Incessant rain forces washout

A nation keen to spend Saturday on the couch had to find other things to do as day two of the first Test between Australia and South Africa was washed out in Brisbane.

Play was formally called off at 4pm local time after a final inspection by the umpires Billy Bowden and Asad Rauf took place with drizzle still falling at the Gabba.

Having lost the services of JP Duminy due to a freak Achilles injury during a warm-down exercise on the first evening, South Africa have now lost a day on which they had hoped to press home the advantage won by reaching 2 for 255 on the opening day.

It is the first time a full day's play has been lost to rain in a Brisbane Test since the final day of the 1983 Test between Australia and Pakistan was washed out. The last day's play in a Test match to be completely washed out in Australia was Boxing Day in 1998, when Australia and England met at the MCG.

The rain arrived on Friday evening and barely abated throughout Saturday, leaving the Australian players to sign autographs for those fans who still ventured to the ground.

South Africa's squad returned to their hotel soon after an early lunch was taken, and were ultimately to remain there.