Australia are about to play a Test match in Cape Town for the first time since the ball-tampering scandal back in 2018 that paused a number of their cricketers' careers. Should they lose to South Africa this week in the series decider, live on Sky Sports Cricket, a number of careers could be ended. Having been humbled by an innings and 31 runs in Gqeberha last time out, a game in which they were torpedoed for 99 in the first innings, the Baggy Greens need a response.
If that does not come, the reaction from the Australian media could be more abrasive than the piece of sandpaper Cameron Bancroft aimed to conceal down his trousers eight years ago. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player The batting has been creaking for a while. In the 4-1 Ashes thrashing of England last winter, it was held together by Travis Head, Steve Smith and Alex Carey as others toiled, while in South Africa so far the tourists have managed only three individual fifty-plus scores - one for Head and two for Matt Renshaw.
Without Head in Durban, things would have been even grislier. His second-innings 121 was 81 more runs than the next highest score by an Aussie in the game. Even the great Smith - who received a ban for the role he played as skipper in 'Sandpapergate' in 2018, along with Bancroft and David Warner - has stuttered: three innings' in the 20s and a knock of three.
He was hampered by a neck problem in Gqeberha and faces a late fitness Test ahead of the winner-takes-all Cape Town finale. If he fails that, it could aid Marnus Labuschagne's hopes of staying in the side. Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting had branded Labuschagne's spot as "untenable" after a lean return at home to Bangladesh left him without a Test century in 43 innings, stretching back to the 2023 Ashes in England.
That has now extended to 47 innings. Labuschagne has had no trouble starting in South Africa, the country of his birth - reaching the 30s in three of his four outings. But he has not kicked on.
Brilliantly caught by Simon Harmer at gully. And then a criminal dismissal as he inexplicably holed out to long-on in the second innings of the second Test, a game Australia were trying to save. If he misses out this week, it could be curtains.
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