AUSTRALIA has taken out a remarkable two-day Test victory against South Africa in Brisbane, marking an eye-catching start to the three-match bilateral series. The home side won by six wickets, with all four innings compacted into six sessions of play atop a contentious Gabba green top. Not since 1931 has Australia completed a Test victory at home within two days.

Hunting down 34 for victory in just under eight overs, the Aussies lost four wickets along the way as neither side managed to bat for longer than 51 overs in the match. Marnus Labuschagne (5* off 16) and Cameron Green (0* off 2) were left to gather the winning runs, after Usman Khawaja (2), David Warner (3), Steven Smith (6), and Travis Head (0) all fell victim to a damaging Kagiso Rabada spell which yielded 4-13.

Unfortunately for the visitors, Anrich Nortje failed to hold up the other end, with a whopping 19 extras top-scoring in the chase. The South African paceman produced an anticlimactic finish, delivering a short-pitched ball which sprung off the Gabba surface and over the keeper’s outstretched hands for five wides – not for the first time in the innings.

Only adding to the impact of the seaming pitch was the strength of both teams’ bowling attacks. 15 wickets fell on day one, and 19 on day two for a combined total of 34-506 across the entire match. So advantageous was the surface to bowlers, that Australia won the toss and sent South Africa in to bat – a relative rarity at the Gabba.

It took little time for the decision to be proven a shrewd one, as the visitors slumped to 4-27 within 11 overs of their opening dig. A middle-order partnership between gloveman Kyle Verreynne (64 off 96) and Temba Bavuma (38 off 70) provided some resistance, but the Proteas’ vulnerable batting lineup could only muster 152. Nathan Lyon (3-14) and Mitchell Starc (3-41) did the damage.

With little to defend, things started brightly as South Africa’s revered bowling attack hit the pitch. Under pressure opener, Warner saw his demise off the very first ball of the innings via a vicious Rabada bouncer, and soon after the scoreboard read a familiar 3-27. Enter Head, who defied the conditions with a counter-attacking knock of 92, supported by Smith’s 36.

Alex Carey‘s cameo of 22 with the tail boosted Australia’s total to 218, making for a lead of 66. Rabada struck with 4-76, while Marco Jansen carried on his knack of striking within the first over of his spells to conjure 3-32. Nortje chimed in with 2-52, including a beautiful in-seamer which knocked over Smith.

An innings defeat was on the card when South Africa fell to 3-5 in its second dig, though out of the fire came fighting knocks from Bavuma (29 off 61) and Khaya Zondo (36* off 85). Aussie skipper, Cummins took half the wickets with 5-42, as Starc made history with 2-26 – including his 300th Test scalp – and Scott Boland (2-14) produced another dramatic multi-wicket over.

It left a meagre total for Australia to produce, though the hosts made hard work of it with slack dismissals at the hands of a fired-up South African pace pair. With an extra few day’s rest, both sides will reconvene for the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne for the second of three matches. It will be Warner’s 100th Test, and a commemorative one for the late, great Shane Warne.

SCORECARD

RESULT: Australia (218 & 4-35) def. South Africa (152 & 99) by 6 wickets
POTM: Travis Head (Australia)
TOSS: Australia won the toss and elected to bowl

INNINGS BREAKDOWN

1st Innings: South Africa 10-152 (48.2)

Kyle Verreynne 64 (96), Temba Bavuma 38 (70), Kagiso Rabada 10* (18)
Nathan Lyon 3-14 (8), Mitchell Starc 3-41 (14), Scott Boland 2-28 (11)

2nd Innings: Australia 10-218 (50.3)

Travis Head 92 (96), Steven Smith 36 (68), Alex Carey 22* (30)
Kagiso Rabada 4-76 (17.3), Marco Jansen 3-32 (9), Anrich Nortje 2-52 (13)

3rd Innings: South Africa 10-99 (37.4)

Khaya Zondo 36* (85), Temba Bavuma 29 (61), Keshav Maharaj 16 (18)
Pat Cummins 5-42 (12.4), Scott Boland 2-14 (8), Mitchell Starc 2-26 (11)

4th Innings: Australia 4-35 (7.5)

Steve Smith 6 (5), Marnus Labuschagne 5* (16) + Sundries (19)
Kagiso Rabada 4-13 (4), Anrich Nortje 0-18 (3.5)