28 February, 2009

A composed century on debut from Marcus North followed by a disciplined bowling display from Australia put the tourists well in command at the close of day two of the first Test against South Africa in Johannesburg.

After Australia piled on 466, which included an unbeaten career-best 96 from Mitchell Johnson and a half-century from Brad Haddin, it put the home side under all sorts of pressure and left it reeling at 3-85 at the close.

It capped a remarkable turnaround for Ricky Ponting's side, which was at 3-38 early on the first morning, before North's century - the 18th on debut by an Australian - helped it post the fifth highest score by a team batting first at the Wanderers.

The Proteas were in immediate trouble when they began their response after tea and were 1-1 after just five balls when Johnson pitched the ball up to Graeme Smith, who sent a thick outside edge to a diving Haddin behind the stumps for a duck.

That became 2-2 three balls later after Hashim Amla edged a swinging delivery from Ben Hilfenhaus - his second in Test cricket - to Ponting at second slip, the captain taking a smart catch diving forward to send the batsman packing for one.

Jacques Kallis and Neil McKenzie then began the repair work and there was soon something positive for the crowd to cheer after Kallis pushed a Peter Siddle delivery into the covers to bring up his 10,000th Test run, only the eighth batsman in history to do so.

But after he took three consecutive fours off the same bowler, he went for one shot too many in his following over and squared the ball straight to Michael Hussey at gully for 27.

Opener McKenzie (35 not out) and AB de Villiers (13 not out) took the hosts through to the close, still trailing the visitors by a massive 381.

Earlier, North became the first Australian since Michael Clarke against India in 2004 to hit a century on debut.

Beginning the day alongside overnight partner Haddin with the score at 5-254, the pair took full advantage of South Africa's heavy reliance on waiting for the new ball during the first part of an extended morning session.

There were 12 overs to be bowled before it was due and the home side looked to be going through the motions as it waited for its availability.

During that time North and Haddin were under no pressure, with the former bringing up a patient 104-ball 50 when he nudged Paul Harris for two towards fine leg in the fifth over of the day, while the latter followed not long after raising his half-century off 79 deliveries.

They put on 113, before Haddin was out for 63 when he pulled the penultimate ball of the fourth over with the new ball from Makhaya Ntini to Harris at mid-on.

Five deliveries later, Dale Steyn enticed the new man, Andrew McDonald, to push at an away swinger that he only succeeded in edging to Kallis at second slip for a duck.

Western Australia captain North was unbeaten on 85 at lunch, and continued his calm knock after the break reaching the three-figure mark off 207 balls when he turned JP Duminy wide of backward point for three.

He was not yet ready to ease up though and brought up the 100 partnership with Johnson in the 117th over, before the tourists' strike bowler notched up his 50 the very next delivery when he lifted Duminy over long-on for the second six of his innings.


But just as North was looking to dig into Harris, he went dancing down the wicket and was deceived in the flight, with Boucher stumping him for 117 to end his 355-minute stay.

Siddle joined Johnson, who continued his onslaught on the South African attack going past his previous best score of 61 by climbing into one Harris over off which he took 26, including three sixes.

He moved into his 90s by hitting Steyn for three fours in an over - his brutal assault helping to bring up the 50-run stand for the ninth wicket in just 26 deliveries.

But Morne Morkel ended his hopes of a first Test century when he removed Siddle (nine), caught by Kallis at second slip, and Hilfenhaus (duck), gathered by De Villiers at third slip, in successive deliveries as Australia was all out for 466.

The pick of South Africa's bowlers was Steyn with 4-113, while Ntini picked up 2-71 and Morkel 3-117.