“I am obviously a purist of this format and we want to see the game go to four or five days,” he said. “And the way,the nature of it[the pitch],how it started to play with some seriously steep bounce with the old ball,you are kind of on a hiding to none as a batting unit.

“If you think about it,only two or maybe three batters,applied themselves half-decently and scored runs. I don’t think it was a very good Test wicket.”

Cummins admitted a two-day Test “isn’t ideal” but offered a bowler’s perspective.

“Obviously,there was a lot of sideways movement,and today a little bit of up and down bounce as well,” He said. “Personally I kind of don’t mind if the groundsmen err on the greener side occasionally because I’ve played a lot of Test matches where they’re on the flatter side. So,I think it was the same for both teams.”

Former greats Ricky Ponting,Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer were unhappy with the pitch.

“I haven’t seen one as green,” Ponting said on Channel Seven. “Matthew Hayden played here more than me,and he hasn’t seen one as green and Justin Langer said he hasn’t seen one as green ... there was excessive seam movement.”

An appreciative crowd of 18,206 made the attendance for the two days 47,512,more than all five days of thefirst Test against the West Indies in Perth. Ticket holders for days three and four will receive a refund.

It was the third time this year that South Africa have lost within two days of playing time,highlighting their weak batting line-up. Three players in their top seven average under 30 and Elgar has scored 13 of the team’s 16 centuries.

The victory has given Australia a 1-0 lead in the three-match series and an even firmer grip on a place in theWorld Test Championship,to be held at The Oval in June ahead of The Ashes.

Resuming at 5-145,Australia were bowled out for 218,a lead of 66,and looked for a time as though they could win by an innings,reducing South Africa to 6-48.

The match offered glimpses of Australia’s Boxing Day Test victory last year when England werebowled out for 68 to lose by an innings at lunch on the third day. Next week’s MCG pitch is unlikely to have as much grass as the 2021 version.

Cummins won the toss and bowled on Saturday,the first time an Australian captain has sent the opposition in at the Gabba since Steve Waugh in 2000. Australia won that Test too.

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