09 March, 2009

Phillip Hughes hit his second century of the match to help Australia into an almost unassailable position in the second Test against South Africa as it reached the end of day three at 3-292, an overall lead of 506.

The 20-year-old, who was unbeaten on 136 when stumps were drawn in Durban, became the youngest player to achieve the feat and received good support from Ricky Ponting after the captain chipped in with a well played 81.

Michael Clark was the other unbeaten batsman on 14, with the only other Australian wickets to fall on the day being Simon Katich (30) and Michael Hussey (19) as the hosts were outplayed and outclassed.

Peter Siddle had earlier claimed the final two wickets without the Proteas adding to their overnight total of 7-138, leaving them 214 runs behind on the first innings totals.

Siddle followed on the good work done by Mitchell Johnson and Andrew McDonald on day two - when the pair claimed three wickets each - by removing the last two batsmen within three deliveries of the start.

The Victoria paceman struck with just the second delivery when he tempted Dale Steyn to chase a wide delivery that took the toe end of the bat through to Brad Haddin for eight.

His dismissal was followed by that of Makhaya Ntini with the very next delivery when Siddle's angled ball trapped him in front for a duck, leaving JP Duminy unbeaten on 73 and having not faced a ball on day three.

Graeme Smith was the other man not out on two, but the captain was unable to bat after he retired hurt with a broken finger in his right hand.

The hosts were also left 15 runs short of avoiding the follow-on, but Ponting opted not to reinsert them.

Instead, the tourists came out on a mission with Katich and Hughes raising the half-century stand in just 66 balls, before the former tried to angle a Jacques Kallis delivery down to third man, but was excellently snapped up by Paul Harris at gully leaving Australia at 1-91 at lunch.

Resuming after the break, Hughes brought up his third consecutive Test 50, followed by Ponting.


The Australian captain then reached another milestone when he lifted Steyn over midwicket for four - overtaking Steve Waugh's 10,927 career runs to become the fourth-highest run scorer in the game - before his side dominated its host and edged closer towards a series win.

Resuming after tea at 1-203, Ponting and Hughes quickly raised their 150-run stand, before Morne Morkel's introduction saw him remove the touring skipper with just his third delivery.

A short ball from the South African paceman saw the batsman's efforts to pull him to the square leg boundary fly straight to Neil McKenzie, who took a good catch diving forward in the deep to end the partnership for 164.

Hughes then raised his hundred by cutting the same bowler over the slips to surpass George Headley for West Indies against England in 1930 as the youngest man to score a century in both innings of a Test.

That moment of celebration was followed by the next wicket - Duminy was the bowler, getting the ball to turn sharply into Hussey and the ball took the edge on its way to Kallis low down at first slip.

However, vice-captain Clark and Hughes then took the Australians to the close without any further trouble.