Usman Khawaja leads way as Australian batsmen show fight in second Test

Australia, with Usman Khawaja (56 not out) and Steve Smith (18 not out) unbeaten, are 2-121 and still trail by 120, the South Africans remaining very much in the box seat to wrap up a 2-0 lead and clinch the series in Tasmania this week. Yet in trying circumstances, with the outstanding Kyle Abbott and Kagiso Rabada in particular giving no latitude, the Australians finally found a way not only to survive, but to prosper. There were ominous signs when, as on Saturday an opener was lost with the fourth ball of the innings from a delivery that did not deserve a wicket, with Joe Burns feathering a leg-side drifter from Abbott into the gloves of Proteas 'keeper and century-maker Quinton de Kock. But Khawaja and David Warner (45) battled resolutely in a hard-fought partnership. As Abbot and Rabada perfected their lengths on a pitch still full of life after Sunday's wash-out both Australians played and missed repeatedly, and Warner, as he does, flirted occasionally with danger. There was a fighting quality there, though, that seemed absent among all but Smith on Saturday and while Warner also fell unluckily - an otherwise innocuous delivery on leg stump crashing into his stumps via his thigh pad and elbow - Khawaja could not be moved, surviving an energetic lbw review from Vernon Philander and stroking his way to a well-earned half-century. Josh Hazlewood, who earlier claimed figures of 6-89 as South Africa made 326 in a first innings highlighted by de Kock's sparkling 104, said the Australians had spoken about playing through tough periods. Monday afternoon was certainly one of those. "Obviously we've done pretty well with the bat...(there were) two pretty unlucky dismissals but you get that in cricket. I think the boys have shown some good fight this afternoon, digging in even though the ball is still nipping around a fair bit," Hazlewood said. The Australian team have been under fire from all angles after the events of Perth and the first day in Hobart and according to the fast bowler have pulled together. "I think everyone knows we need to improve and improve quickly," Hazlewood said. "We talk amongst ourselves and I think everyone knows we need to improve. Hopefully it happens on the field. "We're all great mates and obviously it's an important time to stick together." That is a strong trait of the South Africans, too. For once, not everything went to plan for them on Monday, though. Most notably, De Kock and du Plessis were left holding up their hands up in astonishment as Dean Elgar, at third slip, ducked a ball he might well have caught from the edge of Warner's bat after the opener, on 24, had clipped it towards the cordon. "I just saw Dean duck and didn't know whether to laugh or to what at that point in time," de Kock said later. The Proteas, thanks in no small part to their 'keeper-batsman, remain in charge, however. "We are fairly confident but it's not going to be easy," de Kock said. "The Aussies are batting really well on that wicket so we're going to have to see what happens tomorrow."