Cameron Green’s five assists help Australia take control of the second test against South Africa

Australia blasted through South Africa’s weak batting before heaping on late runs to take control of the second test match that was played in Melbourne on Monday. Allrounder Cameron Green got his career-best five wickets for twenty-seven runs.

After the tourists were bowled out for 189, an aggressive David Warner, who was playing in his 100th Test, was unbeaten on 32 and Marnus Labuschagne was not out on five to take the hosts to 45-1 at stumps on day one of the match.

The wicket of Usman Khawaja fell when Kyle Verreynne off Kagiso Rabada caught him behind the wicket for one. On a hostile and green Gabba track in Brisbane last week, the first of three Tests between Australia and India was won by Australia by six wickets inside of two days.

Even though the track at the Melbourne Cricket Ground was less favourable to bowlers, the team’s captain, Pat Cummins, made the unusual decision to field at a location that is traditionally reserved for toss-winning teams batting first.

The South African captain, Dean Elgar, stated that he was perplexed by the choice; nonetheless, it turned out to be inspired in front of 64,876 fans with the Proteas dropping early wickets as they once again struggled against the bowling firepower of the hosts.

Following a 67-5 deficit, Verreynne and Marco Jansen began a valiant comeback that resulted in a 112-run stand to keep their team in the game.

But then Cameron Green, who was the second-most expensive buy in the Indian Premier League auction the previous week, went on a blitz, which ended the partnership when Verreynne got an outside edge on 52 that Steve Smith collected. Cameron Green was the second-most expensive buy at the auction.

After another ball from Green, Jansen was out, caught by wicketkeeper Alex Carey for 59 off Green, and then the gigantic Australian went on to bowl Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi. Jansen’s final score was 59.

During the period, Green grabbed 4-8 wickets, and the Proteas lost their final five wickets while only scoring 10 runs.

South Africa had a tense start to the day after suffering unnecessary losses of Sarel Erwee and Theunis de Bruyn.

They were taken aback just before noon when Elgar, who had just reached 5,000 runs in Tests, and the seasoned Temba Bavuma both went out in the same over.

It put them in a difficult position, with a score of 58-4, and presented the inexperienced middle order with a challenging challenge.

Before Verreynne and Jansen dug in, it seemed like the game was going to finish when Khaya Zondo was caught diving by Marnus Labuschagne in the fifth over after lunch for five. This was the moment when it appeared like the game was going to end.

On a muggy day, Cummins posed several perceptive early questions, including one that resulted in Elgar being dismissed for seven off of his own bowling and two major lbw shouts against Sarel Erwee being turned down.

Erwee led a risky lifestyle but was no match for the renowned hero of the area, Scott Boland.

The seamer, who had taken 6-7 in the previous year’s same Test against England, came on to deafening cheers and got the breakthrough in his second over by removing Erwee for 18 with a low catch by Khawaja at third slip.

Recently, the batting for South Africa has been under pressure, and Elgar, being the senior player, was aware that he needed to remain in the game.

However, it was a slog, with the captain escaping when the ball rolled over his stumps after an inside edge off of Boland, but the bails remained in place, and then being dropped by Nathan Lyon. It was a close call.

Theunis De Bruyn’s attempt at a pull shot resulted in wicketkeeper Carey taking an easy catch, which led to Green getting Australia’s second wicket.

Then, disaster struck when a lethargic Elgar was needlessly run out by Labuschagne while going for a single on the score of 26, and Bavuma fell for one the following ball, edging Mitchell Starc to Carey after a weak shot.