The big news: Abbott, Rabada take South Africa home

South Africa demolished Australia by an innings and 80 runs to win the second Test at Hobart on Tuesday. Kyle Abbott and Kagiso Rabada were in form again as they bowled Australia out for 161 in the second innings on the fourth day.

South Africa were in complete control of the Test as they were bowled out for 326 in the first innings leading Australia by 241 runs. Australia ended day three on 121/2 still trailing by 120 runs. Usman Khwaja was at the crease on 56 along with Australia captain Steve Smith on 18 at the end of day’s play.

The fourth day began with Khawaja falling to Abbott on 64 followed by Adam Voges on 2. Smith was bowled by Rabada on 31 and that was literally the end of the Australian innings as wickets kept falling at the other end. Australia lost all their eight wickets within 40 runs. Abbott ended with figures of 6/77 as Rabada claimed the remaining wickets (4/34). Abbott was the man of the match. With the 177-run win in Perth and a win in Hobart, South Africa secured its third consecutive Test series win in Australia. They previously won in 2008-’09 and 2012-’13. This was also captain Steve Smith’s fifth straight defeat in Tests.

South Africa still have to play the third Test at Adelaide, which will be under lights and with the pink ball.

Other top stories

  1. Board of Control for Cricket in India curator Kasturi Sriram on Monday promised that the Vizag pitch for the second Test between India and England will not have much grass like the Rajkot wicket. It would turn from day two, said the curator.
  2. With India’s standard of umpiring coming under the scanner often, the Board of Control for Cricket in India has decided to scrap the practice of the captain’s report after each domestic match, reported the Times of India. Instead, the board has asked the match referees to fill in with feedback. “The match referee also serves as the third umpire. They are in a better position to provide a fair and balanced report with the help of video analysts,” a top BCCI official told TOI.
  3. Sri Lanka beat Zimbabwe by eight wickets in the first match of the tri-series tournament at Harare on Monday. Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to field as they bowled Zimbabwe out for 154. Sri Lanka chased the target down within 25 overs.
  4. Australian umpire Sam Nogajski was hospitalised owing to dehydration during a Ranji Trophy match between Mumbai and Uttar Pradesh in Mysuru on Monday. After the Tasmanian was taken to hospital, the second on-field umpire, Virender Sharma, officiated the game till the close of play.
  5. Karnataka’s Vinay Kumar reached the milestone of 400 first-class wickets against Rajasthan in the Ranji Trophy on Monday. Kumar along with Sreenath Aravind bowled Rajasthan out for 148. Karnataka’s openers Ravikumar Samarth and KL Rahul took their side’s lead past the 300-run mark.
  6. Finally some good news was in store for the Board of Control for Cricket in India as the Lodha Committee has granted the board permission to pay the players and officials/support staff related to the Ranji Trophy and other tournaments, reported The Indian Express. “The Hon’ble Justice Lodha Committee has communicated today to the CEO of the BCCI (Rahul Johri) that payments to players and officials can be made directly to them as per the agreed existing terms. This is for all BCCI-organised tournaments,” Shirke told The Indian Express. “We didn’t have problems for all state associations. They pay themselves (to their players). Because the Rajasthan Cricket Association is suspended, the problem was only for them.”