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Australia trail by 170 at stumps after South Africa enforce follow-on

Travis Head leads the fightback on day four at St George's Park.

By , Sports news desk

Β· 2 min read

Travis Head
Travis Head (file photo) Photo: Calistemon / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Australia finished day four at 156-4 in the second innings, trailing South Africa by 170 runs after being made to follow on. Travis Head remained unbeaten on 87 as Australia fought back from 69-6 at lunch.

Key takeaways

  • South Africa declared at 425-9, led by Temba Bavuma's career-best 179
  • Australia were bowled out for 99, conceding a lead of 326 runs
  • Marco Jansen took 5-33 in the first innings
  • Australia leads the three-match series 1-0 after winning the first Test in Durban by 214 runs

Australia trail by 170 runs at stumps on day four after South Africa enforced the follow-on in the second Test at St George's Park. Travis Head led the fightback with 87 not out as Australia finished at 156-4 in its second innings on Wednesday.

Head hit nine fours and faced 138 deliveries

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South Africa enforced the follow-on after Marco Jansen took 5-33 in Australia's first innings. The visitors were bowled out for 99 runs, conceding a lead of 326 runs in reply to the Proteas' 425-9 declared. Skipper Temba Bavuma had led South Africa's revival with a career-best 179.

Australia was down to 69-6 at lunch on day four.

Jansen struck early in the morning after Australia started at 3-1 overnight. Scott Boland was the first to go as he was caught behind off Jansen on the seventh ball of the day. Travis Head was then out lbw for 14 – again to Jansen – after a review. Simon Harmer took a superb catch at gully to send back Marnus Labuschagne (14) off Anrich Nortje with Australia reduced to 45-4 in 14 overs.

Nortje could only manage another 2.3 overs before a lower-body injury forced him to walk off, leaving the Proteas a bowler short for the remainder of the match. Matt Renshaw (12) and Steve Smith nearly batted out the second hour of play without any further damage, but Jansen struck twice in one over before lunch.

Renshaw was caught at third slip and Alex Carey was caught behind for a duck two balls later with Australia down to 65-6. Post lunch, Jansen completed his fifth five-wicket haul in Tests as Mitchell Starc (1) was caught behind. Smith top-scored for Australia with 28 off 88 balls, also copping a blow to his helmet in the interim.

Kagiso Rabada took 2-33 on his return from injury, while Wiaan Mulder picked 2-14 as Australia's first innings finished just before drinks in the second session. Despite Nortje's injury, South Africa enforced the follow-on and Rabada hit early in the second innings as Nic Maddinson's poor tour continued when he was caught behind for eight.

Head and Labuschagne added 92 off 176 balls for the second wicket to stem the rot for Australia. Australia was 50-1 at tea and Labuschagne fell 11 overs after the break. He hit out against Simon Harmer and was caught at deep mid on by Jansen.

Rabada made it a double blow with Matt Renshaw bowled for 11. Head meanwhile reached 50 off 81 balls and added 27 runs with Beau Webster. The latter was out lbw to Harmer just ahead of stumps.

Smith did not come out to bat after the hit he took in the first innings earlier in the day. He will undergo another concussion Test after a similar incident in the first Test.

Australia won the first Test in Durban by 214 runs and leads the three-match series 1-0.

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