Pat Cummins: It was a gutsy effort

Australia players celebrate a South African wicket yesterday. Pic/Getty Images

Australia captain Pat Cummins praised the "incredible achievements" of his injury-hit team after the home side beat South Africa by an innings and 182 runs in the second Test on Thursday, clinching the three-Test series 2-0.

Resuming on 15-1 in their second innings and needing 386 to make Australia bat again, the Proteas were bowled out for 204 at tea on Day Four, crashing to their biggest defeat in a Test in Australia. That eclipsed the previous unwanted record of a defeat by an innings and 163 runs in Brisbane in December 1931.

On top of WTC

Australia are on top of the ICC Test Championship and victory in the third Test in Sydney would guarantee a place in the Championship final at The Oval in June 2023.

Australia is counting the cost of victory, though, with all-rounder Cameron Green and paceman Mitchell Starc unavailable for the third test starting on January 4 in Sydney, both due to finger injuries. "All the incredible achievements this week, Starcy with a finger that's going to put him out for a few weeks, to have the bravery to go out there and do that. Cam [Cameron] Green the same, gutsing it out for us," Cummins said after the Melbourne Cricket Ground win.

"We saw Steven Smith [making 85 despite suffering flu-like symptoms] and Davey [Warner] batting on Day Two in 38 degrees [scoring 200 in 99-degree Fahrenheit heat], gutsy, gutsy innings.

"It is probably the best team, you know, Test team I've played in just in terms of how well settled everyone is. We can just all sit back and appreciate the place that we are in at the moment because it's really special."

Also Read: Australia overcome gritty WI; Pat Cummins bags 200th scalp

Lyon on fire

Australia spinner Nathan Lyon ends the year as the leading wicket-taker in Test cricket in 2022 with 47, alongside South Africa's pace bowler Kagiso Rabada. Lyon claimed 1-53 and 3-58 in the second Test, while Rabada was criticised by South Africa's bowling coach Charl Langeveldt for lacking control as he conceded 144 runs from his 28 overs in Australia's
1st innings while taking two wickets.

Brief scores
SA 189 & 204 (T Bavuma 65, K Verreynne 33; N Lyon 3-58, S Boland 2-49) lost to Australia 575-8 decl, by an innings and 182 runs

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