Cricket world in meltdown over disgraceful images during First Test between Australia and South Africa

There have been brutal scenes during the First Test between Australia and South Africa with a mascot photo exposing a damning truth.

There have been calls for Durban to never host a Test again after disgraceful scenes on the opening day of the First Test.

Australia’s batting woes plunged further into crisis with another top order collapse — but there were even more brutal scenes happening off the pitch at the Kingsmead Stadium on Friday night.

Grandstands and stretches of grass seating areas were deserted with many fans left wondering why the contest failed to attract interest from locals.

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Experienced South African journalist Firdose Moonda earlier predicted ticket sales for the opening three days of the contest ranged from 7,500 to 8,000 — but broadcast footage suggested those numbers were fanciful stuff from Cricket South Africa officials.

The cricket world went into meltdown over the lifeless pictures despite the hosts running through Australia’s top order with the tourists collapsing to 6/124.

One image of an excited mascot during the coin toss has got tongues wagging with the back drop showing the bay of seating was completely deserted.

At least the mascot was entertained.

Iconic cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle posted on X: “Marquee series. #SAvsAus. If you love test cricket, you have to be following it.

“Bought a match pass. Decent cricket. But there is nobody at Kingsmead! Hopefully some people later today and on the weekend.”

Sport commentator Jimmy Smith was one of many shocked by the poor crowd.

“Wow. No one there,” he posted on X while sharing an aerial shot of the ground.

Popular Indian sports content creator and social media personality Mufaddal Vohra also shared a heartbreak emoji when writing: “A sad picture from Durban”.

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Former South Africa Test bowler Paul Harris also wrote: “Ban cricket in Durban”.

It is just as likely Harris was referring to the bad light that stopped play early.

One sport content creator posted: “Test cricket in South Africa should only be played at The Wanderers, SuperSport Park and Newlands The people of Durban have let themselves down yet again.”

To make things worse, the action began with blue skies and a top of 30C.

However, the friendly conditions were not enough to convince locals to take a day off work.

The opening day of the Durban Test in 2018 was also a paltry 3,957.

Australia limped to stumps at 6/187 with captain Pat Cummins (33 not out) and Matt Renshaw (46 not out) rescuing Australia from a total capitulation.

Renshaw heeded his captain’s call to fight through tough situations and “get better at the grind”, absorbing 115 balls and hitting only three boundaries.

Cummins backed him up, making an unbeaten 33 not out off 72 balls.

The pair added 63 runs for the seventh wicket — the best partnership of the innings — before a sharp bouncer from Nortjeto Renshaw appeared to convince the umpires to take the players off the field 52 minutes after tea.

Left-armer Jansen took two for 35, Mulder claimed two for 31 and Nortje, playing in his first Test in more than three years, built up impressive pace and took two for 40.

Almost 10 years after the last of his previous three Tests, Maddinson opened the batting and never looked comfortable as he struggled for 49 minutes and 33 balls before being bowled off an inside edge by Jansen without scoring.

It was the longest innings without scoring by an Australian opener in Test history, and the third longest by any opener in Test cricket.

The most fluent batting of the day was in a third wicket stand of 60 between Marnus Labuschagne (37) and Steve Smith (25).

But Labuschagne was leg before wicket to Mulder off the last ball before lunch. Smith fell three balls after the interval, caught at gully off Jansen immediately after being struck a painful blow on the right hand by the tall fast bowler.

Nortje, South Africa’s fastest bowler, struck twice in three balls to dismiss Alex Carey and Beau Webster before Renshaw and Cummins dug in.

— with AFP