WATCH | Proteas star Rabada stretches his way into Aussie fans' hearts at MCG

The Proteas may have toiled unsuccessfully on a hot day two of the second Test against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, but Kagiso Rabada also provided a soul-warming moment.

Fielding where the old Bay 13 used to be at the MCG, Rabada pulled on his Merv Hughes impersonation by stretching in front of the crowd.

Kagiso Rabada takes Bay 13 through the iconic Merv Hughes stretches ?? #AUSvSA pic.twitter.com/0Kkwjm0LvR

The Bay 13 area is now part of the Great Southern Stand, but the crowd also reciprocated by copying Rabada's stretches.

They also did the same with Anrich Nortje in what was a successful day for the Australians, on the back of David Warner's unbeaten double ton as the hosts piled up 386/3.

Kagiso Rabada takes Bay 13 through the iconic Merv Hughes stretches??#AUSvRSA #AUSvsSA #KagisoRabada #CricketTwitter #Cricket pic.twitter.com/wEs3s0lZXI

It earned them a lead of 197, which is more than the 189 South Africa made in their first innings.

Rabada (1/94) didn't have the best of days with the ball, but Nortje (1/50), bowled with pace and hostility to ensure the Proteas still remained in some sort of fight.