Twitter Reactions: Australia one wicket away from victory in the first Test

The visiting Australia side looked cruising to draw first blood on their tour of South Africa. Despite having lost their 9 wickets in the second innings with just 213 runs on the board, they knew they had their noses ahead in the Test. The handy first innings lead, 189 to be precise, had helped their cumulative lead cross the 400 run mark by the end of day 3. With this backdrop, the players walked out on the field on the penulimate day of the Test.

Australia added 14 runs to their overnight score to finish with 227 in their second innings. Keshav Maharaj picked up the final wicket, that of Pat Cummins on 26. South Africa were set a target of 417. Certainly, the hosts had a record chase at their disposal. In walked Aiden Markram and Dean Elgar to start the proceedings for the hosts in the run chase. As has been the case of the entire South African summer, Dean Elgar failed to get his act going.

He perished after scoring just 9. Hashim Amla, the veteran campaigner, joined Markram at the crease. Again, Amla’s poor run in the format continued as Josh Hazlewood sent him packing on 8. What followed next was an absolute horror show. AB de Villiers, the saving grace for South Africa in the first innings, had to go back for a golden duck owing to a horrific miscommunication with Markram. Faf du Plessis (4) perished soon after.

At 49/4, things looked grim for the hosts. Theunis de Bruyn and Markram then showed brief resistance before de Bruyn perished for 36. Meanwhile, Aiden Markram reached his fifty. He found good support in Quinton de Kock, who also scored a gutsy fifty. Markram, who looked determined and resolute throughout the innings, went on to score a century.

The two batsmen showed great character to threaten the visitors. Eventually, the 147 run stand came to an end with Mitch Marsh dismissing Aiden Markram on a very well played 143. Once Markram was dismissed, the Australians knew they were right back in the game. They have to come back tomorrow morning to pick the final Proteas wicket to clinch the series 1-0.

Here is how the fans reacted to the day’s play:

Mitchell Starc with a reverse swinging ball is the natural predator ? of tailend batsman ?#SavAus

— Damien Fleming (@bowlologist) March 4, 2018

#mop

— Alyssa Healy (@ahealy77) March 4, 2018

Tim Paine. Sublime hands. #SAvAUS

— Adam Gilchrist (@gilly381) March 4, 2018

Played @AidzMarkram ? good show of character ? up

— Herschelle Gibbs (@hershybru) March 4, 2018

High quality 100 from SA’s Aiden Markram. Looks a class act. #SAvAUS

— mark butcher (@markbutcher72) March 4, 2018

There’s only one outcome when Starc is bowling with the old ball that’s reversing against the tail….OUT. 1-0 for Australia. Series will go to Australia too. #SAvAUS

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) March 4, 2018

#Markram batted brilliantly today.

Do note that he scored at a strike rate of 66.

As I've said many times before, you cannot succeed unless you score quickly in South Africa.#SAvAUS

— Abhishek Mukherjee (@ovshake42) March 4, 2018

Mercy me #SAvAUS pic.twitter.com/zqpBoEWPqu

— Ryan Buckland (@RyanBuckland7) March 4, 2018

Starc to Tail-enders#SAvAUS pic.twitter.com/1GucfrTQV7

— urstrulyKajal?? (@BanarasiBasanti) March 4, 2018

A day five in Durban on a Monday when the visiting team needs one wicket to win. Conditions are perfect for the lowest ever attendance at a test match day.

— Sean Wilson (@SimplySean_) March 4, 2018

Most left handed fast bowlers covet the ability to move the ball into the right hander. Starc has mastered the ball going away, welded it to the round the wicket angle, and is splaying tail end stumps for fun.

— Snehal Pradhan (@SnehalPradhan) March 4, 2018

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