Fast bowler Kagiso Rabada, who took three wickets to take apart the Australian top order, has put South Africa in the driver's seat at the end of Day Four of the first Test here at the WACA on Sunday. - Scrorecard: The Proteas closed in on a first Test victory by reducing Australia to 169 for four, still 369 runs behind, at the end of the fourth day. Rabada, who took the price scalps of Shaun Marsh (15), Steven Smith (34) and Adam Voges (1), ensured that his side did not take their foot off the Aussie throats.
Opening batsman Cameron Bancroft, the most junior member in the side at 25, was tasked with implementing the plan and was duly caught on camera using the tape.
Australia's hapless performances in the 2-0 series loss to South Africa came in for huge criticism from the country's local media on Wednesday, with demands for heads to roll in both the dressing room and the corridors of power at Cricket Australia.
Steven Smith admitted that Usman Khawaja has the right to feel aggrieved after the Australia captain confirmed the in-form batsman had been overlooked for Wednesday's opening one-dayer against New Zealand.
Ahead of their Indian Premier League debut, the Rising Pune Supergiants have assembled a formidable team.
Vijay in 11th spot; Kohli falls five places
Rajasthan Royals, struggling at the penultimate spot on the points table after two wins and four straight defeats, need something special against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Sunday's IPL match in Dubai.
Former Australia all-rounder Shane Watson has urged selectors to be patient with the rookies in Steven Smith's team as they battle to cement places in the wake of a string of retirements.
IMAGES of the T20 World Cup warm up match played between India and Australia at the Gabba in Brisbane on Monday
It has been a dramatic turnaround for the KL Rahul-led side after a string a losses earlier in the tournament.
Adam Voges and Shaun Marsh combined for 449 runs and the sixth highest partnership in Test cricket history to put Australia firmly in control after the second day of the first Test against West Indies on Friday.
Rahul Dravid said India will have to find someone who can amass 500-odd runs in the series like Cheteshwar Pujara did the last time around.
Table-toppers Mumbai Indians are on course to make it to the play-offs but the game is crucial for Rajasthan, who are languishing in seventh place. Defeat would mean a step closer to elimination.
A resurgent Delhi Daredevils will look to build a winning momentum.
Bolstered by the arrival of Ben Stokes, Rajasthan Royals will hope for a better showing from its misfiring top order as they try to settle scores against second-placed Delhi Capitals in their return leg IPL match, in Dubai, on Wednesday.
The first day of inaugural day-night Test match also marks the first death anniversary of Phil Hughes, who had died after being hit on the cricket field
New Zealand will have their tails up and eye another upset when they resume the trans-Tasman rivalry with a strong Australian side.
The best-case scenario for RR would be Kings XI Punjab losing their last match and Sunrisers Hyderabad winning no more than one in their last two outings.
Captain Rohit Sharma continued to lead by example as a thoroughly professional Mumbai Indians outclassed Pune Supergiants by eight wickets in an Indian Premier League encounter.
Not too worried about sledging, stylish batsman Ajinkya Rahane, on Monday said the India team has plans in place for each of the Australian players and would look to play attacking cricket during the four-Test series, starting on Thursday in Pune.
There will certainly be some distinct home advantage for Australia along with the experience of playing more Day/Night Tests.
Virat Kohli has broken into the top-20 of ICC Test rankings at 16th after his stupendous back-to-back hundreds in the opening Test against Australia in Adelaide.
Paceman Jaydev Unadkat revelled in a five-wicket haul that included a hat-trick as Rising Pune Supergiant eked out a 12-run win over Sunrisers Hyderabad to jump to the second spot in IPL, in Hyderabad, on Saturday.
Steve Smith scored a brilliant century to help Australia knock out defending champions India and set up a mouth-watering final against neighbours New Zealand, at the Sydney Cricket Ground, on Thursday.
Terming Kolkata Knight Riders as a 'good chasing side', captain Gautam Gambhir says they back themselves to chase down any target.
Rajasthan will take inspiration from their two big wins in Sharjah, to turn things around against a dominant Delhi.
Images from the IPL match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Capitals, in Ahmedabad, on Thursday.
For Hyderabad, KXIP encounter is the last game where they can avail the services of Warner before he leaves home for Australia's World Cup preparations alongside Steven Smith and Marcus Stoinis.
Mohamed Salah scored a late equaliser from a penalty kick as Liverpool escaped Old Trafford with a single point in a 2-2 draw with Manchester United to climb to even on points with Premier League leaders Arsenal.
Australia coach Darren Lehmann expects the upcoming limited-overs series against India to be an exciting one given the 'aggressive' brand of cricket that Mahendra Singh Dhoni's men have been playing of late.
Australia took a 48-run lead on the back of some solid batting by Matt Renshaw and Shawn Marsh on Sunday. Statistical highlights on day two of the second cricket Test between India and Australia, in Bengaluru.
Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals have failed to live up to expectations in the IPL so far and are placed sixth and seventh respectively on the points table in the eight-team competition.
India Test skipper Virat Kohli was among the few cricketers who received a higher actual salary according to the salary details of the retained Indian Premier League players listed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India on Friday.
Chennai Super Kings skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni defended his decision of not using Ravichandran Ashwin.
IMAGES from the 3rd ODI between India and Australia played in Bengaluru on Sunday
The dew factor will go out of the window but the searing heat will be an issue when Royal Challengers Bangalore take on a better prepared Rajasthan Royals in the first of the 10 IPL double-headers, in Abu Dhabi, on Saturday.
Table-toppers Mumbai Indians will be itching to avenge their double defeat against Rising Pune Supergiant in the league stage when the two teams face-off in Qualifier 1 of the Indian Premier League in Mumbai, on Tuesday.
While SRH can't afford to slip up even one bit with five games remaining, RR would be hoping to continue the winning momentum and hope that their foreign recruits continue in good nick like they did in the match against CSK.
Rising Pune Supergiants now face an uphill task of taming the rampaging Gujarat Lions in an Indian Premier League clash, in Pune, on Friday.
India's limited-overs captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, along with his teammates Ravindra Jadeja, Ajinkya Rahane, Suresh Raina and Ravichandran Ashwin, among others, will be up for grabs for the two new IPL teams in the draft to be held in Mumbai.
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