Abbott keeps pressure on Aussies

Kyle Abbott led South Africa’s charge for victory on a rain-squalled third day of the second Test with a double strike to leave Australia having to fight hard for survival.

Australia: 85 all out & 121/2 (Khawaja 56*, Warner 45, Abbott 2/55)

South Africa: 326 all out (De Kock 104, Bavuma 74, Hazelwood 6/89)

South Africa lead 120 by runs

HOBART: Kyle Abbott led South Africa’s charge for victory on a rain-squalled third day of the second Test with a double strike to leave Australia having to fight hard for survival.

After Quinton de Kock’s second Test century earlier in the day had enabled the Proteas to take a commanding 241-run lead, Abbott made immediate inroads into the Australian batting line-up.

The South African opening bowler removed the unlucky Joe Burns for a duck, caught down the leg-side by De Kock off the fourth ball of the innings, before breaking up a period of stubborn resistance from David Warner (45 off 78 balls, 4x4) and Usman Khawaja.

The two left-handers had showed good technique and application to survive testing spells form Abbott, Vernon Philander and Kagiso Rabada and appeared to be steadying an Australian ship that has been extremely unstable for the majority of this Test.

But like South Africa have done throughout this series, they stuck in the knife just before the home side could build any real momentum.

Again the dice, though, ``rolled in the Proteas’ favour with Abbott forcing Warner on to the back foot to play a defensive shot where-after the ball tricked down to hit the leg-stump. It was an extremely unfortunate way to be dismissed, especially after all the hard work the south paw had done, but it was also just reward for Abbott who had beaten the bat on numerous occasions throughout a penetrative spell.

Monday, like all the previous days of this series since the opening day in Perth, belonged wholly to the South Africans. A feature of this tour has been how the Proteas have found someone to step up every time the team has been in need of a big performance.

Resuming on 171/5 with a lead of only 85 runs after the entire second day’s play was washed out, De Kock and Temba Bavuma knuckled down to keep the Australians at bay for almost the entire first session.

The 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 24-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.