South Africa’s new opening bowling combination immediately made Australian captain Steve Smith rue his decision to bat in the fourth ODI here at a windswept St George’s Park on Sunday.
Kyle Abbott, in for the rested Dale Steyn, struck with the third ball of the innings when the new Warriors seamer delivered a full pitched delivery just outside the off stump that moved back just enough to get through an extravagant drive on the up from Australian opener Aaron Finch. The off-stump went cartling and the traditional St George’s Parkband had something to cheer early on in the day.
The tunes grew even louder when Abbott sent down an even better delivery to danger man David Warner with the first ball of his next over. Whereas not a single delivery moved off the seam in the first three ODI’s on the Highveld andDurban, Abbott was getting the white ball to seriously sing to his rhythm here in Port Elizabeth.
Unlike Finch who was playing an attacking shot, Warner was actually on the defensive which made Abbott’s delivery an even better on. Both Australia’s openers were back in the hut after just 13 balls with only nine runs on the scoreboard.
But the early exchanges were not just “The Abbott Show” with Dwaine Pretorius also getting into the act. Having been handed the new ball after Kagiso Rabada was also rested, the Highveld Lions all-rounder showed good control bowling into a stiff wind from the Park Drive End.
He used it to his advantage when he too got one to tail back into George Bailey, who completely played the wrong length by opting to go back instead of pushing forward. The ball cannoned into his pads and he was right not to review umpire Nigel Llong’s original lbw decision. Australia were 12/3 after 3.2 overs.
The carnage did not end there for the visitors though. After brief resurrection period, chinaman Tabraiz Shamsi – another change made to the Durban side – wrecked further havoc from the Duck Pond End. The Titans star tore the heart out of the Aussie middle-order when he bagged two lbw decisions in the space of three balls.
Shamsi firstly claimed the big scalp of Smith when he got one to turn sharply back into the Aussie captain. Although umpire Adrian Holdstock initially turned down Shamsi’s vociferous appeal, the leg-spinner convinced his skipper Faf du Plessis to send the decision upstairs. It proved the correct decision with the television replays showing three reds on Hawkeye and Smith was forced to head back to the pavilion.
New batsman Travis Head, who in the preview stated that is Shamsi plays the Aussies shouldn’t have too many problems with the chinaman should he play today, was made to eat his words after just two balls when it wrapped him on the pads too. With no reviews left, Head was forced to accept Holdstock’s decision, which TV replays showed to be accurate, and Australia were left in deep, deep trouble.
South Africa had earlier made four changes altogether to the side that wrapped up the series in sensational fashion at Kingsmead mid-week. Batting hero David Miller was ruled out with a groin injury and replaced with Farhaan Behardien, while Aaron Phangiso and Shamsi were also given an opportunity here. Imran Tahir, along with Steyn and Abbott, were the players put on ice.
Despite being 3-0 down in the series, the Aussies made just one change, recalling Scott Boland for Daniel Worrall. Left-handed batsman Usman Khawaja was the unlucky batsman not to get a run despite not playing one game in the series as yet.
TEAMS AT ST GEORGE’S PARK
South Africa: Quinton de Kock (wk), Hashim Amla, Faf du Plessis (capt), Rilee Rossouw, JP Duminy, Farhaan Behardien, Dwaine Pretorius, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kyle Abbott, Aaron Phangiso, Tabraiz Shamsi
Australia: David Warner, Aaron Finch, Steve Smith (capt), George Bailey, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Mathew Wade (wk), John Hastings, Adam Zampa, Chris Tremain, Scott Boland