Former Australia captain Simon Katich slams Dean Elgar and states that the South Africa skipper’s tactics and decision-making in the second Test against Australia as “terrible”, adding that the field he set on day two at the MCG defied logic.
Simon Katich Slams Dean Elgar
Australia won the first test by 6 wickets and leads the series. The second Test which started on December 26 sees many ups and down on both sides, particularly on the Australian side. The hosts opted to bowl after winning the toss and executed an impressive bowling attack.
After SA’s top-order collapse, Verreynne and Marco Jansen made a 112 runs stand which was broken by Cameron Green. With a couple of wickets in the lower order, Cameron Green bags his maiden 5 wicket haul in the Test format and flips South Africa’s first inning.
Australia’s 1st inning left everyone in awe after David Warner secured his 3rd Test double-century on the 2nd day of the match. With Alex Carey’s maiden Test century Australia scored 575 runs for 8 wickets and declared.
During South Africa’s 2nd inning, Starc opened the bowling attack and dismissed Dean Elgar for duck and draws the first blood for the visitors. At the end of Day 3, South Africa scored 15 runs for 1 wicket loss.
Regarding South Africa skipper Dean Elgar’s approach, Simon Katich says:Â “I thought Elgar was terrible yesterday (Tuesday) with his tactics and decision-making”.
“Bowlers couldn’t build up any pressure with the fields that he set. Then they couldn’t bowl the right length with the new ball because the field (Elgar) set with a short leg and no protection on the leg side.”
Katich indicated Elgar didn’t set an attacking field on a traditional MCG pitch where pacers targetting the stumps are quite successful.
“On the MCG, you attack the stumps for bowled, LBW and bringing the keeper and slips in the game. (Marco) Jansen was excellent but was hardly given the ball,” opined Katich.
Despite Nortje easily being the pick of the pacers, bowling a couple of breathtaking spells, Australia scored 331 runs on the second day and lost just two wickets, with David Warner smashing an unbeaten double century and former skipper Steve Smith hitting 85.
“Nortje was brilliant yesterday and it was all on the back of his pace and aggression and he sustained it. If Nortje had good support (the result could have been different).
“I thought (Kagiso) Rabada was disappointing as he leaked over five (runs) an over and never built any pressure. (Lungi) Ngidi probably shouldn’t have played as he didn’t build up any pressure at all,” averred Katich.
The third test match of the series will be played on January 4 next year at Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney.
