Home
The first Test of the three-Test series between Australia and South Africa got off to a controversial start. It is not because of something that players did but pitch curators. The green top at the Gabba turned out to be a minefield of a pitch for batters as the game got wrapped up within two days. After South Africa lost the Test by six wickets, Proteas skipper Dean Elgar was critical of the pitch.
“Another 60 runs and we would have been in the game. Still trying to wrap my head around what's happened. Pretty spicy wicket, bowlers were licking their lips. Challenging for the batters which is okay, but on the flipside I don't see this as a fair contest,” Elgar said in the post-match presentation.
“In fairness, I don't think we could prepare any better. Conditions weren't in favour for the batters, the partnership between Smith and Head made the difference. We've got an unplanned extra three days, that's good. When you've got two quality bowling attacks, people want to watch that but they want to watch it for all five days,” the 35-year-old added.
South Africa top order (Sarel Erwee, Elgar and Rassive van der Dussen) could score just 23 runs from both innings. In the first innings, wicketkeeper-batter Kyle Verreynne scored 64 and help the visitors post 152. In the second innings, Temba Bavuma (29) and Khaya Zondo's (36 not out) contributions helped them get rid of the trail.
Australian skipper Pat Cummins had his say on the Gabba wicket as well as he said, “Tricky wicket. I thought the way Head and Smith batted got us to this winning position. (On the pitch being difficult) I'm a bowler so you're asking the wrong person. But it was a difficult wicket, credit to Head for the way he batted - almost scored a hundred.”
Player of the match Travis Head who scored 92 in the first innings also felt that it was very difficult to bat on.
“Very difficult wicket, plenty for the bowlers. We saw that the whole game… This was one of the most challenging wickets I've played on,” Head said.
