'We have seen some pretty dumb cricket from South Africa on Day 1'- Justin Langer
Dean Elgar disappointed after being run out [Source: AP]
Put into bat on Day 1 of the Boxing Day Test, South Africa again found themselves in a ditch against hosts Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
South African batters Dean Elgar, Temba Bavuma, and Theunis de Bruyn have come under heavy criticism from former Australian player and coach Justin Langer for displaying ‘dumb cricket' in the first session.
While Elgar and Khaya Zondo's wickets were primarily due to Marnus Labuschagne's athleticism on the field, others' downfall was attributed to poor shot selection. South were reduced to 67 for five in 28-odd overs.
Speaking on 7 Cricket, Langer especially came down hard on Elgar's run-out, where he called for a non-existent single against Labuschagne.
"The great Allan Border once told me, Test cricket is about five days of cricket. What we have seen in this first session, we have seen some pretty dumb cricket from South Africa. A poor decision by the captain to take on Marnus in the first session. A cardinal sin. Run- outs in Test cricket are a cardinal sin. Then what happens, Bavuma next ball. All of a sudden a run-out,
"We have seen some poor decisions by South Africa today. As Ricky (Ponting) said, Bavuma could have left that ball with the extra bounce here every day of the week. There’s five days of cricket. De Bruyn’s dismissal, poor decision making. This has not been great batting by South Africa all morning."
Kyle Verreynne and Marco Jansen managed to strike respective fifties and snitch a 112+ run sixth-wicket stand, before South Africa suffered another late-order collapse to fold for 189.
 "Vishal Mehra")
