DAY 4: Jansen rocks Aussies at lunch, as Proteas dominate despite Nortje blow

The Proteas were all over the Australians at lunch on day four of the second test at St George’s Park in Gqeberha on Wednesday, after Marco Jansen helped reduce the visitors to 69/6 in their first innings, still trailing the Proteas first inning score by 356 runs.

After a frustrating first two days dominated by rain the Proteas came alive on day three thanks to captain Temba Bavuma (179), Jansen (85) and Simon Harmer (82), who helped them reach a good score of 425/9 late in the day.

Pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada, back from injury, struck in his first over removing opener Nic Maddinson for a fourth ball duck, leaving the Aussies in early trouble on 3/1 overnight.

The Proteas then struck almost immediately in the morning session, with Jansen nicking off nightwatchman Scott Boland (2) with his first ball of the innings, and the second over of the day, to reduce them to 11/2.

In the 10th over a great review then saw the back of opener Travis Head (14), who was beaten by a wicked in-swinger from Jansen and got rapped on the pads, with the umpire not giving it and Bavuma sending it upstairs where the DRS returned three reads, as they slipped to 22/3.

Marnus Labuschagne (14) and Steve Smith (26no) tried to wrestle control back with a few positive shots, but just as they were looking to build a partnership Anrich Nortje got a good ball to straighten on Labuschagne and take the edge into the slip cordon, where Harmer at gully flung himself to his left and took a brilliant one handed grab in front of Aiden Markram, leaving them on 45/4.

The Aussies now needed to just survive until lunch and they were boosted a couple of overs later when Nortje, in his fourth over, seemed to tweak something in his foot or ankle, and had to walk off the field injured.

But with a few overs to go to lunch Jansen claimed a huge double strike, getting first test hero Matt Renshaw (12) with a good short ball that angled in at him and deflected to Harmer at third slip, followed by Alex Carey for a second ball duck, feathering an edge to keeper Ryan Rickelton, as they crashed to 65/6.

In the afternoon session the Proteas will be pumped to clean up the Aussies and enforce the follow-on. Rabada will be fired up to pick up another wicket, while Jansen with figures of 4/16 in seven overs will be hunting a five wicket haul.

Experienced Aussie Smith will be desperate for some assistance from allrounder Beau Webster, who is yet to score, and the lower order, to try dig them out of the hole they are in.

PROTEAS: Aiden Markram, Marques Ackerman, David Bedingham, Temba Bavuma (capt), Matthew Breetzke, Ryan Rickelton (wk), Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Simon Harmer, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada

AUSTRALIA: Travis Head, Nic Maddinson, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Matthew Renshaw, Beau Webster, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (capt), Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland, Josh Hazlewood

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