The aim was for SA A to make Australia uncomfortable, but Australia’s fast bowlers made their statement of intent in Benoni on Thursday. While they did not exactly run roughshod over SA A, Pat Cummins (4/32) and Josh Hazlewood (3/40) ensured Australia had some batting time on day one. They helped bundle SA A out for 220 in 58.5 overs before moving to 87/3 in 26 overs at stumps. Usman Khawaja (22), Peter Handscomb (0) and Steven Smith (23) were the wickets to fall. Khawaja and Handscomb fell to injudicious shots off Duanne Olivier while the captain was out-thought by Malusi Siboto. Cameron Bancroft (24) and Shaun Marsh (10) ensured that Australia did not lose any further wickets. However, the day belonged to the Australian pace trio. Having last played a first-class match in January in the fifth Ashes Test against England in Sydney, Cummins, Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc bowled a combined 37 overs to get themselves into decent shape for next week’s first Test in Durban. The disappoint...
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