Wednesday 21 March 2018 19:53, UK
Tests between South Africa and Australia are traditionally fiery affairs, but the current series did not light up until late in the first Test in Durban.
Australia arrived in South Africa with a good away record against the Proteas; in seven post-Isolation Test series in South Africa, the hosts have won none. The Aussies were going into this one on the back of an Ashes win, while South Africa had just toppled India 2-1 to cement second place in the ICC Test rankings.
What has happened so far in the first two Tests of the four-match series? We give a brief recap ahead of the third Test at Newlands, live on Sky Sports Cricket from 8.30am on Thursday...
Ahead of the first Test, Proteas bowler Morne Morkel announced that he would retire at the end of the series.
"It was an extremely tough decision but I feel the time is right to start a new chapter. For now, all of my energy and focus is on helping the Proteas win the upcoming series against Australia."
Morkel, three wickets away from reaching 300 career scalps, was unable to make inroads in the first Test after Australia won the toss and opted to bat, with Steve Smith and David Warner notching half-centuries to put the visitors in a strong position early on.
However, the other South African bowlers clawed things back for their team, and the hosts looked in command with the Aussies struggling at 251-7. But the Australian tail wagged impressively; No 6 Mitchell Marsh the hero with an invaluable 96 that allowed the tourists to reach 351 all out.
In response, AB de Villiers notched an unbeaten 71, but he was the only South African to register any kind of score as the hosts slumped to 162 all out - impressive bowling from Mitchell Starc (5-34) the main reason behind South Africa's poor first outing with the bat.
Australia then made 227 from their second innings, which left the hosts chasing 417 for victory. Elgar and Amla fell early, bringing De Villiers to the crease with the hosts faltering on 39-2. And things went from bad to worse as South Africa's premier batsman was run out for a duck after facing just one ball.
The right-hander started to run from the non-striker's end but was sent back by Aiden Markram, and Warner threw the ball to Lyon for the run out. In celebration, Lyon dropped the ball near De Villiers and Warner directed a tirade at Markram that suggested the opener had just blown his country's chances of salvaging the Test.
South Africa continued their collapse as they limped to 136-5, but then Markram rallied with Quinton de Kock - who struggled for form against India - to keep the hosts alive on the fourth day in Durban.
“We spoke to Aiden about running out their best player and one of the best players in the world. I think had someone had run [Steve Smith] out in our team you’d cop a fair bit of a ribbing. It was nothing aggressive. It was just reminding him of what he had just done, trying to get him off his game, the same as they do to us. It didn’t work.”
Tea on day four, with the Proteas still in the Test, is when the heat of the series was ramped up. Warner was seen directing comments at De Kock as the two teams left the field after the second session, and the confrontation spilled into the stairwell between the dressing rooms. Warner had to be pulled back by team-mates as he tried to confront the South Africa keeper.
South Africa team manager Mohammed Moosajee said Warner had engaged in a personal verbal attack against De Kock on the pitch that involved members of his family, a claim Australia wicketkeeper Tim Paine called "100 per cent false", prompting an alleged response from De Kock about Warner's wife Candice.
Following the incident, an ICC statement read: "The umpires officiating in the Durban Test have reported Warner for a level 2 offence and De Kock for a level 1 offence, for 'conduct that brings the game into disrepute'."
Warner was subsequently fined 75 per cent of his match fees and received three demerit points, while De Kock's sanction was a 25 per cent fine and one demerit point.
After tea, the resistance from De Kock and Markram was ended, and Australia wrapped up a 118-run win as man-of-the-match Starc once again caused havoc with the ball.
"The other day I was probably out of line. I've seen the footage and I regret the way it played out but for me - it is how I am and I responded emotionally and regretted the way I played out."
If relations between the teams going into the second Test were frosty, the conditions matched them as an overcast Port Elizabeth welcomed the two captains for a coin toss that was won by Smith. The Australian opted to bat, admitting he knew the conditions suited the bowlers, but that he hoped his top order could survive the first two sessions and capitalise on a good start.
Warner, spurred on by the incidents of the first Test and his determination to put them behind him, batted impressively as he and Cameron Bancroft inched towards a century opening stand before the latter was caught behind on the stroke of lunch.
The visitors then lost wickets at quick intervals in the second session, and when Smith was dismissed by Kagiso Rabada to take Australia to 161-4, the fired-up fast bowler celebrated in Smith's face, and his shoulder made contact with the departing batsman on the follow through.
Rabada knew he would be in trouble at the conclusion of the Test, but it did not stop him from claiming a five-for as Australia posted 243 all out in the first innings.
The 22-year old was once again called into action at the end of day one, coming in as a nightwatchman and scoring a handy 29 runs before losing his wicket on the morning of day two. South Africa scored slowly thereafter, and when they lost a flurry of wickets in the third session, it looked as though Australia would claim an unlikely first-innings lead.
However De Villiers hit back with some positive batting, and along with Vernon Philander, Keshav Maharaj and Lungi Ngidi, took South Africa to 382 all out with an unbeaten 126.
The first Australian wicket to fall in reply was that of Warner, and Rabada showed he had no intention of letting up on his aggression as he gave the opener a send-off to the dressing room. Rabada then repeated the dose to Mitchell Marsh who was treated to a loud celebration as Rabada ripped through the Australian line-up to claim six second-innings wickets and leave South Africa needing 101 for victory.
The Proteas lost four wickets in the final innings, but were never really in trouble as they levelled the series 1-1 with the third Test in Cape Town looming.
Rabada was awarded man of the match, but was also found guilty of two ICC charges of misconduct for aggressive wicket celebrations; those of Smith and Warner. He was fined 50 per cent of his match fee and handed three demerit points - taking him over the eight-point threshold in a 24-month period that results in an automatic two-Test ban, which ruled him out of the remainder of the series.
However, Cricket South Africa decided to appeal the verdict, and after lengthy deliberation, Rabada's punishment was reduced to a 25 per cent fine and one demerit point on Tuesday - he now has seven, one under the threshold and as a result, his ban has been rescinded.
"The ICC have set the standard, haven't they? There was clearly contact out in the middle. I certainly won't be telling my bowlers to go out there and after you take a wicket go and get in their space. I don't think that is on and part of the game. But the standard has been set."
The decision means Rabada is free to play in the third Test, prompting Smith to say there is now a "line in the sand" when it comes to physical contact on the cricket field. Whether or not the decision was correct, it adds another interesting sub-plot to an already enthralling series.
The third Test between South Africa and Australia kicks off on Thursday morning at 8.30am, live on Sky Sports Cricket.
