Shaun Marsh marked his return to Test cricket with a fighting century as Australia overcame a poor start on the first day of the first Test against South Africa at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Wednesday.
Australia were 297 for four at the close. They were reeling at 98 for four after being sent in to bat but Marsh (122 not out) and Steve Smith (91 not out) added an unbeaten 199 for the fifth wicket with positive stroke play.
“Shaun was amazing all day,” Smith said. “He let the ball come into his areas, left really well and capitalised when they bowled in his areas.”
Smith said Australia were in a good position against the No 1-ranked Test side. “We thought it was going to be quite tough this morning but if we got through that initial phase it was going to be quite a nice wicket to bat on.
“It actually played well throughout the day with good pace and bounce. There are a few cracks forming so, hopefully, with the heat overhead we can get a big first-innings total and let the cracks come into the game later.”
It was a remarkable comeback for the left-handed Marsh, who just a week ago was contemplating a spell of domestic Sheffield Shield cricket. Marsh, 30, was selected for the tour but had to withdraw because of a calf injury. He made a quick recovery, however, and arrived in South Africa on Sunday after Shane Watson was ruled out of the first Test, also because of a calf injury.
It was Marsh’s first Test in two years. He made 141 and 81 in his first two Test innings in Sri Lanka in 2011 but was dropped after his next nine yielded only 79 runs.
Marsh started his innings when Australia were 24 for two in the ninth over. David Warner hit two boundaries off Dale Steyn in the first over of the match but made only 12 before he was bowled by Steyn, edging an attempted cut into his stumps.
Chris Rogers made four before he was caught at short leg off Morne Morkel. The fast bowler’s first delivery of the match, after he replaced Steyn, was a bouncer which struck Rogers on the shoulder. The next ball was another lifter which Rogers fended to the leg side, with JP Duminy diving to his right to take a good catch.
New cap Alex Doolan and Marsh added 48 for the third wicket before Doolan was caught at midwicket off Ryan McLaren for 27.
Michael Clarke, the captain, became Steyn’s second victim when he top-edged a hook to fine leg after scoring 23.
Marsh, who survived a sharp chance to Hashim Amla at gully off Morkel when he had 12, went through a quiet period when he scored only nine runs in 18 overs on either side of lunch but reached his half-century off 101 balls. Batting with increasing fluency, he notched his century off 174 deliveries, with 11 fours.
The South African captain Graeme Smith said at the toss that he wanted to put Australia under pressure at the start of the series.
The pitch was well-grassed, and there was early life, but conditions eased under a hot sun as the ball lost its shine and Marsh and Smith tamed South Africa’s pace-based attack.
Sri Lanka escape to victory in first T20 against Bangladesh
Thisara Perera removed Anamul Haque off the final ball to hand Sri Lanka a two-run victory over Bangladesh in the first Twenty20 international in Chittagong on Wednesday.
The Dinesh Chandimal-led Sri Lankan team, the world’s top-ranked Twenty20 side, made 168 for seven after being sent in to bat and then restricted Bangladesh to 166 for seven to take the lead in the two-match series. The second T20 match will be played tomorrow, also in Chittagong.
India too good a side to roll over, says Southee
New Zealand are expecting a strong response from India in the second Test in Wellington, according to the fast bowler Tim Southee.
The Black Caps won the first Test in Auckland by 40 runs to pick up their first victory over India in a Test match since 2002, and they can clinch the series if they avoid defeat in the match in Wellington, which begins on Friday. India have also lost the one-day international series between the sides and Southee told the Press Trust of India: “They have obviously had a disappointing tour but are too good a side to roll over.
“They’ll come hard and they will want to have a win on the tour. They are a far better side than they have shown on this tour so far.
“They have a lot to prove in this last Test and have got a lot of quality players. I am sure we are going to have to up our game. They’ll come out and look to finish their tour on a high.”
New Zealand have made two changes to their squad, with the uncapped wicketkeeper-batsman Tom Latham and all-rounder Jimmy Neesham coming in to replace Jesse Ryder and Doug Bracewell, who have been dropped following a late-night drinking session on the eve of the first Test.
MS Dhoni, the India captain, is hoping his pace trio of Ishant Sharma, Zaheer Khan and Mohammed Shami can keep up the good form that saw them take 17 wickets in Auckland, including skittling out the hosts for just 105 in their second innings. “The bowlers bowled fantastically well to get us back – one of the best that I have seen our bowlers bowl, especially on a good wicket,” he said.
“They kept it tight and bowled wicket-taking deliveries at the same time. They need to continue doing that.”
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