Rusty or something more? South Africa's concern after Australia loss
Australia complete 214-run victory over South Africa in Durban. What does heavy defeat mean for the world champions?
South Africa's 12-match unbeaten run concluded with a defeat against Australia in Durban. The question remains whether their performance was simply a lack of preparation or if there are deeper issues. Australia, led by Josh Hazlewood with career-best figures of 6-49, secured a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. South Africa's coach Shukri Conrad expressed disappointment, stating that they need to see more fight in the team.
He also noted that the batters did not capitalize on their starts in the first innings on a good wicket. The defeat was not solely due to the batters, as South Africa's bowlers also lacked the relentless pressure of Australia's attack. Despite Anrich Nortje's impressive return and the positive performance of Aiden Markram, the real concern lies in the batting performance.
The Proteas must hope that this Test has removed the rust, as the second Test starts in just five days.
Written by urgent.news from BBC Sport's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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