De Kock powers Proteas to big lead
Quinton de Kock converted his fifth successive half-century into his second Test ton at the Bellerive Oval to press home South Africa’s advantage in this second Test.
|||Australia: 85 all out
South Africa: 326 all out (De Kock 104, Bavuma 74, Hazelwood 6/89)
South Africa lead by 241 runs
HOBART: Quinton de Kock converted his fifth successive half-century into his second Test ton at the Bellerive Oval to press home South Africa’s advantage in this second Test.
After the entire second day’s play was washed out, De Kock and Temba Bavuma were tasked with stretching South Africa’s overnight lead of 86 runs after the bowlers had routed the Aussies for just 85 on Saturday morning.
They duo showed great discipline and restraint while completing their task under cloudy skies once again here in the southernmost capital of Australia.
It was only until off-spinner Nathan Lyon was introduced into the attack that De Kock allowed himself the pleasure of going down on bended knee to slog-sweep a boundary over wide mid-on. The shot also brought up his fifth half-century in as many Test innings.
Equally Bavuma moved patiently to his second fifty in as many Tests after surviving a working over from both Josh Hazelwood and debutant Joe Mennie earlier in the morning.
Bavuma was content though to be the supporting act in the partnership with De Kock now finding his groove, especially as the new ball approached.
It reaped dividends with the South African wicket-keeper reaching the three-figure milestone shortly before the lunch interval with a single to square-leg.
The Australians finally, though, had something to cheer about when Hazelwood managed to sneak through the bat and pad of De Kock when the 23-year-old attempted a straight drive down the ground. De Kock was dismissed for 104, but the 144-run partnership with Bavuma may already have put the game out of Australia’s reach.
A slight rain delay during the lunch interval seemed to spruce up the pitch a bit with the home side picking up three wickets in a short space of time.
Bavuma (74, 208 balls, 8x4) was the first to depart when a delivery from Mennie seamed away and rose sharply on the right-hander. The Proteas No 6 could do nothing but offer Lyon a simple chance at point off a leading edge. It brought to a close another good innings from Bavuma, but the Highveld Lions batsman would have been gravely disappointed not to add another century to his Newlands landmark.
Hazelwood sensed he opportunity to wrap up the Proteas’ innings with Bavuma’s departure and picked up the three remaining wickets in quick succession to finish with the impressive figures of 6/89.
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