- BATSMENRBM4s6sSR22.5 Dear, me. Marnus fires in a direct throw and Elgar is run out eight minutes before lunch! That is such poor cricket. Was it the previous ball that did him in? You'd have to think so. Was a fuller-length delivery outside off, he pushes to the right of mid-off and sets off. But Labuschagne swoops onto the ball, turns and throws down the stumps at the non-striker's end. Elgar is short and Australia are pumped. 58/310.4 edged, taken at slip! It's that man Boland again. Full outside off, draws Erwee into the drive, reaching away from the body and it's neatly taken low down at third slip by Khawaja 29/119.6 Green strikes, oh, this is a big wicket for Australia! Wasn't that short, but de Bruyn is sucked into going for a pull. He gets a massive top-edge and Carey gets the slips out of the way to complete a simple catch. Poor, poor shot from de Bruyn after playing so well. 56/222.6 Two in two! This is Australia's session, alright. Length ball that tails away at the last moment. Bavuma pokes at it, no feet and can only edge it to Carey, who dives it to his right to complete a comfortable catch. The batter was stuck in his crease, and no feet movement meant he found himself playing away from his body, reaching for the ball. 58/428.3 what a catch! Marnus with a stunner at mid-off. What a day he's having in the field. Full and wide outside off, Zondo goes for another drive, can't keep it down playing away from the body...but Labuschagne is horizontal when he holds this. Magnificent 67/564.5 edged, taken at slip! Green makes the breakthrough. In the channel outside off, brings him forward, regulation outside edge and reaches Smith at waist height 179/666.1 edged, caught behind! It's Green again. Big spell from the big man. Pitched up outside off, Jansen drives and gets a thin nick. And all of sudden South Africa's good work comes apart 182/767.3 Tosses it up, inviting Maharaj to go for a big one. He takes the bait and departs! That's as soft a dismissal as you'll see. Loopy length ball, outside off. Maharaj looks to clear mid-off but is nowhere near the pitch of it. Hits it straight up and Cummins at mid-off completes a simple catch. South Africa going down rather quickly. 186/966.6 played on! It's four for Green. Best figures in Test cricket. Back of a length from round the wicket, deflects down off a half-hearted defensive poke 186/868.4 Gets a five-for in a Boxing Day Test! The stuff of dreams. An absolute quality display of bowling from Green. Holds the ball aloft and gets a massive applause from the MCG crowd. Keeps it on a length, wicket-to-wicket line, Ngidi misses and the ball hits off pole. Terrific spell. 189/10Extras7 (b 3, lb 3, nb 1)TOTAL189 all out (68.4 Overs, RR: 2.75, 322 minutes)Fall of wickets: 1-29 (Sarel Erwee, 10.4 ov), 2-56 (Theunis de Bruyn, 19.6 ov), 3-58 (Dean Elgar, 22.5 ov), 4-58 (Temba Bavuma, 22.6 ov), 5-67 (Khaya Zondo, 28.3 ov), 6-179 (Kyle Verreynne, 64.5 ov), 7-182 (Marco Jansen, 66.1 ov), 8-186 (Kagiso Rabada, 66.6 ov), 9-186 (Keshav Maharaj, 67.3 ov), 10-189 (Lungi Ngidi, 68.4 ov)
Bowling O M R W Econ WD NB MA Starc 13 2 39 2 3.00 0 0 PJ Cummins 14 4 30 0 2.14 0 0 SM Boland 14 2 34 1 2.42 0 1 NM Lyon 17 3 53 1 3.11 0 0 C Green 10.4 3 27 5 2.53 0 0
Player of the Match
Player of the Match
- BATSMENRBM4s6sSR93.4 and he's gone! Nortje is on a hat-trick. Warner won't be adding anything. It's 147kph, speared in full at leg stump, Warner aiming to work off his pads, takes the back pad on the full and into the stumps. 395/56.4 Rabada knocks over Khawaja for the fifth time in Test cricket! He had his line all wrong against Warner, gets it spot on for Khawaja and has his man. Length ball tailing away from the batter, who just hangs his bat outside off, without a lot of feet movement. The ball catches the edge and the keeper moves to his left to complete a simple catch. 21/118.3 back of a length outside off, push and run into the covers...on no, what's happened here?! Looks like Labuschange has been run out as they got into a mess going for an overthrow. The throw comes back to Nortje who then throws down the stumps. What a bonus for South Africa. Will need to see the replay to find out what happened with the calling. Warner called Labuschange back, but Marnus had to make a large turn after a long followthrough from the first run for the second and then there was awful confusion. Labuschagne committed to trying to make the second in the end, but never had a chance 75/274.1 taken at gully! Out of nowhere. No century for Smith. Short outside off, looking to upper cut down to deep third and ends up guiding it to de Bruyn 314/393.3 through him! Nortje gets reward. Pushed up much fuller, Head looking to play to the on side and it bursts through to take off stump 395/4140.5 What a weird way to get out! Banged in short by Jansen, around shoulder-high. Carey shapes up for the pull, before deciding to sway outside the line of it at the last moment. However, his bat was up and he can only balloon it straight up with Jansen completing a simple catch. End of a monumental innings from Carey. Walks back to a resounding applause from the MCG crowd. 557/894.2 has he touched it?! Big appeal for caught behind and they review. Back of a length at off stump, skims past the edge and there is a little noise. Did he clip his pad? Third umpire sees a small spike and the decision is overturned. Did match ball next to bat and there as a small sound. Not the biggest spike you'll see, though. You can actually see the ball deviate slightly, too, in fact 400/6100.6 pulled in the air, taken at square leg...Lyon's cameo comes to end. Goes after the short ball and splices the stroke 440/7Extras23 (b 5, lb 12, nb 5, w 1)TOTAL575/8d (145 Overs, RR: 3.96, 680 minutes)Did not bat: SM BolandFall of wickets: 1-21 (Usman Khawaja, 6.4 ov), 2-75 (Marnus Labuschagne, 18.3 ov), 3-314 (Steven Smith, 74.1 ov), 3-329* (David Warner, retired not out ), 3-363* (Cameron Green, retired not out ), 4-395 (Travis Head, 93.3 ov), 5-395 (David Warner, 93.4 ov), 6-400 (Pat Cummins, 94.2 ov), 7-440 (Nathan Lyon, 100.6 ov), 8-557 (Alex Carey, 140.5 ov)
Bowling O M R W Econ WD NB K Rabada 28 1 144 2 5.14 0 3 L Ngidi 22.1 2 98 1 4.42 0 0 M Jansen 28 1 89 1 3.17 1 1 A Nortje 25 1 92 3 3.68 0 1 KA Maharaj 41.5 3 135 0 3.22 0 0
- BATSMENRBM4s6sSR16.6 huge appeal for lbw! Was it pad first? Gets the yorker in at middle. Will Cummins review? Yes, he does. This looked very straight of it was pad first. Toe first? Might actually be sliding down. Third umpire trying to confirm if it's toe first. He rules that it is...and it's smashing leg stump. He's gone. Fantastic delivery 47/21.3 is that a touch down the leg side?! Australia reckon it's gone. The umpires are checking if it's carried. Soft signal is out, although I'm very confused if that means anything anymore. It's off the glove, no doubt, confirmed by Snicko. It's dying in Carey, but he gets his fingers under it. Well taken and Australia have an early one. Second time in the series Elgar goes this way, pushing away from his hip. Some may say unlucky, but it's certainly an area to attack Elgar 0/119.5 edged, taken at second slip! Sharp grab and Boland is on the card. Back of a length outside off, climbs at de Bruyn, comes form high on the bat, and Smith does brilliantly here as Labuschagne dived right across him 57/361.3 Straight up and Bavuma now departs attempting a slog sweep! Dear, me, that is just poor cricket. Was the run out weighing in his mind? Looped up outside off, he fetches for it looking to slam it over deep midwicket, gets a massive top-edge as Marcus Harris running to his right from midwicket pouches a relatively simple catch, reverse-cup 176/826.6 A terrible call and Zondo is run out! The birthday boy Travis Head with a direct throw. On a good length outside off, Bavuma pushes to mid-off a bit harder than what he thought and sets off. Zondo responds but Head is quickly on the ball, under-arms the throw and nails the stumps at the striker's end. Zondo was nowhere in the frame. 65/443.5 looks good and given lbw! Good length, nips back, takes him on the knee roll. Verreynne reviews. Only height can save him but not sure it will. And it's smashing the top of middle. Boland does it again 128/552.6 Loud, loud appeal for lbw as Jansen is struck on the back leg. The umpire says no but Cummins reviews! Looked mighty close on first viewing, maybe the height might saves him. Nope, DRS confirms that would have crashed the top of leg stump. It was on a length just on off, Jansen is rooted to the crease as he plays tentatively. Misses and is trapped right in front of the stumps. Great review! 144/660.1 Another mix-up involving Bavuma and Maharaj seems to be struggling! Oh, he is a goner! Absolute disaster for South Africa. That should have been an easy three but Bavuma did not go for the third. On a good length on off, Maharaj punches it through covers and sets off. Maharaj is committed to the third and seems like Bavuma is too. He, however, takes a few steps down, but goes back with Maharaj already halfway down. The throw comes back to Starc who fires a direct throw at the striker's end to find Maharaj short 174/763.2 Another one bites the dust and Australia are just one wicket away from a series win! Tossed up on off, he goes for an almighty slog, is nowhere near it as the ball goes straight up. Cummins at mid-on backtracks and takes it cleanly. 177/968.5 All over! Australia win by an innings and 182 runs! How fitting that a legspinner it is to end the game in a match dedicated to Shane Warne. Loops it up gently on middle and leg, above Ngidi's eyeline. He plays all around it and sees his stumps in a mess. 204/10Extras8 (b 1, lb 5, nb 2)TOTAL204 all out (68.5 Overs, RR: 2.96, 318 minutes)Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Dean Elgar, 1.3 ov), 2-47 (Sarel Erwee, 16.6 ov), 3-57 (Theunis de Bruyn, 19.5 ov), 4-65 (Khaya Zondo, 26.6 ov), 5-128 (Kyle Verreynne, 43.5 ov), 6-144 (Marco Jansen, 52.6 ov), 7-174 (Keshav Maharaj, 60.1 ov), 8-176 (Temba Bavuma, 61.3 ov), 9-177 (Kagiso Rabada, 63.2 ov), 10-204 (Lungi Ngidi, 68.5 ov)
Bowling O M R W Econ WD NB MA Starc 18 4 62 1 3.44 0 0 PJ Cummins 16 8 20 1 1.25 0 2 SM Boland 15 2 49 2 3.26 0 0 NM Lyon 17 1 58 3 3.41 0 0 SPD Smith 2.5 0 9 1 3.17 0 0
Match Details
Series
Toss
Australia , elected to field first
Player Of The Match
Series result
Australia led the 3-match series 2-0
Match number
Season
Hours of play (local time)
10.30 start, Lunch 12.30-13.10, Tea 15.10-17.10, Close 17.10
Match days
26,27,28,29 December 2022 (5-day match)
TV Umpires
Reserve Umpire
Match Referee
Points
Australia 12, South Africa 0
Close of Play
- Mon, 26 Dec - day 1 - Australia 1st innings 45/1 (DA Warner 32*, M Labuschagne 5*, 12 ov)
- Tue, 27 Dec - day 2 - Australia 1st innings 386/3 (TM Head 48*, AT Carey 9*, 91 ov)
- Wed, 28 Dec - day 3 - South Africa 2nd innings 15/1 (SJ Erwee 7*, TB de Bruyn 6*, 7 ov)
- Thu, 29 Dec - day 4 - South Africa 2nd innings 204 (68.5 ov) - end of match
Match Notes
- Over 16.6: Review by Australia (Bowling), Umpire - PR Reiffel, Batter - SJ Erwee (Upheld)
- South Africa: 50 runs in 17.1 overs (104 balls), Extras 5
- Drinks: South Africa - 62/3 in 22.0 overs (T Bavuma 8, K Zondo 0)
- South Africa: 100 runs in 36.4 overs (221 balls), Extras 6
- 5th Wicket: 50 runs in 70 balls (T Bavuma 26, K Verreynne 24, Ex 0)
- Lunch: South Africa - 120/4 in 41.0 overs (T Bavuma 37, K Verreynne 27)
- Over 43.5: Review by South Africa (Batting), Umpire - RA Kettleborough, Batter - K Verreynne (Struck down)
- Over 45.2: Review by Australia (Bowling), Umpire - RA Kettleborough, Batter - T Bavuma (Struck down)
- Drinks: South Africa - 143/5 in 52.0 overs (T Bavuma 47, M Jansen 5)
- Over 52.6: Review by Australia (Bowling), Umpire - PR Reiffel, Batter - M Jansen (Upheld)
- T Bavuma: 50 off 124 balls (6 x 4)
- South Africa: 150 runs in 54.1 overs (327 balls), Extras 8
- South Africa: 200 runs in 67.2 overs (406 balls), Extras 8
- Day 4: Attendance - 13906
- Total attendance - 155714
- Wet Ground: Australia - 386/3 in 91.0 overs (TM Head 48, AT Carey 9)
- TM Head: 50 off 54 balls (7 x 4, 1 x 6)
- DA Warner retired hurt on 200* from 329/3 to 395/4
- Australia: 400 runs in 94.1 overs (570 balls), Extras 23
- Over 94.2: Review by South Africa (Bowling), Umpire - PR Reiffel, Batter - PJ Cummins (Upheld)
- Drinks: Australia - 440/7 in 101.0 overs (AT Carey 31)
- C Green retired hurt on 6* from 363/3 to 440/7
- Australia: 450 runs in 104.1 overs (630 balls), Extras 23
- AT Carey: 50 off 66 balls (9 x 4)
- Lunch: Australia - 479/7 in 112.0 overs (C Green 14, AT Carey 62)
- 8th Wicket: 50 runs in 100 balls (C Green 12, AT Carey 38, Ex 0)
- Australia: 500 runs in 120.3 overs (728 balls), Extras 23
- Drinks: Australia - 535/7 in 132.0 overs (C Green 34, AT Carey 98)
- AT Carey: 100 off 133 balls (13 x 4)
- 8th Wicket: 100 runs in 200 balls (C Green 29, AT Carey 71, Ex 0)
- Australia: 550 runs in 138.1 overs (834 balls), Extras 23
- C Green: 50 off 170 balls (5 x 4)
- Tea: Australia - 575/8 in 145.0 overs (C Green 51, MA Starc 10)
- South Africa 2nd innings
- Rain: South Africa - 15/1 in 7.0 overs (SJ Erwee 7, TB de Bruyn 6)
- Day 3: Attendance - 34318
- End Of Day: South Africa - 15/1 in 7.0 overs (SJ Erwee 7, TB de Bruyn 6)
- Australia: 50 runs in 12.4 overs (78 balls), Extras 8
- 2nd Wicket: 50 runs in 71 balls (DA Warner 28, M Labuschagne 14, Ex 11)
- DA Warner: 50 off 72 balls (4 x 4)
- Drinks: Australia - 95/2 in 24.0 overs (DA Warner 61, SPD Smith 7)
- Australia: 100 runs in 24.4 overs (150 balls), Extras 12
- 3rd Wicket: 50 runs in 84 balls (DA Warner 36, SPD Smith 14, Ex 1)
- Over 34.3: Review by South Africa (Bowling), Umpire - PR Reiffel, Batter - SPD Smith (Struck down)
- Lunch: Australia - 136/2 in 36.0 overs (DA Warner 86, SPD Smith 21)
- Australia: 150 runs in 39.3 overs (239 balls), Extras 14
- DA Warner: 100 off 144 balls (8 x 4)
- 3rd Wicket: 100 runs in 166 balls (DA Warner 61, SPD Smith 33, Ex 6)
- Drinks: Australia - 194/2 in 51.0 overs (DA Warner 117, SPD Smith 43)
- Australia: 200 runs in 53.1 overs (322 balls), Extras 20
- SPD Smith: 50 off 108 balls (5 x 4, 1 x 6)
- 3rd Wicket: 150 runs in 256 balls (DA Warner 85, SPD Smith 56, Ex 9)
- Tea: Australia - 231/2 in 63.0 overs (DA Warner 135, SPD Smith 60)
- Australia: 250 runs in 66.4 overs (404 balls), Extras 21
- DA Warner: 150 off 222 balls (12 x 4)
- 3rd Wicket: 200 runs in 311 balls (DA Warner 112, SPD Smith 79, Ex 9)
- Over 72.2: Review by South Africa (Bowling), Umpire - PR Reiffel, Batter - DA Warner (Struck down)
- Australia: 300 runs in 73.1 overs (444 balls), Extras 22
- Drinks: Australia - 314/2 in 74.0 overs (DA Warner 192, SPD Smith 85)
- DA Warner: 200 off 254 balls (16 x 4, 2 x 6)
- New ball taken at 80.1 overs
- Australia: 350 runs in 81.2 overs (493 balls), Extras 22
- Drinks: Australia - 357/3 in 83.0 overs (TM Head 33, C Green 2)
- Day 2 : Attendance - 42614
- End Of Day: Australia - 386/3 in 91.0 overs (TM Head 48, AT Carey 9)
- South Africa 1st innings
- Drinks: South Africa - 29/1 in 10.4 overs (D Elgar 11)
- South Africa: 50 runs in 17.3 overs (105 balls), Extras 1
- Lunch: South Africa - 58/4 in 24.0 overs (K Zondo 0, K Verreynne 0)
- Drinks: South Africa - 93/5 in 37.0 overs (K Verreynne 16, M Jansen 11)
- South Africa: 100 runs in 40.2 overs (242 balls), Extras 4
- 6th Wicket: 50 runs in 99 balls (K Verreynne 25, M Jansen 22, Ex 3)
- Tea: South Africa - 144/5 in 51.0 overs (K Verreynne 40, M Jansen 38)
- South Africa: 150 runs in 52.1 overs (313 balls), Extras 4
- Over 52.3: Review by Australia (Bowling), Umpire - RA Kettleborough, Batter - K Verreynne (Struck down)
- M Jansen: 50 off 118 balls (8 x 4)
- 6th Wicket: 100 runs in 178 balls (K Verreynne 42, M Jansen 54, Ex 4)
- K Verreynne: 50 off 80 balls (3 x 4)
- Drinks: South Africa - 186/8 in 67.0 overs (KA Maharaj 2)
- Innings Break: South Africa - 189/10 in 68.4 overs (A Nortje 1)
- Australia 1st innings
- Day 1 : Attendance - 64,876
- End Of Day: Australia - 45/1 in 12.0 overs (DA Warner 32, M Labuschagne 5)
Match Coverage
All Match NewsBavuma knows he needs big runs but inexperience also costs South Africa
"I've been guilty of that in my Test career, and that's something that I'd really like to change"
Stats - A year to forget with the bat for South Africa
With only two batters managing Test hundreds all year, South Africa will not be looking back at 2022 in a hurry
Dean Elgar: South Africa learning in the 'most ruthless and brutal way'
South Africa captain calls for more Tests against tough opponents so that the players can improve
Mitchell Starc could be in doubt for India tour after injuring finger
Cameron Green will also miss the Sydney Test against South Africa because of a broken finger
Starc on de Bruyn's backing up: 'Absolutely taking the mickey'
The fast bowler has warned batters in the past and admitted he may eventually run someone out