South Africa ready to go against Australia after tour game

South African pacemen Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi warmed up for the three-test series against Australia with top-order wickets in some sharp bowling spells in a drawn tour game against a Cricket Australia XI that finished ahead of schedule on Monday.

The South Africans batted first at Allan Border Field in Brisbane and scored 347 and 304-8 declared, setting the invitational lineup a target of 426 to win on the final day. The Cricket Australia XI, which scored 226 in its first innings, was six wickets down when the match was called before the scheduled tea interval on Day 4.

The first test starts Saturday at the Gabba in Brisbane. Melbourne will host the annual Boxing Day test starting Dec. 26 and the third test will start Jan. 4 in Sydney.

Ngidi took three top-order wickets in the first innings when the local lineup slumped to 25-4 and Rabada returned 2-22 from six overs on Monday, striking in the third over and the 11th as the Cricket Australia XI slipped to 34-3.

South Africa bowling coach Charl Langeveldt said his leading quicks were raring to go at the traditionally bouncy Gabba wicket against an Australian lineup coming off a lopsided 2-0 series sweep against an understrength and injury-depleted West Indies.

He described Ngidi as a controlled fast bowler and Rabada as a “genuine wicket taker," adding that their differences made them difficult for batters to handle in tandem.

“In Brisbane they also leave a lot of grass on the wicket to start the game off so that plays in to our favor Day 1 or Day 2," he said.

South Africa's batsmen worked into form also, with opener Dean Elgar scoring a century in the first innings, wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne (80) and Theunis de Bruyn (88) enjoying time at the crease, and Rassie van der Dussen scoring 95 before he was needlessly run out in the second innings.