Paine shows fight in final test amid Australia torment
Print Edition
Tim Paine was in agony. Australian cricket is in torment.
Both showed some guts on Day 3 of the final cricket test against South Africa in Johannesburg yesterday, but it likely wasn’t going to be enough to avoid a big defeat. New captain Paine made 62 with Australia up against it in the series decider and played through the pain of a fractured thumb sustained while he was wicket-keeping the day before. But despite Paine’s fighting half-century — and another one from bowler Pat Cummins — South Africa bowled Australia out for 221 in its first innings and then extended its lead to 325 runs by tea. South Africa, 2-1 ahead, was heading toward a first series win over Australia at home since 1970. That history might have been lost on an Australia team worried for its future after the ball-tampering scandal from the last test led to long-term bans for captain Steve Smith, vice captain David Warner and batsman Cameron Bancroft, and forced Paine into the top job. Tasked with putting the shattered morale of the team back together, he led from the front, combining with Cummins (50) for a 99-run partnership after Australia was in danger of collapsing at 96-6 on Day 2. After being diagnosed with the fractured thumb on Saturday, Paine stayed on as wicketkeeper while Australia was in the field and also took his place in the batting lineup. He was 5 not out overnight and hit seven fours and two sixes in all to give Australia’s first innings a little respectability despite it being way behind South Africa’s.
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