Source The guardian
Durban – Fast bowler Josh Hazlewood delivered a masterclass in pace bowling on Tuesday, grabbing six wickets to power Australia to a huge 214-run win over South Africa on the final day of the first Test.
Chasing a mammoth target of 421 runs, the hosts folded for just 206, handing the visitors a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Relentless Pressure from Ball One
Hazlewood was the star of the show, finishing with sensational figures of 6 for 49. Whenever South Africa looked ready to build a fightback, the tall Aussie quick stepped in with a breakthrough. He hit the right spots with laser precision, giving the batters virtually no room to breathe and steadily dismantling the lineup.
South Africa’s opener Aiden Markram showed plenty of grit, scoring a fighting 75 to keep local hopes alive. However, his resistance ended when Mitchell Starc broke through his defense. From there, the home side lost its grip completely. Hazlewood soon cleaned up the tail, trapping Anrich Nortje to wrap up the match in style.
Complete Team Control
While Hazlewood took the final-day spotlight, Australia laid the foundation for the win from day one. A solid batting effort in the first innings followed by aggressive hitting allowed the Aussies to declare their second innings and set an unreachable target.
Australia’s fielding and bowling hunt as a pack proved far too sharp for the Proteas on a wearing day-five pitch.
What Lies Ahead
With a 1-0 advantage in the bag, the Australian camp heads into the second Test full of confidence. For South Africa, the defeat leaves their top order under heavy scrutiny as they look to regroup before the next clash in Gqeberha.
