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, SAF 4/145, AUS 9/322
Wed, 30 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, IAW 364 & 257, AAW 176 & 164
Wed, 30 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, SYW 174, QUW 4/285
Wed, 30 Sept, 11:00 pm, Final score, WAW 7/273, TAW 7/299
Thu, 1 Oct, 11:00 pm, Final score, INA 167 & 9/310, AUA 358 & 4/173d
Tue, 6 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, INA 149, AUA 274
Tue, 6 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, QUW 9/266, BAW 7/196
Wed, 7 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, INU 315 & 0/11, AUU 174 & 151
Fri, 9 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, AUW 3/168, BAW 166
Fri, 9 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, INA 206, AUA 275
Sat, 10 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, VIC 244 & 224, SAM 508
Sun, 11 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, AUW 1/222, BAW 6/220
Sun, 11 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, INA 275, AUA 226
Sun, 11 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, NSW 9/500d, TAS 245 & 5/402
Sun, 11 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, WAU 175 & 8/201, QUE 307 & 68
Mon, 12 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, VIC 241, SAM 311
Mon, 12 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, HHW 7/127, ACM 100
Mon, 12 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, SSW 3/136, BHW 90
Mon, 12 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, MRW 7/138, PSW 4/139
Mon, 12 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, STW 3/79, MSW 78
Tue, 13 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, SAF 284 & 206, AUS 390 & 6/314d
Tue, 13 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, NSW 158, TAS 203
Tue, 13 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, WAU 246, QUE 261
Tue, 13 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, SSW 3/78, ACM 7/77
Tue, 13 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, ASW 4/183, PSW 8/182
Wed, 14 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, AUW 2/175, BAW 172
Wed, 14 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, MRW 4/180, MSW 6/179
Wed, 14 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, ASW 5/165, HHW 8/136
Fri, 16 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, BHW 4/86, ACM 83
Sat, 17 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, SAM 7/397, QUE 271
Sat, 17 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, HHW 5/136, PSW 8/166
Sat, 17 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, STW 5/122, MRW 9/121
Sat, 17 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, ACM 4/129, MSW 6/132
Sat, 17 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, SSW 9/105, ASW 6/143
Sun, 18 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, AUW 8/165, NZW 2/162
Sun, 18 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, MRW 2/132, HHW 8/129
Sun, 18 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, BHW 129, ASW 6/139
Sun, 18 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, STW 2/93, PSW 92
Sun, 18 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, SSW 8/155, MSW 5/158
Tue, 20 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, AUW 7/167, NZW 8/127
Tue, 20 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, ASW 6/116, PSW 5/118
Tue, 20 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, STW 9/152, SSW 6/153
Wed, 21 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, SAM 203 & 145, QUE 238 & 4/114
Wed, 21 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, PSW 7/134, SSW 8/149
Thu, 22 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, SAF 9/425d, AUS 99 & 295 f/o
Thu, 22 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, AUW -, NZW 2/11
Thu, 22 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, TAS 241 & 236, VIC 207 & 266
Thu, 22 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, WAU 339 & 9/244, NSW 6/440d & 5/262d
Sat, 24 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, TAS 137, VIC 7/304
Sat, 24 Oct, 12:00 am, Final score, WAU 293, NSW 8/371
Wed, 28 Oct, 12:00 am, Live score, SAF 329, AUS 4/330
Wed, 28 Oct, 12:00 am, Live score, SAM -, WAU 3/304
Thu, 29 Oct, 3:40 pm, Game not started, MRW versus STW
Thu, 29 Oct, 7:10 pm, Game not started, MSW versus HHW
Fri, 30 Oct, 10:30 am, Game not started, TAS versus NSW
Fri, 30 Oct, 11:45 am, Game not started, AU6 versus ONG
Fri, 30 Oct, 7:05 pm, Game not started, EN6 versus AU6
Fri, 30 Oct, 7:10 pm, Game not started, BHW versus SSW
Sat, 31 Oct, 11:00 am, Game not started, QUE versus VIC
Sat, 31 Oct, 3:40 pm, Game not started, ASW versus MSW
Sat, 31 Oct, 7:10 pm, Game not started, PSW versus MRW
Sun, 1 Nov, 3:40 pm, Game not started, STW versus BHW
Sun, 1 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, SSW versus HHW
Mon, 2 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, MSW versus PSW
Wed, 4 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, HHW versus MRW
Thu, 5 Nov, 3:40 pm, Game not started, ASW versus BHW
Thu, 5 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, STW versus PSW
Fri, 6 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, MSW versus SSW
Sat, 7 Nov, 2:30 pm, Game not started, WAU versus ENG
Sat, 7 Nov, 3:40 pm, Game not started, MRW versus ASW
Sat, 7 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, BHW versus HHW
Sun, 8 Nov, 1:40 pm, Game not started, SSW versus STW
Sun, 8 Nov, 5:10 pm, Game not started, PSW versus MSW
Tue, 10 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, HHW versus ASW
Wed, 11 Nov, 10:30 am, Game not started, NSW versus SAM
Wed, 11 Nov, 10:30 am, Game not started, VIC versus WAU
Wed, 11 Nov, 11:30 am, Game not started, QUE versus TAS
Wed, 11 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, PSW versus STW
Thu, 12 Nov, 3:40 pm, Game not started, MSW versus BHW
Thu, 12 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, MRW versus SSW
Fri, 13 Nov, 2:30 pm, Game not started, AUS versus ENG
Sat, 14 Nov, 3:40 pm, Game not started, HHW versus BHW
Sat, 14 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, PSW versus ASW
Sun, 15 Nov, 11:00 am, Game not started, SSW versus MRW
Sun, 15 Nov, 2:30 pm, Game not started, AUS versus ENG
Mon, 16 Nov, 10:00 am, Game not started, NSW versus SAM
Mon, 16 Nov, 11:00 am, Game not started, QUE versus TAS
Mon, 16 Nov, 2:00 pm, Game not started, VIC versus WAU
Mon, 16 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, STW versus MSW
Tue, 17 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, ASW versus SSW
Wed, 18 Nov, 2:30 pm, Game not started, AUS versus ENG
Thu, 19 Nov, 3:40 pm, Game not started, HHW versus PSW
Thu, 19 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, BHW versus STW
Fri, 20 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, ASW versus MRW
Sat, 21 Nov, 12:00 pm, Game not started, HHW versus STW
Sat, 21 Nov, 3:30 pm, Game not started, SSW versus PSW
Sat, 21 Nov, 7:15 pm, Game not started, AUS versus ENG
Sun, 22 Nov, 10:30 am, Game not started, NSW versus QUE
Sun, 22 Nov, 3:40 pm, Game not started, BHW versus ASW
Sun, 22 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, MSW versus MRW
Mon, 23 Nov, 1:30 pm, Game not started, WAU versus TAS
Tue, 24 Nov, 11:00 am, Game not started, SAM versus VIC
Tue, 24 Nov, 7:15 pm, Game not started, AUS versus ENG
Wed, 25 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, MRW versus BHW
Thu, 26 Nov, 3:40 pm, Game not started, STW versus ASW
Thu, 26 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, SSW versus MSW
Fri, 27 Nov, 7:15 pm, Game not started, AUS versus ENG
Fri, 27 Nov, 9:10 pm, Game not started, PSW versus HHW
Sat, 28 Nov, 3:40 pm, Game not started, MRW versus MSW
Sat, 28 Nov, 7:10 pm, Game not started, STW versus SSW
Sun, 29 Nov, 12:00 pm, Game not started, BHW versus PSW
Sun, 29 Nov, 3:30 pm, Game not started, ASW versus HHW
Sun, 29 Nov, 7:15 pm, Game not started, AUS versus ENG
Wed, 2 Dec, 7:15 pm, Game not started, AUS versus ENG
Thu, 3 Dec, 10:30 am, Game not started, NSW versus WAU
Thu, 3 Dec, 10:30 am, Game not started, VIC versus QUE
Thu, 3 Dec, 11:00 am, Game not started, SAM versus TAS
Wed, 9 Dec, 1:20 pm, Game not started, AUS versus NZL
Sat, 12 Dec, 8:10 pm, Game not started, MER versus PER
Mon, 14 Dec, 11:00 am, Game not started, SAS versus WAW
Tue, 15 Dec, 10:00 am, Game not started, ACM versus SYW
Tue, 15 Dec, 3:00 pm, Game not started, SLW versus AUW
Tue, 15 Dec, 7:15 pm, Game not started, BRI versus SYS
Wed, 16 Dec, 11:00 am, Game not started, SAS versus WAW
Wed, 16 Dec, 7:15 pm, Game not started, SYT versus ADE
Thu, 17 Dec, 10:00 am, Game not started, ACM versus SYW
Thu, 17 Dec, 11:30 am, Game not started, AUS versus NZL
Thu, 17 Dec, 7:15 pm, Game not started, HOB versus BRI
Fri, 18 Dec, 3:00 pm, Game not started, SLW versus AUW
Fri, 18 Dec, 7:15 pm, Game not started, MES versus ADE
Sat, 19 Dec, 10:30 am, Game not started, TAW versus VIW
Sat, 19 Dec, 7:15 pm, Game not started, SYT versus SYS
Sun, 20 Dec, 3:00 pm, Game not started, SLW versus AUW
Sun, 20 Dec, 7:15 pm, Game not started, PER versus HOB
Mon, 21 Dec, 10:30 am, Game not started, TAW versus VIW
Mon, 21 Dec, 7:15 pm, Game not started, MES versus BRI
Tue, 22 Dec, 7:15 pm, Game not started, SYS versus MER
Wed, 23 Dec, 7:15 pm, Game not started, ADE versus SYT
Thu, 24 Dec, 7:15 pm, Game not started, MER versus HOB
Sat, 26 Dec, 10:30 am, Game not started, AUS versus NZL
Sat, 26 Dec, 6:05 pm, Game not started, SYS versus BRI
Sat, 26 Dec, 9:15 pm, Game not started, PER versus MES
Sun, 27 Dec, 7:15 pm, Game not started, SYT versus MER
Mon, 28 Dec, 7:15 pm, Game not started, BRI versus ADE
Australia's batters had South Africa running all around the field on day two. (AP: Halden Krog)
The vague suspicion before play on day two of the Cape Town Test was that Australia — out of form, stalked by rumours of disharmony in the ranks, its batting line-up restocked and reshuffled for the umpteenth time — was one more calamitous batting collapse away from the end of an era.
The day of perfectly calm and controlled Test batting that took place instead was no less arresting, and in the context of this topsy-turvy series, far more surprising. For 90 overs, Australia batted diligently, adaptively, intelligently and at changing tempos, building a series of reassuring partnerships that put it in control of the game.
Elevated to the opening slot, Matt Renshaw looked safe as houses. Slotted into Steve Smith's number four position, Cameron Green hit a commanding half-century. Drafted in at the 11th hour, Josh Inglis was closing in on a century by stumps and had dragged Alex Carey along in his slipstream.
Josh Inglis took the baton from Cameron Green and Matt Renshaw. (AP: Halden Krog)
It all meant that Proteas attack leader Kagiso Rabada, who probably woke up feeling comfortable with the expectation it would be his day to wreak some havoc — perhaps even end some careers — went wicketless, as did too many of his mates.
Thanks to stands of 126 between Renshaw and Green and an undefeated 145 between Inglis and Carey, Australia reached 4-330 by stumps and walked away probably feeling in the box seat on a pitch offering very little assistance to the bowlers.
The weight of numbers was one thing, the problem-solving another. In two testing periods, South Africa made double-strikes and threatened to blow the game back open, only for the tourists to consolidate and rebuild.
Alex Carey and Josh Inglis put together a handy partnership late on day two in Cape Town to put Australia in firm control of the third Test against South Africa.
The crunch moments came in the 18th over, when off-spinner Simon Harmer ripped out Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne, and just before tea, when Renshaw and Green were removed by Marco Jansen in the space of a few overs.
Both times Australia took a deep breath, regrouped and pushed on in the same direction as before.
The only major negative of the day for Australia — although the many unkind souls who wish him bad luck will not view it so — was Labuschagne's duck. Out-of-form players often have a knack for attracting unplayable balls. At the moment, poor old Marnus can make almost anything look unplayable.
For a team that has not produced a single 100-run opening partnership in the past three years, Renshaw's 74 from 139 deliveries was a welcome return to normalcy at the top of the order. In a 58-run stand with Travis Head (41) to start off, the Queenslander was deferential and circumspect, showing they could be a fire and ice combination.
But it was Renshaw's union with Green, which stretched across 32 overs, that provided the most welcome glimpse of the future of this Australian team.
At 27 and 30, Cameron Green and Matt Renshaw are the babies of this team. (Getty Images: Grant Pitcher/Gallo Images)
They were a study on contrasts: surely no batsman as big as Renshaw has ever made himself such a small target for bowlers; heavy-footed Green, on the other hand, has the awkward tendency to turn himself into a fast bowler's piñata, swaying and ducking into bouncers, and in this case wearing a few painful body blows from the shorter stuff South Africa threw at him in large doses.
In the latter sense, Green again showed he had guts. And as he got going, his fluent stroke play more than made up for the cobwebs he was destined to display after three and a half weeks without a competitive hit.
As Aiden Markram had treated Pat Cummins's bowling with disdain on day one, Green took it upon himself to take down Rabada, who has lorded it over Australia in the past.
The killer blow on that front was when Green moved into the 40s with a trio of swivel-pulls that brought six, six and four off consecutive deliveries.
Green punished a trio of Kagiso Rabada short balls. (Getty Images: Grant Pitcher/Gallo Images)
Renshaw, as in his Durban epic, was more watchful and unassuming, content to press, deflect, dab, flick and generally accumulate — precisely the sort of calm, unhurried Test batting Australia has been crying out for in the past two years, and which is the bedrock of the big, defendable totals Australia will need to post when it can no longer rely on its brilliant but aging bowling unit.
As well as re-emphasising Labuschagne's redundancy, the Renshaw-Green partnership might also, in the wash-up, accelerate the conversation about how Australia tactfully moves on from the Smith and Labuschagne era.
What more is there to say about Marnus at this point? Harmer, who weeded him out this time, is a canny bowler and has proved himself a big-moment performer in this series. But geez, his wicket ball this time was not exactly a jaffa.
Labuschagne shuffled back to what might otherwise have been a half-volley, pushed at it with hard hands, his slicing bat plane again a horror story, and Markram gobbled the edge at slip.
And what Labuschagne had made look impossible in that brief and tortured innings was, by the end of the day, looking entirely straightforward thanks to Inglis and Carey, undefeated on 85 and 51 respectively.
Loose and a little too eager to play his shots earlier in the series, Carey took a leaf out of Renshaw's book with nudges, nurdles and strike rotation. Inglis, whose finger injury prevented even net sessions for most of the past two weeks, clobbered nine fours and two sixes to poleaxe a tiring Proteas attack.
Tomorrow, both or either batsmen could feasibly take the game and the series away from South Africa in the space of an hour or two. But then, we've said that before, haven't we?
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