Rain-hit Proteas lose three wickets on second day of second Test

Most of the second day of the second Test match between South Africa and Australia was lost due to inclement weather and a wet outfield.

Play eventually got underway in a truncated evening session, where just over 31 overs were bowled.

The South Africans added 77 runs to their total but lost three wickets.

The hosts were on 97 for the loss of five wickets at stumps.

South Africa resumed their first innings on 20 for the loss of two wickets late in the afternoon on day two at St George’s Park after most of the day was lost to persistent rain and then a wet outfield.

Captain Temba Bavuma was unbeaten on four, and Marques Ackerman, making his Test debut, was on five.

Sadly, for Proteas fans and Ackerman, his innings didn’t last much longer.

Seamer Scott Boland claimed his third scalp of the match, removing the debutant for six in his second over.

And it only got worse for the hosts as quick Mitchell Starc also got in on the wickets, dismissing Mathew Breetzke for four, leaving them reeling on 40 for four.

Staying composed under pressure and finding some consistency Bavuma and Ryan Rickleton steadied the innings with a 52-run fifth-wicket partnership.

But Boland, the destroyer-in-chief broke through claiming his fourth wicket as he accounted for Rickleton for 31.

Bavuma was unbeaten on 41 and Wiaan Mulder on 2 as the Proteas ended the day on 97 for the loss of five wickets.