It was one of the most memorable and error strewn days of Test cricket ever, but there had been no sign of the carnage to follow prior to lunch when Australia’s 1st innings had ended on 284 and South Africa in reply had moved sedately to 49/1.
Then the cricketing equivalent of the Somme ensued as 19 wickets fell in an avalanche of skilful bowling and woeful batting between lunch and the first hour after tea
First, South Africa capsized to 96 all out with Shane Watson taking five wickets and Ryan Harris four to hand Australia what looked like a decisive lead of 188. But this proved to be the mere hors d’oeuvre.
Australia quickly lost three wickets to be 13 for three by tea and then lost a frantic 6 for 8 on resumption to be a scarcely believable 21 for nine, still five runs short of the lowest Test score ever and 15 short of their own nadir.
Complete embarrassment was averted by the last wicket pair of Peter Siddle and Nathan Lyon as they took the score to 47, but the shock it gave Australia and the fillip it provided to South Africa meant that the hosts had no trouble in negotiating a target of 236.
2011 was a case of two steps forward, one step back for Australia. The year started badly with an innings defeat at Sydney handing England a 3-1 Ashes win and continued with a quarter-final exit at the World Cup.
This saw the handing of the baton to a new captain in Michael Clarke, whose adventurous style bodes well. They became the first side to win a Test series in Sri Lanka for four years and but for the aforementioned collapse in Cape Town and a similar if less dramatic one in Hobart could conceivably have beaten South Africa and New Zealand 2-0.
A new core of potential stars has been identified in David Warner, Shaun Marsh, James Pattinson, Nathan Lyon and perhaps best of all the 18 year old fast bowler Pat Cummins whilst the likes of Phil Hughes have been discarded.
The 47 all out may be seen in years to come as a turning point or it could just be one dip in the game of snakes and ladders that Australia currently seem embroiled in.
Where next?
Michael Clarke, Lara Bingle and Australia's 47 all out
Australia - The Great Entertainers
Has Ricky Ponting lost his punch?
Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes
If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep
Comments