Hazlewood takes six wickets as Australia crush South Africa by 214 runs
Key takeaways
- Australia beat South Africa by 214 runs in the first Test at Durban on Tuesday.
- Josh Hazlewood took 6-49 in South Africa's second innings, his best figures of the match.
- Australia now lead the three-match series 1-0 with two Tests left to play.
Josh Hazlewood bowled Australia to a big win in Durban. The fast bowler took six wickets on the final day. Australia beat South Africa by 214 runs in the first Test.
South Africa were set 421 runs to win. They were bowled out for 206. The win gives Australia a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Here is how the final day played out.
What happened
South Africa started day five at 102 for 4. They needed 319 more runs to win. They also needed to bat out the day to draw the game. A draw means neither side wins.
The match ends level.
Aiden Markram and Wiaan Mulder were at the crease. They batted well for the first 110 minutes. They did not lose a wicket in that time.
Their stand reached 69 runs off 205 balls.
Then Hazlewood broke through. He bowled a legside delivery to Mulder. Mulder edged it behind.
Wicketkeeper Alex Carey dived to his right and took the catch. Mulder was out for 29 off 110 balls.
One ball later, the game turned again. Part-time spinner Matt Renshaw came on to bowl. His first ball got Kyle Verreynne.
Verreynne edged a catch to Steve Smith at slip. He was out for one run. South Africa were now six wickets down.
At lunch, South Africa were 166 for 6. They had added 64 runs in the session. But they had lost two key wickets. Australia still needed four more wickets to win.
The second new ball changed the game. The new ball is harder and swings more. It helps fast bowlers.
Hazlewood used it well.
He bowled Marco Jansen for 35. Three balls later, Simon Harmer gloved a lifting ball to Carey. Harmer was out for a duck. A duck means a batter scores zero runs.
Then Markram fell. He had batted for almost six hours. He scored 75 runs off 237 balls.
He edged a ball from Mitchell Starc to Carey. The umpire gave him out only after a TV review. A TV review means the third umpire checks the replay.
Hazlewood then finished the job. He got Anrich Nortje out. Nortje popped the ball up to Nathan Lyon at short midwicket.
South Africa were all out for 206. Australia won by 214 runs.
Hazlewood finished with 6 wickets for 49 runs. That is written as 6-49. It was his best spell of the match. He had already taken two wickets on day four.
He added four more on the final day.
Why it matters
Hazlewood broke every stand that could have saved the game. South Africa needed long partnerships to draw. A partnership means two batters stay together and score runs.
Hazlewood kept ending those stands at key moments.
His first strike removed Mulder. That ended a 69-run stand. His new-ball burst then removed Jansen and Harmer.
That burst broke South Africa's lower order. The last four wickets fell for just five runs in 16 balls, according to AFP reports.
Captain Pat Cummins praised Hazlewood after the game. He called him a captain's dream. He said Hazlewood can reverse the ball and bowl at pace.
He said Hazlewood can bowl anywhere the team needs him. Channel News Asia reports his comments.
The win also ended a proud record. South Africa captain Temba Bavuma had never lost a Test as captain before this game. He had led the side in 12 Tests.
He had won 11 and drawn one. This defeat ended that unbeaten run.
Renshaw was named man of the match. He scored 190 in the first innings. He added 82 in the second innings.
He also took two wickets with his off-spin. His first Test wicket came on day four. He got Bavuma out.
Then he got Verreynne on day five.
Steve Smith also made history in this game. He became the world record-holder for most catches by a fielder in Tests. He took five catches in the match.
He did this even after a blow to the head while batting.
Smith did not field late on day four. He had taken a blow to the head while batting. Cricket Australia cleared him after checks.
The checks follow concussion rules. Concussion means a brain injury from a blow to the head. Smith returned to the field on day five.
The win matters for the series too. Australia now lead 1-0 with two Tests left. A series lead gives them room to breathe.
South Africa must now win at least one of the last two Tests to level the series.
The match was also the first Test between the sides in South Africa since 2018. That year was marked by the sandpaper scandal. The scandal involved ball tampering by Australia. Ball tampering means changing the state of the ball in an unfair way.
This series is a fresh chapter for both teams.
Readers who followed the build-up can catch up on the earlier days. Renshaw's 272-run show set up the win. Marco Jansen's role was also a talking point before the final day.
What happens next
The series now moves to the second Test. South Africa must bounce back fast. Their batting needs to be stronger.
They lost their last four wickets for five runs. That collapse cost them the game.
Markram showed that runs are possible on this pitch. He batted for nearly six hours. He faced 237 balls.
But he got little support from the other end. South Africa need more batters to stay with him.
Bavuma will want a response from his side. He said Australia dominated most of the game. He said his team will learn from how Australia played.
Channel News Asia reports his comments after the match.
Australia will feel full of belief. Hazlewood is in top form. Renshaw is scoring big runs.
Smith is catching everything. Cummins has a team that can win in tough places.
The second Test will test South Africa's nerve. A loss there would hand Australia the series. A win would set up a decider.
The third Test would then decide the series.
Fans can expect changes too. Teams often change their side after a big defeat. South Africa may look at their batting order.
They may also look at their bowling attack. Australia may stick with the same winning side.
For now, the story of this Test is simple. Hazlewood took six wickets. Australia won by 214 runs.
The series is 1-0 to the visitors.
Cricket fans can also follow the other series in play. Pakistan chase a clean sweep against Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi. And Bangladesh's Test hat-trick made headlines in the other format.
The cricket calendar stays busy in the days ahead.
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