Boxing Day Test: Anrich Nortje’s spell quickest I’ve ever confronted in my Test profession, says David Warner

Australia vs South Africa, Boxing Day Test: Opener David Warner, who hit a double hundred, doffed his hat to Anrich Nortje after the South Africa pacer rattled him with excessive tempo on Day 2 in Melbourne.

New Delhi,UPDATED: Dec 28, 2022 14:00 IST

Anrich Nortje picked up 3 wickets, together with that of David Warner within the Boxing Day Test (AP Photo)

By India Today Web Desk: Australia opener David Warner doffed his hat to Anrich Nortje, acknowledging the South Africa pacer’s lion-hearted effort with the ball on Day 2 of the Boxing Day Test on the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Warner mentioned Nortje’s post-Lunch spell was the most effective he has ever confronted in Test cricket.

Warner, talking to the official broadcasters forward of the beginning of Day 3, paid tribute to his Delhi Capitals teammate, saying it was tough to cope with the tempo of Nortje, who touched in extra of 150kph on a scorching day.

Nortje bowled 16 overs on Day 2, battling excessive temperatures and picked up the wicket of Steve Smith in direction of the tip of the day’s play however the figures didn’t do justice to the standard of the spell.

Nortje set the ball rolling, making his intentions clear early within the innings as he bowled all deliveries within the tenth over of the innings in extra of 150kph, with two of the deliveries studying 155kph on the velocity gun.

The South Africa pacer breathed fireplace within the post-lunch session whereby he bowled 4 overs with excessive tempo to David Warner, who was in his nineties and Steve Smith.

Nortje examined Warner with quick balls all through the day. In reality, he had rattled Warner’s helmet with a 155kph thunderbolt within the first session. In the post-lunch session, Nortje stored operating in and hit the bat onerous. He made Warner uncomfortable within the center and troubled Smith, one of many best batters within the fashionable sport. However, his efforts didn’t produce a wicket as Warner went on to get his hundred, and in a while a double hundred whereas stitching a 239-run stand with Smith.

“That’s the fastest spell I have ever faced in my Test career. That was extra-ordinary,” Warner informed Fox Cricket.

“To do that in 37-degree heat, to come back and bowl… I think I faced 18 deliveries straight from him. It’s not that I didn’t know what to do, but it was how was I going to pull it, how was I going to duck it and how was I going to eradicate it – you couldn’t.

“The velocity was sheer up there. It was the quickest I’ve ever confronted.

“To try and negate that and try and pull it into areas that I could, it was almost impossible. When he ‘lidded’ me, I was like ‘that’s obviously very fast’. Credit to him, he kept coming back in this heat,” he added.

Nortje was rewarded for his efforts on Wednesday as he eliminated Travis Head and Warner in an area of two deliveries within the first session. Warner didn’t dig out a yorker after he walked out to bat on Day 3. He retired damage attributable to cramps on Day 2 after attending to his third double-hundred in Tests.

Nortje himself mentioned it was considered one of his finest Test spells.

“Yeah, it was probably up there. In general, it felt really good. It‘s been something that I’ve been working on a little bit here and there with the jump. But I think all in all, probably one of the better ones, yes, if not the best,” he added.

Australia posted 575 for 8 and declared and had South Africa at 15 for 1 earlier than rain compelled early finish to the third day’s play in Melbourne.

Published On:

Dec 28, 2022