Port Elizabeth the good kind of collapse

Darren Lehmann says Australia's struggles against reverse-swing remain, but that at least they weren't undone by poor shot selection in Port Elizabeth.

The scorecard suggests Australia's humbling collapse in the second Test against South Africa was eerily similar to their woeful loss in the fourth Test of the 2013 Ashes in England.

Six months after Stuart Broad bowled England to victory in Durham, Dale Steyn put South Africa on track for their series-levelling win in Port Elizabeth.

Both pacemen used reverse-swing to great effect and both captured the wickets of Michael Clarke, Steve Smith and Brad Haddin amidst the respective carnage.

The similarities were not lost on Australia coach Darren Lehmann, but the coach said the difference in shot selection was telling.

"The pleasing thing for me today is that we got bowled out, if that makes sense," Lehmann said.

"They bowled very well and we didn't cope with it well enough so we have to improve in that area. But with their high-class bowling attack, full credit to them.

"In Durham we played some bad shots to lose those wickets."

Lehmann admitted first-innings runs were again his side's biggest issue, with the Proteas' first-innings lead of 177 runs proving far too much.

"We harp on it all the time," he said.

"We have to get better in the first innings."


2 min read

Published

Updated

Source: AAP


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