Australia vs South Africa Day 1: Cameron Green shines on Boxing Day
Cameron Green is the first Australian since Shane Warne to take five wickets on Boxing Day when the legend was honoured at MCG.
Boxing Day five wickets - Cameron Green.Although Cameron Green may have pocketed Rs17.5 Cr from the Indian Premier League auction last week, it's safe to say that following Monday's five-wicket haul, he will hold the imitation gold leaf used to paint names on the MCG honour board in just as high regard.
Green's 5-27 against South Africa on the first day of the second NRMA Insurance Test was not only his first such performance in a Test team but also on the day cricket commemorated the late Shane Warne, who was the last member of the Australian men's team to achieve such a feat on Boxing Day.
The Proteas were bowled for 189 with 45 already subtracted from that deficit with the loss of Usman Khawaja's wicket, allowing Australia to hold the lead in the three-match series firmly.
To commemorate his 100th appearance in the Baggy Green Cap, opener David Warner will resume play on Tuesday unbeaten on 32 from 51 balls faced. He is also attempting to score his maiden Test century in almost three years.
Given that Green has played in 18 matches for Australia since 2020, his result doesn't quite match Scott Boland's 6-7 in England's second innings at the same venue last summer, but it is the first time his name will be stencilled on an honour roll at a Test site.
A sixth-wicket stand of 112 between wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne (52) and bowling allrounder Marco Jansen (59) saved South Africa from being skittled for an embarrassingly low score. He can also claim to have started the top and lower-order collapses.
And that outcome might not have occurred if Khwaja had not misplayed a simple chance from Jansen on 37 off the bowling of Cummins, who went on to end the innings without picking up a wicket.
Labuschagne completed a critical run out of South Africa's captain and most seasoned batter, Dean Elgar, just before noon. His full-length snare was his second game-changing moment on the field.
The fact that both died from self-inflicted injuries during that time spoke volumes about the weaknesses of their team's top-order batting. It put more pressure on the inexperienced visitors' allrounders to the right, a dangerously listing ship.