Australia loses its last five wickets before lunch, including Travis Head for 92, setting up a 66-run lead after the first innings on day two of the first Test against South Africa.

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Australia vs South Africa at the Gabba

By Jon Healy

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MITCHELL STARC GETS HIS 300TH TEST WICKET

Just nowSun 18 Dec 2022 at 2:14am

By Jon Healy

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3rd over – Starc still hunting 300

3m agoSun 18 Dec 2022 at 2:11am

By Jon Healy

He starts too wide to Erwee. He needs to make them play in this final 10 minutes of the session.

Big shout for LBW! Swinging down the line of the stumps, but not given. I thought there was an edge, but height was actually the issue.

Van der Dussen leaves a ball across him, as ball tracking shows the shout on Erwee was incredibly close. Just missing the top of off.

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2nd over (cont) – Rassie van der Dussen walks into the fire

4m agoSun 18 Dec 2022 at 2:10am

By Jon Healy

He leaves his first ball and gets whacked on the thigh pad. Too high though. He makes it through.

Then a two- or three-minded leave outside off. Nervy start from the first drop.

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Dean Elgar is out! Pat Cummins gets the first

6m agoSun 18 Dec 2022 at 2:08am

By Jon Healy

It looked good live and it was.

Coming over the wicket to the left-hander and it straightened perfectly down the line.

Ball tracking has the ball taking the top of middle stump and Australia’s captain sends South Africa’s captain packing.

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2nd over – Pat Cummins not tempted to give Scott Boland the new ball

10m agoSun 18 Dec 2022 at 2:04am

By Jon Healy

He starts over the wicket to Dean Elgar.

The Proteas skipper is making sure he knows where his off stump is. Leaving tightly to start.

ELGAR’S BEEN GIVEN OUT!! The finger is raised for LBW and it looked mighty good. Elgar reviews. Must be hoping height or an inside edge saves him, but that looked like an absolutely purple stone fruit.

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1st over – Mitchell Starc starts with 299 wickets

15m agoSun 18 Dec 2022 at 1:59am

By Jon Healy

Sarel Erwee takes guard. And defends. Some late out-swing to start and it spits out to backward point.

An absolute seed from Starc, swinging viciously and seaming away past the outside edge of Erwee. Got to be in good form to nick that.

And the last ball of a very good maiden is defended by Erwee, although his back leg is swinging a long way around, a la Cameron Bancroft. Not ideal with the new ball hooping.

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A nasty period coming up for South Africa

16m agoSun 18 Dec 2022 at 1:58am

By Jon Healy

Just over 20 minutes before lunch. Nothing to be gained for the batters except survival.

For Australia, they’ll be hoping for at least one wicket and maybe more based on how this game has gone so far.

Although, any more wickets before lunch would ruin the perfect average of five wickets per session in this Test.

Should be spicy!

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Australia all out for 218, lead of 66

25m agoSun 18 Dec 2022 at 1:49am

By Simon Smale

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So, a valuable 66-run lead for the Australians – that could be so vital in what is proving to be a low-scoring match.

Perhaps just as interestingly, there’ll be a tricky little 20-minute spell just before lunch for the South African openers to face.

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Lyon is caught for a duck

25m agoSun 18 Dec 2022 at 1:48am

By Simon Smale

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It was never going to last long but it’s taken a great catch diving at mid on to dismiss Lyon by van der Dussen.

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51st over – Rabada comes in again

26m agoSun 18 Dec 2022 at 1:48am

By Simon Smale

Carey drives and gets a single.

Five balls for Lyon to face.

Oh his drives and misses again. There’s a pattern developing here.

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50th over – Ngidi comes in again

31m agoSun 18 Dec 2022 at 1:43am

By Simon Smale

Two runs from Carey – just a little fend to square leg but it’s so well run – the runs are all so important so that’s brilliant running while protecting Lyon at the same time.

Lovely uppish cut from Carey backward of point gets a single.

Lyon will have a ball to face and gets a pep talk from Carey.

Oh he plays down the wrong line with a drive and that’s missed by not very much.

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Out! Cummins goes this time!

35m agoSun 18 Dec 2022 at 1:39am

By Simon Smale

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Rabada strikes as Cummins skies an attempted hook to wide mid on.

Not a great shot, a solid catch to a looping ball and Cummins duck may not be golden, but it still quacks.

South Africa one away from dismissing the Aussies.

Lyon is the new man in, and it hit him on the thigh pad to end the over.

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Out? A bouncer accounts for Cummins for a golden duck. Not out

37m agoSun 18 Dec 2022 at 1:37am

By Simon Smale

Cummins is dismissed caught at gully but has appealed straight away.

It was a vicious bouncer but that’s hit his forearm guard and so the decision will be reversed.

Now Cummins is swaying out the way of a bouncer,

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49th over – Rabada comes in again

39m agoSun 18 Dec 2022 at 1:35am

By Simon Smale

Carey is on strike and takes a single.

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Oh what a catch! Ngidi with a stunning caught and bowled to dismiss Starc!

41m agoSun 18 Dec 2022 at 1:33am

By Simon Smale

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(Getty Images)

Yeah that’s special from Ngidi.

He’s reach down low on the follow through to grab that ball, Starc attempting to drive but getting hit high on the bat.

He has to go for 14 off 30 and Australia are 8 down for 213.

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48th over – Ngidi is coming in now

44m agoSun 18 Dec 2022 at 1:30am

By Simon Smale

Three slips and a gully.

Four! Was there a chance at a return catch there? It would have taken a Chris Jordan-like grab if it was to be taken, but I think even the English quick would have struggled to make something out of that. A good positive shot thought from Starc.

BEATEN! Good response from Ngidi, Starc playing a drive down the wrong line .

He takes a single to cover now though, just a little fend.

Carey takes a single with a tickle off his pads – no they’re going for two! Great running there – taking the fielder on and winning. Every run is going to be so crucial so that’s superb stuff from Carey.

Carey goes again, this time squarer off his pads and only worth a single.

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47th over – Rabada is going to continue

46m agoSun 18 Dec 2022 at 1:28am

By Simon Smale

No sign of Ngidi yet this morning.

He’s out there, standing at fine leg at the moment, but he’s not warming up or getting ready…

Carey takes a single first ball after drinks – this pair are going along nicely.

(Getty Images)

Starc doesn’t look quite as comfortable, fending outside off with a slightly angled bat, but is still going along nice enough.

He has a bit of a heave at the next ball though – which was a no ball.

Oh leading edge – it falls safe – there are four catches behind the bat but nobody forward.

Starc takes a single to cover to end the over.

Ngidi is loosening up now, just a swing of the arms and it looks like that’ll do him, he’s coming on next over.

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Marco Jansen in good company

50m agoSun 18 Dec 2022 at 1:24am

By Simon Smale

The ABC stato Ric Finlay has the good news of Marco Jansen and the rate at which he’s achieved 40 Test wickets.

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Good numbers from the 207cm Potchefstroom product.

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46th over – Jansen will have another

56m agoSun 18 Dec 2022 at 1:18am

By Simon Smale

Carey defends.

Three slips, guly, deep point, mids on and off and fine leg in place.

Carey taps to wide long on for a couple of runs to bring up the 200 for Australia, 7-201, the lead is 49. In a low scoring match, that’s a lot.

Carey takes a single and now the field changes for Starc, bat pad comes in and one of the other slips moves out to leg slip, so just the one orthodox slip in place.

Bouncing is the plan.

Starc fends the ball to first slip on the bounce.

That’s drinks.

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