The final leg of the memorable Test series between South Africa and Australia took place at Johannesburg.
After an emotional roller-coaster ride, the Aussies came up with wholesale changes in their squad, missing the services of their disgraced trio due to the ball-tampering row.
The visitors received a major blow as their ace speedster Mitchell Starc missed out due to a leg injury. Therefore, Chadd Sayers managed to receive his Test cap with the absence of Australia’s gun seamer.
Day One of the Jo’Burg Test belonged to one man named Aiden Markram, hands down. With his mammoth 152, which came at a strike rate of 70, Markram set and toppled various records on his way.
Markram smashed 17 boundaries and a maximum in pursuit of his maiden 150+ Test score. Both Elgar and Amla gave away their starts but Markram found able support in South Africa talisman, AB de Villiers, who continued his rich form with his 69.
Things were fast moving out of reach for the Australians with the score at 247 and loss of only two wickets. Both Markram and Amla were going great guns in the middle with their 105-run stand.
However, Pat Cummins bowled an incredible spell with the second new ball to bring back balance to the game towards their side.
Cummins dismissed Du Plessis and Markram off consecutive deliveries to bring his side back into the game.
Debutant Sayers chipped in with a couple of wickets by removing the dangerous looking AB de Villiers and nightwatchman Kagiso Rabada.
By stumps on Day, South Africa ended up amassing 313 on the board and lost six wickets with Bavuma and Quinton de Kock at the crease.
Let us look at how Twitter Reacted
Another Good Friday thought … Aiden Markram is a incredible Young opening Batsman … #SAvAus
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) March 30, 2018
Aiden Markram is now the first South African to score 400 runs in a Test series against Australia since their readmission. AB de Villiers scored 360 runs in this series so far. #SAvAUS
— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats) March 30, 2018
Steve Smith sends personal message to heartbroken 9 years old fan.#SAvAUS pic.twitter.com/v46yl6HERL
— Nibraz Ramzan (@nibraz88cricket) March 30, 2018
Only four players in the past 50 years have scored 2000-plus runs against Australia at an average exceeding 50:
Tendulkar: 3630 @ 55.00
AB DE VILLIERS: 2000 @ 52.63
Lara: 2856 @ 51.00
Lloyd: 2211 @ 50.25#SAvAUS— Adam Burnett (@AdamBurnett09) March 30, 2018
A boundary and that's a maiden 150 runs for @AidzMarkram! What a knock! He's 152* off 214 incl 17x4s & 1×6. Bat on you super star! #ProteaFire #SAvAUS #SunfoilTest pic.twitter.com/BmY12P5Om5
— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) March 30, 2018
Aiden Markram in his 10 Tests career
152 vs AUS at Johannesburg
143 vs AUS at Durban
143 vs BAN at Bloemfontein
125 vs ZIM at Port Elizabeth
97 vs BAN at Potchefstroom
94 vs IND at Centurion
84 vs AUS at Cape Town
already has a 50+ score at all SA Test grounds#SAvAUS— JSK (@imjsk27) March 30, 2018
https://twitter.com/cricketpunt/status/979726135566192642
Aiden Markram is the first SA opener to aggregate 400+ in a Test series this decade. Last was G Smith (427) v Eng 2009-10. #SAvAus
— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) March 30, 2018
How I’m spending my day knowing full well I have three upcoming assessments and two projects due. #SAvAUS pic.twitter.com/yT2ezY9v21
— princess cat (@catyuske) March 30, 2018
https://twitter.com/SihleTweets/status/979694046754037760
https://twitter.com/CricFan2000/status/979467245507182598
Faf after facing one ball… #SAvAUS pic.twitter.com/ucmmaTJHO4
— Musa (@Musa_underscore) March 30, 2018
Incredible Form from AB de Villiers 46th Test fifty for AB ??? and his Fifth fifty-plus score of the series. #SAvAUS #SABCcricket pic.twitter.com/g8UYiqt8ij
— SABC Sport (@SABC_Sport) March 30, 2018
Whoa. Nasser Hussain is certainly not holding back on David Warner and Australia. #SAvAUS pic.twitter.com/wG0gcaRkxF
— Hassan Cheema (@Gotoxytop1) March 26, 2018
Australia's last five Tests at the Wanderers:
1997: Won by an innings & 196 runs
2002: Won by an innings & 360 runs
2006: Won by two wickets
2009: Won by 162 runs
2011: Won by two wickets#SAvAUS— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) March 30, 2018
AB de Villiers.. 50 in 94 balls (SR 53.19)
first 18 off 66 balls (SR 27.27)
next 32 off 28 balls (SR 114.29)#SAvAus— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) March 30, 2018
Test captains since 2000…
14 – Pakistan/West Indies
10 – England/South Africa/Bangladesh
9 – Sri Lanka/Zimbabwe
8 – India
7* – Australia
5 – New Zealand#SAvAus— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) March 30, 2018
You know you're special when AB de Villiers takes a backseat to your mastery. If Markram came of age in Durban, he's elevated himself to the upper crust in Joburg. Special knock by a special talent. Rabada, De Kock, Ngidi, Maharaj. Markram! The future is here. Now. #SAVAUS
— Squinting Quarantino (@whamzam17) March 30, 2018
Insensitive media made #Warner's wife cry by pouncing on them at the Sydney airport. Warner has made a mistake and has received his punishment. Why can't media be sensitive for once? It's sometimes sad to be a part of this profession. #BallTampering #SandpaperGate #SAvAUS pic.twitter.com/61Y2xXn58C
— Sakshi Gupta (@sakshi2929) March 29, 2018
https://twitter.com/benjones_13/status/979700736429879297
How good is @patcummins30 #SAvAus
— chris rogers (@chrisrogersfan_) March 30, 2018
Okay, I take back everything I said about Aiden Markram. That he only scores big runs against Bangladesh and he will choke against the big boys. The boy is phenomenal. #SAvAUS
— Mbongeni (@MGegana7) March 30, 2018
People saying AB scoring slowly, please stop it. He's doing what he needs to, he's providing support to Markram, he knows this is day 1 of a 5 day Test. There's plenty time. #SAvAUS #SAvsAUS #ProteaFire
— ThePoppingCrease (@PoppingCreaseSA) March 30, 2018
46th Test Fifty for @ABdeVilliers17 ? What a run of form!
To imagine that he's going to carry on the same vein of touch in the 2018 VIVO IPL ?#SAvAUS #PlayBold— Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) March 30, 2018
That back foot punch and the cover drive that followed to get to his 150. Boy oh boy, isn't he a serious cricketer. First 150 of his career, I'm sure with loads more to come. 152 off 216, setting SA up for a huge total. Aiden Markram, take a bow! #SAvAUS #Markram
— Agent Vikram (@SriniMaama16) March 30, 2018
Chad Sayers has been picked tonight. Australia in the quest to get the ball to swing have tried everything they thought they would never have to do, now they have gone to the last resort….they have picked an actual swing bowler #SAvAus
— Chris Stevens (@TheLadfromAus) March 30, 2018
AB is pure class. He decide how he wants to play his game. He won't be dictated by bowlers. #SAvAUS
— matome w senyolo (@mwsenyolo) March 30, 2018
Fewest inns to register 4 Test 100s for South Africa….
10 – Alan Melville
17 – Graeme Smith/Aiden Markram
22 – Graeme Pollock#SAvAus— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) March 30, 2018
20 Test hundreds among Australia's playing XI in this game.
Warner has 21. Smith has 23#SAvAUS— Gaurav Kalra (@gauravkalra75) March 30, 2018
The moment I saw @ABdeVilliers17 batting, everything else in the world started looking less beautiful to me. Don't think anything else look such elegant than AB's batting. Falling in love with your batting yet again!!!! #SAvAUS
— George (@VijayIsMyLife) March 30, 2018
https://twitter.com/Vuzu_M/status/979733338805153792′
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