Embattled Australia bid to avert full-blown crisis

Reuters: A mis-firing Australia head into the second test against South Africa in Hobart under pressure to save the series and avert a full-blown crisis which would almost certainly be triggered by a fifth consecutive test defeat.

Selectors, staff and players are all under the microscope after the 177-run loss in Perth, which was Australia’s first series-opening defeat at home in 28 years and sparked acrimony from a disaffected public.

Australians have become accustomed to seeing Steve Smith’s side flop on foreign wickets but have little tolerance for failure at home.

Cricket - Australia v South Africa - First Test cricket match - WACA Ground, Perth, Australia - 7/11/16 South Africa's team captain Faf du Plessis (R) reacts as he walks off the ground as he celebrates with team mates after defeating Australia at the WACA Ground in Perth - REUTERS

They switched off in droves as their team crumbled against an undermanned South Africa attack at the WACA, and the television viewership figures will have raised alarm bells through the halls of Cricket Australia’s Melbourne headquarters.

Head coach Darren Lehmann said this week that every man would be playing for their career at Bellerive Oval but is unlikely to feel too comfortable about his own position, despite holding a lengthy contract.

His predecessor Mickey Arthur was sacked after Australia last lost four tests on the trot, on their 2013 tour of India.

Former coach Tim Nielsen was also packed off after the 2010/11 Ashes defeat, the catalyst for an exhaustive review of the team’s management.

As a selector, Lehmann has worn twice the flak.

The panel led by outgoing chairman Rod Marsh has been under fire, and was openly defied by top order batsman Usman Khawaja, who derided them as “fickle” for dropping himself and Joe Burns from the third test in Sri Lanka.

The selectors’ call to pick a 12-man squad for the opening two tests against South Africa invited further derision, with underperforming players, including all-rounder Mitchell Marsh, guaranteed a second start in Hobart.

Proteas hit back in ball-tampering row

AFP: South Africa insisted a ball-tampering controversy had been “blown out of proportion” on Friday as they kept their focus on a third straight series win in Australia.

Skipper Faf du Plessis was unmoved by accusations of tampering in South Africa’s thumping 177-run first Test win, saying Australia also got the ball to reverse-swing.

Du Plessis was warned by the umpires for deliberately bouncing the ball along the ground, to rough it up, but he said there was no unfair advantage.

“I think it’s been blown out of proportion. We were watching the first innings in Perth and they (Australia) got the ball to reverse in the 25th over,” he said in Hobart, where the second Test starts on Saturday.

“I was quite impressed. I was trying to see how they were doing it because that meant they were doing something right. Twenty-five overs is very early for ball to reverse.

“We are a bowling attack and we enjoy bowling with a swinging ball. To say it was only for us is not true.

“It was 50-50 the amount of reverse swing throughout that Test. The Aussies did it really well.”

South Africa ponder four-pronged pace assault in Hobart

Reuters: The prospect of a rain-interrupted start to the Hobart test has South Africa mulling a four-pronged pace assault to push for a series-sealing win over Australia when the match begins on Saturday.

South Africa routed the home side by 177 runs in Perth with just two fast bowlers and debutant spinner Keshav Maharaj after pace spearhead Dale Steyn was injured when bowling in Australia’s first innings.

Left-armer Maharaj took four wickets in a successful debut at the WACA but may be rested at Bellerive Oval as Faf du Plessis’ side bid for an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

“There is a possibility of that,” Du Plessis told reporters in Hobart on Friday. “If it becomes a really shortened game ... that’s something we will look at.

“It looks like there’s going to be a little bit of rain tomorrow, so if it rains for the whole day it becomes a four-day game.

“The pitch is going to be under covers, the ball is going to be wet.”

Heavy rain is forecast for the opening two days of the test, which could frustrate both sides’ hopes of victory.

South Africa have Morne Morkel and Kyle Abbott vying to replace Steyn, who suffered a fracture in his shoulder and could be out of the game for more than six months.