South Africa vs Australia 2018: 1st Test, Day 4 – 5 things we learnt from the day

#1 Mitchell Starc once again blows away the tail to put Australia on the brink of a win

Starc was unstoppable

The Australian team were worried when the partnership between Markram and de Kock flourished. Their counterattacked had left Australia with no answers. The bowlers looked out of ideas as the runs and boundaries started flowing.

However, Mitchell Marsh’s timely breakthrough opened the floodgates. Markram was out to the younger Marsh for 143. His knock had given South Africa a little bit of hope and with de Kock at the crease, the Proteas had hope. But that hope was crushed in just one over. Mitchell Starc was brought back into the attack in the 78th over. After a testing first over of a new spell, Starc ripped through the South African lower-order in his second over of the spell. He took three wickets and absolutely killed the small hope South Africa had.

First, Vernon Philander nicked an out-swinger from around the wicket. And then came the searing full deliveries. Keshav Maharaj and Kagiso Rabada were out bowled as Starc took 3 wickets in the same over to put Australia on the brink of a superb win.