26 March,2018 08:14 AM IST | Cape Town | AFP
South Africa's Morne Morkel celebrates the dismissal of Australian batsman Steven Smith in Cape Town yesterday.Pic/AFP
Australian cricket's day of shame ended in a crushing 322-run defeat by South Africa on the fourth day of the third Test at Newlands yesterday. Set an unlikely 430 to win, Australia were bowled out for a paltry 107, with fast bowler Morne Morkel taking five for 23. It was a fittingly dismal end to the match for Australia after they were caught up in a ball tampering scandal on Saturday. Skipper Steve Smith was subsequently banned for one match by the ICC, just hours after he and vice-captain David Warner had stood down from their positions for the remainder of the match.
"It's been a horrible 24 hours. I want apologise to our fans and those back home," said stand-in skipper Tim Paine. The Australians had already woken to bruising criticism from their own chief executive and prime minister, as well as condemnation from around the cricket world. It followed the admission by Smith and young batsman Cameron Bancroft that they had deliberately tried to change the condition of the ball on Saturday. The day seldom got any better.
Tim Paine and his bowlers could not stop South Africa from taking their second innings total to 373. Embattled opening batsmen Bancroft and Warner weathered a challenging 70 minutes before tea at the start of their second innings before the run-out of Bancroft sparked a collapse in which all 10 wickets fell for just 50 runs in 19.3 overs and 99 minutes.
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Bancroft fell to a direct hit from South African captain Faf du Plessis after being called for a risky run.
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