Australia captain Steven Smith “embarrassed” by collapse against South Africa

Hobart-Replacement paceman Kyle Abbott took 6-77 as South Africa completed an innings and 80-run humiliation of Australia in Hobart on Tuesday to seal the three-match series with a game to spare.

Australia’s inability to contend with a pitch that offers any assistance for the bowlers was brutally exposed once again as they were shot out for 161 in the second innings to give South Africa a convincing innings victory on day four of the second Test at Hobart. There haven’t been many things we’ve done wrong. “(But) anything could happen with the Aussie team between now and 12 months’ time when England will be in Australia”, said Ponting.

It was the fifth consecutive Test defeat for Australia, following a 3-0 hiding in Sri Lanka where the team’s batsmen were undone by the spinning ball. In absence of Smith; Warner led the team in ODI and T20I series.

“That won us the series and it was unbelievable”. There is a speculation that there is a huge gap between Smith and Warner’s thinking which created a psychological battle between two vital cogs of the Australian team.

That followed a first-innings capitulation of 85 all out. “That’s what the South Africans didn’t do and it’s tough to play against”, he added. South Africa hit good areas and I don’t think I scored for the first 11 overs in the day. Bavuma and De Kock’s partnership snatched the match away from Australia.

South Africa have been dominating Australia since the start of Test series, first a commendable win at Perth and now an emphatic win in the second Test at Hobart. The visitors have had the better of the exchanges between the two sides in the last three rubbers, winning 2-1 in 2008, 1-0 in 2012 and leading by 2-0 with a match to go this time.

“We both played each other in one-day matches in October, came through here, had various forms of long-form or other preparatory matches – they played a match in Adelaide under lights as Shield cricket was played under lights”.

Respected South African cricket journalist Neil Manthorp, meanwhile, was tasked with rating the South Africans. “That’s what I need”, he said. “It’s just about being able to spend enough time out there, grind it out”.

Now after being thumped the Australia top six batsman and wicketkeeper Peter Nevill will head to Sheffield Shield cricket beginning on Thursday for much needed match practice.

In the first innings, Philander earned a five-wicket haul with 5/21 bowling figures, while Rabada contributed his hand and ripped through the Australian attack in the second innings with bowling figures of 4/34. South Australian pair Joe Mennie and Callum Ferguson had inglorious Test debuts but could be given another chance at their home ground of the Adelaide Oval.