South Africa vs Australia 2018: 4th Test, Day 2, Talking points

#1 Khawaja, Marsh fight but South Africa in total control

Khawaja's dismissal opened the floodgates for South Africa

The experience Steve Smith and David Warner brought to the Australian batting line-up was immense and once they were banned, it was always going to be difficult for this rejigged batting line-up to stand-up and deliver especially chasing South Africa’s first innings total of 488.

The three new batsmen were all back in the hut inside 13 overs and Australia were in trouble at 38/3. But the experienced duo of Shaun Marsh and Usman Khawaja defied the South African bowlers very well. They put on 52 runs for the fourth wicket and batted for almost 18 overs.

Khawaja, in particular, looked fluent for large parts of his innings and got his 12th Test fifty. The elder Marsh was also fighting hard. He wasn’t scoring fluently but held firm. But Philander probed away and dismissed Khawaja and picked up his 3rd wicket of the innings.

And just when it looked like the Marsh brothers would safely take the Aussies to stumps, Mitchell Marsh went for a big booming drive only to see his stumps shattered. Morne Morkel playing his last Test match got his wicket.

Maharaj then joined the act. He had bowled very well and deserved a wicket. He finally got one in his 7th over when Shaun Marsh nicked one to slip where AB de Villiers took a good catch. Tim Paine and Pat Cummins then saw off the remaining overs as Australia ended the day at 110/6.