BATTING		R	B	M	4s	6s	SR
Dean Elgar (c)	run out (Labuschagne)	26	68	110	2	0	38.23

Sarel Erwee	c Khawaja b Boland	18	31	52	3	0	58.06

Theunis de Bruyn	c †Carey b Green	12	31	41	2	0	38.70

Temba Bavuma	c †Carey b Starc	1	8	17	0	0	12.50

Khaya Zondo	c Labuschagne b Starc	5	19	27	0	0	26.31

Kyle Verreynne †	c Smith b Green	52	99	184	3	0	52.52

Marco Jansen	c †Carey b Green	59	136	166	10	0	43.38

Keshav Maharaj	c Cummins b Lyon	2	9	18	0	0	22.22

Kagiso Rabada	b Green	4	5	5	1	0	80.00

Anrich Nortje	not out	1	1	10	0	0	100.00
Lungi Ngidi	b Green	2	6	5	0	0	33.33

Extras	(b 3, lb 3, nb 1)	7
TOTAL	68.4 Ov (RR: 2.75, 322 Mins)	189
Fall of wickets: 1-29 (Sarel Erwee, 10.4 ov), 2-56 (Theunis de Bruyn, 19.6 ov), 3-58 (Dean Elgar, 22.5 ov), 4-58 (Temba Bavuma, 22.6 ov), 5-67 (Khaya Zondo, 28.3 ov), 6-179 (Kyle Verreynne, 64.5 ov), 7-182 (Marco Jansen, 66.1 ov), 8-186 (Kagiso Rabada, 66.6 ov), 9-186 (Keshav Maharaj, 67.3 ov), 10-189 (Lungi Ngidi, 68.4 ov)

BOWLING	O	M	R	W	ECON	0s	4s	6s	WD	NB
Mitchell Starc	13	2	39	2	3.00	60	3	0	0	0
22.6 to T Bavuma, Two in two! This is Australia's session, alright. Length ball that tails away at the last moment. Bavuma pokes at it, no feet and can only edge it to Carey, who dives it to his right to complete a comfortable catch. The batter was stuck in his crease, and no feet movement meant he found himself playing away from his body, reaching for the ball.. 58/4 28.3 to K Zondo, what a catch! Marnus with a stunner at mid-off. What a day he's having in the field. Full and wide outside off, Zondo goes for another drive, can't keep it down playing away from the body...but Labuschagne is horizontal when he holds this. Magnificent. 67/5 See all photos
Pat Cummins	14	4	30	0	2.14	67	4	0	0	0
Scott Boland	14	2	34	1	2.42	67	3	0	0	1
10.4 to SJ Erwee, edged, taken at slip! It's that man Boland again. Full outside off, draws Erwee into the drive, reaching away from the body and it's neatly taken low down at third slip by Khawaja. 29/1 See all photos
Nathan Lyon	17	3	53	1	3.11	74	7	0	0	0
67.3 to KA Maharaj, Tosses it up, inviting Maharaj to go for a big one. He takes the bait and departs! That's as soft a dismissal as you'll see. Loopy length ball, outside off. Maharaj looks to clear mid-off but is nowhere near the pitch of it. Hits it straight up and Cummins at mid-off completes a simple catch. South Africa going down rather quickly. . 186/9
Cameron Green	10.4	3	27	5	2.53	51	4	0	0	0
19.6 to TB de Bruyn, Green strikes, oh, this is a big wicket for Australia! Wasn't that short, but de Bruyn is sucked into going for a pull. He gets a massive top-edge and Carey gets the slips out of the way to complete a simple catch. Poor, poor shot from de Bruyn after playing so well.. 56/2 64.5 to K Verreynne, edged, taken at slip! Green makes the breakthrough. In the channel outside off, brings him forward, regulation outside edge and reaches Smith at waist height. 179/6 66.1 to M Jansen, edged, caught behind! It's Green again. Big spell from the big man. Pitched up outside off, Jansen drives and gets a thin nick. And all of sudden South Africa's good work comes apart. 182/7 66.6 to K Rabada, played on! It's four for Green. Best figures in Test cricket. Back of a length from round the wicket, deflects down off a half-hearted defensive poke. 186/8 68.4 to L Ngidi, Gets a five-for in a Boxing Day Test! The stuff of dreams. An absolute quality display of bowling from Green. Holds the ball aloft and gets a massive applause from the MCG crowd. Keeps it on a length, wicket-to-wicket line, Ngidi misses and the ball hits off pole. Terrific spell.. 189/10 See all photos

Australia 1st Innings

BATTING		R	B	M	4s	6s	SR
David Warner	b Nortje	200	255	366	16	2	78.43

Usman Khawaja	c †Verreynne b Rabada	1	11	27	0	0	9.09

Marnus Labuschagne	run out (Maharaj/Nortje)	14	35	60	1	0	40.00

Steven Smith	c de Bruyn b Nortje	85	161	309	9	1	52.79

Travis Head	b Nortje	51	55	106	7	1	92.72

Cameron Green	not out	51	177	228	5	0	28.81
Alex Carey †	c & b Jansen	111	149	243	13	0	74.49

Pat Cummins (c)	c †Verreynne b Rabada	4	3	4	1	0	133.33

Nathan Lyon	c Zondo b Ngidi	25	17	30	3	1	147.05

Mitchell Starc	not out	10	12	25	0	1	83.33
Extras	(b 5, lb 12, nb 5, w 1)	23
TOTAL	145 Ov (RR: 3.96, 680 Mins)	575/8d
Did not bat: Scott Boland
Fall of wickets: 1-21 (Usman Khawaja, 6.4 ov), 2-75 (Marnus Labuschagne, 18.3 ov), 3-314 (Steven Smith, 74.1 ov), 3-329, 3-363, 4-395 (Travis Head, 93.3 ov), 5-395 (David Warner, 93.4 ov), 6-400 (Pat Cummins, 94.2 ov), 7-440 (Nathan Lyon, 100.6 ov), 8-557 (Alex Carey, 140.5 ov)

BOWLING	O	M	R	W	ECON	0s	4s	6s	WD	NB
Kagiso Rabada	28	1	144	2	5.14	105	17	1	0	3
6.4 to UT Khawaja, Rabada knocks over Khawaja for the fifth time in Test cricket! He had his line all wrong against Warner, gets it spot on for Khawaja and has his man. Length ball tailing away from the batter, who just hangs his bat outside off, without a lot of feet movement. The ball catches the edge and the keeper moves to his left to complete a simple catch.. 21/1 94.2 to PJ Cummins, has he touched it?! Big appeal for caught behind and they review. Back of a length at off stump, skims past the edge and there is a little noise. Did he clip his pad? Third umpire sees a small spike and the decision is overturned. Did match ball next to bat and there as a small sound. Not the biggest spike you'll see, though. You can actually see the ball deviate slightly, too, in fact. 400/6 See all photos
Lungi Ngidi	22.1	2	98	1	4.42	90	17	0	0	0
100.6 to NM Lyon, pulled in the air, taken at square leg...Lyon's cameo comes to end. Goes after the short ball and splices the stroke. 440/7 See all photos
Marco Jansen	28	1	89	1	3.17	124	9	1	1	1
140.5 to AT Carey, What a weird way to get out! Banged in short by Jansen, around shoulder-high. Carey shapes up for the pull, before deciding to sway outside the line of it at the last moment. However, his bat was up and he can only balloon it straight up with Jansen completing a simple catch. End of a monumental innings from Carey. Walks back to a resounding applause from the MCG crowd.. 557/8 See all photos
Anrich Nortje	25	1	92	3	3.68	104	6	1	0	1
74.1 to SPD Smith, taken at gully! Out of nowhere. No century for Smith. Short outside off, looking to upper cut down to deep third and ends up guiding it to de Bruyn. 314/3 and he's gone! Nortje is on a hat-trick. Warner won't be adding anything. It's 147kph, speared in full at leg stump, Warner aiming to work off his pads, takes the back pad on the full and into the stumps.. 329/3 93.3 to TM Head, through him! Nortje gets reward. Pushed up much fuller, Head looking to play to the on side and it bursts through to take off stump. 395/4 93.4 to DA Warner, and he's gone! Nortje is on a hat-trick. Warner won't be adding anything. It's 147kph, speared in full at leg stump, Warner aiming to work off his pads, takes the back pad on the full and into the stumps.. 395/5 See all photos
Keshav Maharaj	41.5	3	135	0	3.22	169	6	3	0	0

South Africa 2nd Innings

BATTING		R	B	M	4s	6s	SR
Sarel Erwee	lbw b Starc	21	41	85	1	0	51.21

Dean Elgar (c)	c †Carey b Cummins	0	3	8	0	0	0.00

Theunis de Bruyn	c Smith b Boland	28	68	92	2	0	41.17

Temba Bavuma	c sub (MS Harris) b Lyon	65	144	201	6	0	45.13

Khaya Zondo	run out (Head)	1	19	31	0	0	5.26

Kyle Verreynne †	lbw b Boland	33	40	73	5	0	82.50

Marco Jansen	lbw b Lyon	5	29	47	0	0	17.24

Keshav Maharaj	run out (Labuschagne/Starc)	13	20	25	2	0	65.00

Kagiso Rabada	c Cummins b Lyon	3	12	14	0	0	25.00

Anrich Nortje	not out	8	18	30	1	0	44.44
Lungi Ngidi	b Smith	19	21	22	2	1	90.47

Extras	(b 1, lb 5, nb 2)	8
TOTAL	68.5 Ov (RR: 2.96, 318 Mins)	204
Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Dean Elgar, 1.3 ov), 2-47 (Sarel Erwee, 16.6 ov), 3-57 (Theunis de Bruyn, 19.5 ov), 4-65 (Khaya Zondo, 26.6 ov), 5-128 (Kyle Verreynne, 43.5 ov), 6-144 (Marco Jansen, 52.6 ov), 7-174 (Keshav Maharaj, 60.1 ov), 8-176 (Temba Bavuma, 61.3 ov), 9-177 (Kagiso Rabada, 63.2 ov), 10-204 (Lungi Ngidi, 68.5 ov)

BOWLING	O	M	R	W	ECON	0s	4s	6s	WD	NB
Mitchell Starc	18	4	62	1	3.44	79	6	0	0	0
16.6 to SJ Erwee, huge appeal for lbw! Was it pad first? Gets the yorker in at middle. Will Cummins review? Yes, he does. This looked very straight of it was pad first. Toe first? Might actually be sliding down. Third umpire trying to confirm if it's toe first. He rules that it is...and it's smashing leg stump. He's gone. Fantastic delivery. 47/2 See all photos
Pat Cummins	16	8	20	1	1.25	87	1	0	0	2
1.3 to D Elgar, is that a touch down the leg side?! Australia reckon it's gone. The umpires are checking if it's carried. Soft signal is out, although I'm very confused if that means anything anymore. It's off the glove, no doubt, confirmed by Snicko. It's dying in Carey, but he gets his fingers under it. Well taken and Australia have an early one. Second time in the series Elgar goes this way, pushing away from his hip. Some may say unlucky, but it's certainly an area to attack Elgar. 0/1 See all photos
Scott Boland	15	2	49	2	3.26	70	5	0	0	0
19.5 to TB de Bruyn, edged, taken at second slip! Sharp grab and Boland is on the card. Back of a length outside off, climbs at de Bruyn, comes form high on the bat, and Smith does brilliantly here as Labuschagne dived right across him. 57/3 43.5 to K Verreynne, looks good and given lbw! Good length, nips back, takes him on the knee roll. Verreynne reviews. Only height can save him but not sure it will. And it's smashing the top of middle. Boland does it again. 128/5 See all photos
Nathan Lyon	17	1	58	3	3.41	74	7	1	0	0
52.6 to M Jansen, Loud, loud appeal for lbw as Jansen is struck on the back leg. The umpire says no but Cummins reviews! Looked mighty close on first viewing, maybe the height might saves him. Nope, DRS confirms that would have crashed the top of leg stump. It was on a length just on off, Jansen is rooted to the crease as he plays tentatively. Misses and is trapped right in front of the stumps. Great review!. 144/6 61.3 to T Bavuma, Straight up and Bavuma now departs attempting a slog sweep! Dear, me, that is just poor cricket. Was the run out weighing in his mind? Looped up outside off, he fetches for it looking to slam it over deep midwicket, gets a massive top-edge as Marcus Harris running to his right from midwicket pouches a relatively simple catch, reverse-cup. 176/8 63.2 to K Rabada, Another one bites the dust and Australia are just one wicket away from a series win! Tossed up on off, he goes for an almighty slog, is nowhere near it as the ball goes straight up. Cummins at mid-on backtracks and takes it cleanly.. 177/9
Steven Smith	2.5	0	9	1	3.17	10	0	0	0	0
68.5 to L Ngidi, All over! Australia win by an innings and 182 runs! How fitting that a legspinner it is to end the game in a match dedicated to Shane Warne. Loops it up gently on middle and leg, above Ngidi's eyeline. He plays all around it and sees his stumps in a mess.. 204/10

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CLOSE OF PLAY

Mon, 26 Dec - day 1 - Australia 1st innings 45/1 (David Warner 32*, Marnus Labuschagne 5*, 12 ov)

Tue, 27 Dec - day 2 - Australia 1st innings 386/3 (Travis Head 48*, Alex Carey 9*, 91 ov)

Wed, 28 Dec - day 3 - South Africa 2nd innings 15/1 (Sarel Erwee 7*, Theunis de Bruyn 6*, 7 ov)

Thu, 29 Dec - day 4 - South Africa 2nd innings 204 (68.5 ov) - end of match

MATCH FLOW

Day 1

South Africa 1st innings
Drinks: South Africa - 29/1 in 10.4 overs (D Elgar 11)
South Africa: 50 runs in 17.3 overs (105 balls), Extras 1
Lunch: South Africa - 58/4 in 24.0 overs (K Zondo 0, K Verreynne 0)
Drinks: South Africa - 93/5 in 37.0 overs (K Verreynne 16, M Jansen 11)
South Africa: 100 runs in 40.2 overs (242 balls), Extras 4
6th Wicket: 50 runs in 99 balls (K Verreynne 25, M Jansen 22, Ex 3)
Tea: South Africa - 144/5 in 51.0 overs (K Verreynne 40, M Jansen 38)
South Africa: 150 runs in 52.1 overs (313 balls), Extras 4
Over 52.3: Review by Australia (Bowling), Umpire - RA Kettleborough, Batter - K Verreynne (Struck down)
M Jansen: 50 off 118 balls (8 x 4)
6th Wicket: 100 runs in 178 balls (K Verreynne 42, M Jansen 54, Ex 4)
K Verreynne: 50 off 80 balls (3 x 4)
Drinks: South Africa - 186/8 in 67.0 overs (KA Maharaj 2)
Innings Break: South Africa - 189/10 in 68.4 overs (A Nortje 1)
Australia 1st innings
Day 1 : Attendance - 64,876
End Of Day: Australia - 45/1 in 12.0 overs (DA Warner 32, M Labuschagne 5)

Day 2

Australia: 50 runs in 12.4 overs (78 balls), Extras 8
2nd Wicket: 50 runs in 71 balls (DA Warner 28, M Labuschagne 14, Ex 11)
DA Warner: 50 off 72 balls (4 x 4)
Drinks: Australia - 95/2 in 24.0 overs (DA Warner 61, SPD Smith 7)
Australia: 100 runs in 24.4 overs (150 balls), Extras 12
3rd Wicket: 50 runs in 84 balls (DA Warner 36, SPD Smith 14, Ex 1)
Over 34.3: Review by South Africa (Bowling), Umpire - PR Reiffel, Batter - SPD Smith (Struck down)
Lunch: Australia - 136/2 in 36.0 overs (DA Warner 86, SPD Smith 21)
Australia: 150 runs in 39.3 overs (239 balls), Extras 14
DA Warner: 100 off 144 balls (8 x 4)
3rd Wicket: 100 runs in 166 balls (DA Warner 61, SPD Smith 33, Ex 6)
Drinks: Australia - 194/2 in 51.0 overs (DA Warner 117, SPD Smith 43)
Australia: 200 runs in 53.1 overs (322 balls), Extras 20
SPD Smith: 50 off 108 balls (5 x 4, 1 x 6)
3rd Wicket: 150 runs in 256 balls (DA Warner 85, SPD Smith 56, Ex 9)
Tea: Australia - 231/2 in 63.0 overs (DA Warner 135, SPD Smith 60)
Australia: 250 runs in 66.4 overs (404 balls), Extras 21
DA Warner: 150 off 222 balls (12 x 4)
3rd Wicket: 200 runs in 311 balls (DA Warner 112, SPD Smith 79, Ex 9)
Over 72.2: Review by South Africa (Bowling), Umpire - PR Reiffel, Batter - DA Warner (Struck down)
Australia: 300 runs in 73.1 overs (444 balls), Extras 22
Drinks: Australia - 314/2 in 74.0 overs (DA Warner 192, SPD Smith 85)
DA Warner: 200 off 254 balls (16 x 4, 2 x 6)
New ball taken at 80.1 overs
Australia: 350 runs in 81.2 overs (493 balls), Extras 22
Drinks: Australia - 357/3 in 83.0 overs (TM Head 33, C Green 2)
Day 2 : Attendance - 42614
End Of Day: Australia - 386/3 in 91.0 overs (TM Head 48, AT Carey 9)

Day 3

Wet Ground: Australia - 386/3 in 91.0 overs (TM Head 48, AT Carey 9)
TM Head: 50 off 54 balls (7 x 4, 1 x 6)
DA Warner retired hurt on 200* from 329/3 to 395/4
Australia: 400 runs in 94.1 overs (570 balls), Extras 23
Over 94.2: Review by South Africa (Bowling), Umpire - PR Reiffel, Batter - PJ Cummins (Upheld)
Drinks: Australia - 440/7 in 101.0 overs (AT Carey 31)
C Green retired hurt on 6* from 363/3 to 440/7
Australia: 450 runs in 104.1 overs (630 balls), Extras 23
AT Carey: 50 off 66 balls (9 x 4)
Lunch: Australia - 479/7 in 112.0 overs (C Green 14, AT Carey 62)
8th Wicket: 50 runs in 100 balls (C Green 12, AT Carey 38, Ex 0)
Australia: 500 runs in 120.3 overs (728 balls), Extras 23
Drinks: Australia - 535/7 in 132.0 overs (C Green 34, AT Carey 98)
AT Carey: 100 off 133 balls (13 x 4)
8th Wicket: 100 runs in 200 balls (C Green 29, AT Carey 71, Ex 0)
Australia: 550 runs in 138.1 overs (834 balls), Extras 23
C Green: 50 off 170 balls (5 x 4)
Tea: Australia - 575/8 in 145.0 overs (C Green 51, MA Starc 10)
South Africa 2nd innings
Rain: South Africa - 15/1 in 7.0 overs (SJ Erwee 7, TB de Bruyn 6)
Day 3: Attendance - 34318
End Of Day: South Africa - 15/1 in 7.0 overs (SJ Erwee 7, TB de Bruyn 6)

Day 4

Over 16.6: Review by Australia (Bowling), Umpire - PR Reiffel, Batter - SJ Erwee (Upheld)
South Africa: 50 runs in 17.1 overs (104 balls), Extras 5
Drinks: South Africa - 62/3 in 22.0 overs (T Bavuma 8, K Zondo 0)
South Africa: 100 runs in 36.4 overs (221 balls), Extras 6
5th Wicket: 50 runs in 70 balls (T Bavuma 26, K Verreynne 24, Ex 0)
Lunch: South Africa - 120/4 in 41.0 overs (T Bavuma 37, K Verreynne 27)
Over 43.5: Review by South Africa (Batting), Umpire - RA Kettleborough, Batter - K Verreynne (Struck down)
Over 45.2: Review by Australia (Bowling), Umpire - RA Kettleborough, Batter - T Bavuma (Struck down)
Drinks: South Africa - 143/5 in 52.0 overs (T Bavuma 47, M Jansen 5)
Over 52.6: Review by Australia (Bowling), Umpire - PR Reiffel, Batter - M Jansen (Upheld)
T Bavuma: 50 off 124 balls (6 x 4)
South Africa: 150 runs in 54.1 overs (327 balls), Extras 8
South Africa: 200 runs in 67.2 overs (406 balls), Extras 8
Day 4: Attendance - 13906
Total attendance - 155714

MATCH DETAILS

Melbourne Cricket Ground
Toss	Australia, elected to field first
Series	South Africa tour of Australia ICC World Test Championship
Season	2022/23
Player Of The Match	David Warner
Series result	Australia led the 3-match series 2-0
Match number	Test no. 2485
Hours of play (local time)	10.30 start, Lunch 12.30-13.10, Tea 15.10-17.10, Close 17.10
Match days	26,27,28,29 December 2022 - day (5-day match)
Umpires	Paul Reiffel Richard Kettleborough
TV Umpire	Chris Gaffaney
Reserve Umpire	Phillip Gillespie
Match Referee	Richie Richardson
Points	Australia 12, South Africa 0

Language

English

Match Coverage

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Videos

All Match Videos

1:31

Elgar: "Rabada wants to push himself until he breaks"

1:20

Elgar: "The negatives outweigh the positives, it was a pretty weak performance"

1:31

Langeveldt: Been a tough three days for us as a bowling unit

South Africa Innings

PLAYER NAME		R	B
SJ Erwee	lbw	21	41
D Elgar	caught	0	3
TB de Bruyn	caught	28	68
T Bavuma	caught	65	144
K Zondo	run out	1	19
K Verreynne	lbw	33	40
M Jansen	lbw	5	29
KA Maharaj	run out	13	20
K Rabada	caught	3	12
A Nortje	not out	8	18
L Ngidi	bowled	19	21
Extras	(b 1, lb 5, nb 2)
Total	204(10 wkts; 68.5 ovs)

PLAYER NAME	O	M	R	W	Econ
MA Starc	18	4	62	1	3.44
PJ Cummins	16	8	20	1	1.25 (2 nb)
SM Boland	15	2	49	2	3.26
NM Lyon	17	1	58	3	3.41
SPD Smith	2.5	0	9	1	3.17

WKT	RUNS	PLAYERS
1st	0	Dean Elgar	Sarel Erwee
2nd	47	Sarel Erwee	Theunis de Bruyn
3rd	10	Temba Bavuma	Theunis de Bruyn
4th	8	Khaya Zondo	Temba Bavuma
5th	63	Temba Bavuma	Kyle Verreynne
6th	16	Temba Bavuma	Marco Jansen
7th	28	Keshav Maharaj	Temba Bavuma
8th	2	Temba Bavuma	Kagiso Rabada
9th	1	Anrich Nortje	Kagiso Rabada
10th	27	Anrich Nortje	Lungi Ngidi

<1 / 3>

ICC World Test Championship

TEAM	M	W	L	D	PT	PCT
AUS	19	11	3	5	152	66.67
IND	18	10	5	3	127	58.80
SA	15	8	6	1	100	55.56
ENG	22	10	8	4	124	46.97
SL	12	5	6	1	64	44.44
NZ	13	4	6	3	60	38.46
PAK	14	4	6	4	64	38.10
WI	13	4	7	2	54	34.62
BAN	12	1	10	1	16	11.11

Full Table