Tails never fails: Aussie lower order proves worth again

As Australia finished up practice at St George's Park on Thursday afternoon, a rogue mongoose scampered over the lush outfield towards the wicket square.

The particular species of these mammals native to Africa can be identified by characteristics of their tail. Some tails are striped, some have flashes of colour. This inquisitive quadruped was a yellow mongoose, distinctive for its white-tipped tail.

And tails are just as important for cricket teams too.

Australia's lower order demonstrated that in Durban, turning a sketchy first-innings situation into a position of power when the final wicket fell. From 6-124, their final four wickets added 266 runs.

Matthew Renshaw and Nathan Lyon's 134-run partnership was Australia's highest ninth-wicket stand since 1894, which came after Renshaw and Pat Cummins had added 86 runs for the seventh wicket.

Comparatively, South Africa's tail added 122 in the first and 50 in the second, losing the last four wickets of the match for only five runs.

"I wouldn't say it's fun. But it's satisfying when you can do it," Hazlewood, who was not out on five in a 26-run stand with Renshaw, said to reporters on Friday.

"Once that ball's soft, it's quite tough to dislodge the tail if they want to stick around."

Australia's coach Andrew McDonald flagged before the series begun that he saw the performance of both lower-orders as crucial.

The number one and number two ranked Test teams are Australia and South Africa and they both have the highest performing tails from the sides competing in the World Test Championship.

"Lower order batting … I think that could be a real pivotal area of this series," McDonald said on October 6.

"From eight down, I think if you can conjure up some lower-order runs (and) the ability to knock over the tail as well with the ball, that's an area that we definitely want to focus on."

Since the start of Australia's series against West Indies in January 2024, the Aussie tail has averaged 24.04 runs per wicket, or an extra 96.16 runs in total. South Africa's has averaged 25.82 (or 103.28 all up) in that same period.

SA spinners Simon Harmer (35no off 110) and Keshav Maharaj (34 off 44) were prepared to dig in at Durban but didn't have an experienced batter to lean on at the other end.

Hazlewood said this was a reason Australia's wagging tail was so much more potent than the Proteas in the first Test, with Renshaw controlling the majority of the strike, limiting Lyon and Hazlewood's exposure to the hosts' bowlers. He was 69 when he was joined by No.10 Lyon – he finished the innings on 190.

"The key is being with a batter, we've seen (Ben) Stokes do it in the past," Hazlewood said. "I hung around with Greeny in New Zealand, Gazza (Lyon) and Renshaw in the last Test.

"Whether it's the (number) five, six or seven batter hanging around, he can do the scoring and we can hold up an end.

"That part of cricket can be frustrating for fielding teams."

Century stands for Australia's lower order, since 2024

 

Cameron Green + Josh Hazlewood | 116 runs for 10th wicket, Wellington 2024

 

Steve Smith + Pat Cummins | 112 runs for 7th wicket, Melbourne 2024

 

Steve Smith + Beau Webster | 108 runs for 8th wicket, Sydney 2026

 

Matthew Renshaw + Nathan Lyon | 134 runs for 9th wicket, Durban 2026

The Renshaw-Lyon combination was Australia's fourth century stand the lower order have put on since the start of 2024. Australia won all those matches and all but one went for the full five days. 

England's Ollie Robinson mocked the batting ability of Hazlewood, Lyon and Scott Boland at Edgbaston in 2023, saying the Aussies had "three No.11s".

Lyon is coming off two consecutive innings of at least 60 balls for first time in 15-year career and in Durban became the first player to score 1000 runs from No.10 in Test history.

Hazlewood's average of 11.93 sits in the top 10 all-time for No.11 batters (minimum 25 innings) and has remained not out in exactly half (50 of 100) of his Test innings.

Qantas tour of South Africa 2026

All matches to be broadcast exclusively in Australia on Kayo and Fox Cricket

First Test: Australia won by 214 runs

Second Test: October 18-22, St George's Park, Gqeberha, 7pm AEDT (10am local)

Third Test: October 27-31, Newlands, Cape Town, 7:30pm AEDT (10:30am local)

South Africa's first Test squad: Temba Bavuma (c), Marques Ackerman, David Bedingham, Corbin Bosch, Gerald Coetzee, Tony de Zorzi, Simon Harmer, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Anrich Nortje, Dane Paterson, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne

Australia Test squad: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Cameron Green, Sam Harper, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (second Test onwards), Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nic Maddinson, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster