Tempers fray as Australia close on victory against South Africa

Former South African cricket captain Graeme Smith has called David Warner a fool while adding Nathan Lyon may regret his unnecessary celebration following AB de Villiers’ run out in the Kingsmead Test.

The first Test provided a major talking point on day four when De Villiers was run out by Warner and Lyon without scoring. Warner, Australia’s vice-captain, then unleashed a spray on centurion Aiden Markram, who was involved in the run out, while Lyon dropped the ball in the direction of De Villiers who was sprawled on the turf in trying to make his ground.

“The Aussies were pretty fired up at that time pushing for a victory,” Smith told cricket.com.au in Durban, where Australia need just one wicket on day five for victory. “But he [Lyon] is an experienced cricketer. I think he’ll probably say it was unnecessary himself. We’ve got used to Davey over the years. I think the less interest you take in him the better. He can be a bit of a fool at times. It’s best just to let him be.”

Australia require just one wicket to take a 1-0 lead in the four-Test series after setting South Africa 417 for victory. The Proteas are 293-9 with Quinton de Kock (81) and Morne Morkel (0) at the crease after youngster Markram stalled Australia’s bid for victory.

The Proteas crashed to 49-4 and looked set to suffer an ignominious defeat but Markram spearheaded a commendable fightback, producing a gutsy knock of 143 in his seventh Test before falling to Mitch Marsh. Marsh, nursing a sore shoulder, and Tim Paine, keeping up to the stumps, combined to end Markram’s remarkable resistance that spanned five and a half hours.



Source: theguardian

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