Cape Town: Australia needed a last-wicket partnership of 26 runs to avoid the record for the all-time lowest team total in Test cricket yesterday, finally collapsing to 47 all out on a chaotic second day of the first match against South Africa.
No 11 Nathan Lyon top-scored with 14 and No 10 Peter Siddle was next with 12 not out to steer Australia from 21 for nine — five runs off the worst score in Test history, when New Zealand was bowled out by England in 1955.
Debutant Vernon Philander took five for 15 and Morne Morkel three for nine, but Australia still led by 235 runs at Newlands.
Incredibly, Australia had just skittled South Africa out for 96 to lead by 188 runs after both first innings. The visitors' ensuing slump meant that a single day's play included part of all four innings of the match — only the third time that has happened in Test history.
Last man out
Australia captain Michael Clarke took his personal score to 151 before he was last man out in his side's first innings mid-way through the morning session. The tourists had taken their overnight 214 for eight to 284 all out.
And that score looked more than enough to set Australia on the way to victory when the Proteas collapsed from 49 for two and 73 for three to just 96 all out, Shane Watson ripping through their batting line up to take five for 17.
With only the openers reaching double figures, skipper Graeme Smith was the only home player to make much impression with the bat as he scored 37. But wickets continued to tumble either side of tea, with Philander and Morkel making light work of the Australian batting second time around.
Onslaught
Ricky Ponting, Mike Hussey and Brad Haddin all fell for ducks, while the likes of Watson (4), Phil Hughes (9), Clarke (2) and Mitchell Johnson (3) fared little better in the face of the South African onslaught.
The batsmen were all left bemused by the pace, bounce and seam movement generated by the home side's tall fast bowlers.
Facing the task of chasing 236 to win after watching 22 wickets fall in the day already, South Africa's batsmen started positively. Smith and Jacques Rudolph added 27 before the latter edged to Haddin off Siddle.
This allowed Hashim Amla and his skipper to see their side through to the close at 81 for one and needing just 155 to secure a famous victory, although Amla was lucky to see Hussey drop him from a simple chance off the last ball of the day's play.
Statistics
Most Test wickets to fall in a day (for both teams):
- 27 — Eng (17) Aus (10) Lord's Jul 1888
- 25 — Aus (15) Eng (10) Melbourne Jan 1902
- 24 — Eng (14) Aus (10) The Oval Aug 1896
- 23 — Aus (12) SAf (11) Cape Town Nov 2011
Four different innings occurring on the same day of a Test match:
- Eng v WI at Lord's 30-06-2000: (Eng won by 2 wkts).
- Ind v NZ at Hamilton 21-12-2002: (NZ won by 4 wkts)
- Aus v SAf at Cape Town 10-11-2011 (in progress).
- Compiled by Mohandas Menon
