On the back of a sublime third Test, a double century by David Warner, Australia took a commanding position against South Africa as early as Day 2 of the second Test match at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

Warner became only the second batter to smash a double hundred in his 100th Test match, displaying sheer dominance over the South African bowlers. His remarkable knock put Australia in a strong position, leading by 197 runs over South Africa's first-innings total of 189/10.

Proteas' bowlers were made to toil in the hot sun of Melbourne. Warner retired hurt just moments after completing his 200 runs after facing 254 deliveries. Warner's innings turned out to be too hot to handle for South African attack and left them scrabbling to get some breaks.

Anrich Nortje's Fiery Spell Amidst Tough Conditions

Despite South Africa getting only two wickets all through the day, Anrich Nortje had been the only one doing enough to merit individual praise. Bouncing down all day above 150 km/h, he hassled Warner, and by inference, his Aussie mates with unrelenting belligerency and accuracy of length.

He unleashed inswinging yorkers, fiery bouncers, and sharp deliveries aimed at the stumps. However, despite his efforts, luck did not favor him as Warner and his teammates survived his menacing spell. The 29-year-old's resilience and pace made life difficult for the Australians, but the wickets remained elusive.

Adding to his eventful day, Nortje found himself in an unusual incident when the Spider Cam struck him during play. Moments that went viral showed how unpredictable the game was as well as how unexpected hazards can collide with the players.

How To Pronounce Anrich Nortje

Fans have long been confused over the pronunciation of Anrich Nortje's name, specifically the 'Nortje' part. Since several variations are floating around, cricket enthusiasts often debate over the correct articulation.

In an interesting turn of events, Nortje himself cleared up the pronunciation during the 2020 IPL season when he was playing for Delhi Capitals. He was answering a question on the franchise's Instagram handle when he revealed that his name is correctly pronounced as 'Aana-rikh Norkiya'.

Why is 'Nortje' Pronounced Like 'Nokia'?

The most common misconception among the fans is the pronunciation of Nortje's name, which sounds like the popular mobile brand 'Nokia.' This similarity is because of the Afrikaans accent, which highly influences the pronunciation of names in South Africa.

Afrikaans is the most widely spoken language in Kariega, Nortje's birthplace. The linguistic nuances and phonetic influences of Afrikaans give the name its unique pronunciation, making it sound similar to 'Nokia' to those unfamiliar with the language.

Conclusion

Anrich Nortje is still one of South Africa's foremost fast bowlers. Pace and skill attract enthusiasts for the man, but now they have clarity about how to get it right in pronouncing his name. Therefore, as he continues his cricketing journey with the Proteas, his name too is correctly uttered by the people following the career graph of this magnificent cricketer.