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The signs weren’t good in Australia’s final tune-up before the first Test against South Africa.
to the sword, scoring a brilliant century for the South Africa Invitational XI in Potchefstroom. Ahead of the three-Test series, which kicks off in Duran on October 9, Brand was brutal in the light-hearted two-day tour match.
The 30-year-old, who skippered a makeshift South Africa side on a tour of New Zealand in 2014 while first-choice players competed in the SA20, showed little respect to Australia’s bowlers on Saturday, particularly allrounder Beau Webster. Brand blasted 152 off just 174 balls, including 16 fours and five sixes. He smashed three of those sixes off Webster, before the Aussie gained some belated revenge, having him caught by Travis Head off the final ball of the day.
The hosts reached 7-318 by stumps in the two-day affair serving as Australia’s main red-ball warm-up for the Test series. Australia skipper Pat Cummins used 11 bowlers, most sticking to pre-allocated workloads, while two local North West University students filled in as extra fielders. Nathan Lyon spent nearly as much time asking Brand for feedback on his ball flight as he did bowling to him.
Add 7NEWS as your preferred news source on GoogleLyon’s spin sidekick Matt Kuhnemann was also tidy as he makes a case to play on what has been touted to be a turning Kingsmead wicket.
“Everyone had a good bowl-out, the fielders had 90 overs , fast bowlers and spinners got enough out of it, it was a good hit-out,” Kuhnemann said. “Me and Nathan had a good session yesterday as well, so ... probably 30 overs under our belts in the last couple of days. ” Despite the at-times casual approach from Australia, Brand’s 174-ball hand showed how to take on their champion quicks on a placid surface.
The left-hander ticked the scoreboard over consistently, before saluting his ton in the final session. A dropped one-handed chance by Steve Smith at mid-wicket, when Brand was on 66, marked the only sniff he offered the Australians. Matthew Renshaw, still recovering from a blow to the hand in the ODI series, did not take to the field, instead facing throw-downs in the nets.
Cameron Green likewise remains on ice, the allrounder in doubt for the first Test after straining his abdomen.
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