10 March, 2009

An unbroken 164-run partnership between Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers kept South Africa's slim hopes of saving the second Test against Australia alive after it reached stumps on day four at 2-244.

The home side, which is chasing an improbable 546 to win, lost openers Neil McKenzie and Hashim Amla before tea, with an inspired Peter Siddle doing the damage, but the intact third-wicket stand saw no damage done in the final session and left it with realistic hopes of keeping the series alive.

There is also still an outside chance of the host winning the game with the target having now been reduced to 302 but there is no doubt Kallis, not out on 84, and De Villiers (68) will have their initial thoughts on batting the team to safety.

The Proteas began the chase confidently enough, reaching lunch at 35 without loss after visiting captain Ricky Ponting had declared Australia's second innings at 5-331.

There was only one scare early on, which came when umpire Billy Bowden sent McKenzie on his way after giving him out leg before wicket off a Ben Hilfenhaus delivery.

However, after asking for the decision to be referred, the call was reversed by Steve Bucknor as the ball looked to be going over the stumps.

After the break, McKenzie and Amla, who was shifted one place up the order following captain Graeme Smith's broken finger, began steadily, raising the 50 partnership in the 19th over, before the former was out for 31.

A good ball from Siddle bowled just on the line of off stump nipped back and left the opener uncertain as he edged behind to Brad Haddin, ending a 63-run stand.

And off the next delivery, Kallis was enticed into playing at an out swinger that was edged to Marcus North, who reacted late and failed to hang on at first slip.

But Siddle was rewarded for his fine spell of bowling when Amla lost his concentration and chased a wide seaming delivery that was snapped up by Ponting at second slip for 43.

But De Villiers and Kallis held firm and brought up the 50 stand off only 71 balls to leave their team 2-145 at tea.

And they continued to build on that momentum, going through the final session without losing any further wickets.

The century stand was brought up in the 59th over, before Kallis reached his 50 when he squeezed Mitchell Johnson through the covers for two.


That was followed by De Villiers' half-century from 106 balls as the pair looked relatively comfortable against a tiring Australian attack and took their partnership through to the close.

Earlier, the host was set the daunting chase after Ponting's declaration came just under eight overs into the day.

However, it did not stop Phillip Hughes from crossing the 150 mark as he continued to pile on the misery for the Proteas, before eventually being dismissed by Makhaya Ntini for 160.

Resuming on 3-292, and with Hughes unbeaten on 136, the opener added another 38 runs in his partnership with Michael Clarke.

The New South Wales batsman had already been dropped on 142 by wicketkeeper Mark Boucher but Morne Morkel fared better at third man after Ntini's delivery had looped up from a top edge.

Hughes' replacement, North, failed to trouble the scorers and his dismissal for a duck, which saw De Villiers pluck the ball out of the air at second slip, was quickly followed by Australia's declaration.

Clarke was unbeaten on 23 when the innings was ended, leaving South Africa with a huge task to level the series after the 162-run loss in Johannesburg.

10 March, 2009

Paceman Peter Siddle, Australia's only wicket-taker on day four, expects the new ball to be crucial as the visitors seek seven more wickets to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-Test series against South Africa.

The Victorian captured the wickets of openers Neil McKenzie and Hashim Amla before an unbroken 164-run partnership between Jacques Kallis (84) and AB de Villiers (68) saw South Africa reach 2-244 at stumps, still requiring a further 302 runs to win.

"There was not a lot of sideways movement, it's been pretty flat. Every now and then you get the odd one to bounce or keep low," Siddle said.

"Hopefully, with the new ball tomorrow morning, we can get it to swing around a little bit if we take it straight away and then see how it goes. We'll be looking to certainly get a few quick blows."

Despite the tourists looking flat towards the end of a hot day in Durban, the paceman insists the Australians will be ready to fire on Tuesday.

"The general spirit hasn't been too bad. We spent 80 overs in the field and only got a couple of wickets," he added.

"But no, we'll be ready to go again tomorrow morning and show a bit of a buzz in the first hour and hopefully grab another couple of quick ones there and see how we go for the rest of the day."

Amla, one of Siddle's victims on day four, agreed the new ball would be a concern for South Africa's batsmen on a wearing pitch.

But he remained confident South Africa could save the second Test despite needing to bat through the final three sessions with only seven wickets remaining.

The Proteas face a tough final day on an unpredictable Durban pitch as they attempt to chase down an unlikely 546.

"Yes, the new ball is due in the morning and it's also a deteriorating wicket and day five but, as I said, we'll have to try and dig deep in the first session or two and then take things from there," Amla said.

"If Jacques and AB can get us through the new ball safely, and if we lose no more than one wicket before lunch, then we will have a good chance of batting out the day."


"The target's a big one and we're not really looking at that with too much in mind. We're pretty much looking at it hour by hour, trying to play the game as it comes and obviously reassess how far we go by what happens tomorrow."

Amla, who was thrust up the order to open the batting in South Africa's second innings after captain Graeme Smith broke a finger, got the chase off to a good start by sharing a 63-run stand with Neil McKenzie.

And he revealed there is plenty of faith in the dressing room the series can still be kept alive with the final Test to come in Cape Town.

He continued: "Without a doubt (there is belief the game can be saved)."

"I think, over the last good few months now, we've done this before and everyone in the team believes it is possible."

"It will depend a lot on how we start off tomorrow in the first session. I think that will go a long way in determining where we stand in the game."

11 March, 2009

Australia claimed the three wickets they needed in the final hour before tea to win the second Test match against South Africa by 175 runs and seal an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

The host came into the final day in Durban with hopes of gaining a draw but lost the key wicket of Jacques Kallis (93) early in the first session and never looked like saving the game thereafter.

Only Mark Boucher put up any resistance for the hosts with a gritty 107-ball 25.

The tourists skittled the Proteas for 370 for nine - Graeme Smith not coming out to bat due to a broken finger - with Simon Katich claiming three wickets to help his side retain their world number one ranking with the final Test in Cape Town still to come.

Resuming the final day on 244 for two, Kallis was soon dropped for the second time in the innings, this time by Michael Clarke after also being let off the hook by Marcus North when on nought yesterday.

This time the missed chance was not so costly, however, as Kallis fell in the next over when he tried to fend off a Mitchell Johnson delivery but found captain Ricky Ponting at second slip.

Kallis' demise just seven short of a ton broke a fighting 187-run partnership with AB de Villiers, and with it seemed to signal the end of the hosts' resistance.

De Villiers followed a short time later for 84 when he received an almost unplayable delivery from Peter Siddle that he deflected to Brad Haddin behind the stumps.

The Australian wicketkeeper then dropped JP Duminy off the same bowler when the ball slipped through his gloves with the batsman on six.

But Haddin made amends when a Ben Hilfenhaus bouncer gave Duminy no chance of getting his gloves out of the way and he edged behind for 17.

With lunch on the horizon, Ponting threw the ball to Katich who struck with his second delivery when a thick edge from Paul Harris (5) was snapped up by Siddle running back from mid-on.

Boucher and Morne Morkel dug in after lunch, the pair batting for over an hour before the former tried to turn North onto the leg side only to send a leading edge back to the bowler.


Morkel followed a short time later when he edged onto his pads and Haddin managed to trap the ball between his legs to send the batsman back to the pavilion for 24.

Dale Steyn was last man to fall when he attempted to swing Katich across the line and was stumped by Haddin.

Katich was the pick of the Australia bowlers with three for 45, while Siddle also claimed three at the cost of 61 runs.

11 March, 2009

Neil McKenzie South Africa's selectors have dropped Neil McKenzie and Morne Morkel for the third Test against Australia in Cape Town as they look for a way forward following the series loss on Tuesday.

Vice-captain Ashwell Prince has been recalled and will captain the side as well as open in the absence of Graeme Smith, who broke a finger in his right hand during the second Test in Durban, while there are also call-ups for uncapped pair Imraan Khan and Wayne Parnell.

Convenor of selectors Mike Proctor said: "Ashwell is delighted to be back in the side and to assume the captaincy in Graeme's place.

"Ashwell will take over the captaincy from Graeme and will also fill his position of opening batsman.

"We felt that it was best just to make one change than to change the top order, which would have involved moving several players around."

McKenzie and Morkel have both been well below par against the Australians in the first two matches at home and were also relatively ineffective on the recent tour Down Under, where the former averaged only 24.20 with the bat while the latter managed 42.66 with the ball.

Khan, the opening batsman for the Dolphins, is almost certain to make his debut after an impressive season for his province and scoring a century for a President's XI against Ricky Ponting's team in a tour match.

Proctor continued: "Imraan Khan fully deserves his chance. He scored his third century of the season in the Supersport Series at the weekend - the only player to do so - and is the only batsman to have scored more than 600 runs with an average just above the 60 mark."

Warriors paceman Parnell, who played for the Proteas during the one-day leg of their tour to Australia, is likely to fight for the final spot in the team with all-rounder Albie Morkel.

"We are following the same route with Wayne Parnell as we did with Lonwabo Tsotsobe," added Proctor. "They have both benefited enormously from being part of the national squad.

"We feel that the best thing for Morne Morkel at the moment is to go back to the Titans and play a few rounds of domestic cricket. He remains very much part of our plans going forward."

Meanwhile, the selectors have also named a 15-man squad for the two Twenty20 internationals against Australia, with two uncapped players included in fast bowler Yusuf Abdulla and all-rounder Roelof van der Merwe.

The rest of the team has a familiar look with Jacques Kallis and Makhaya Ntini being rested.


Procter concluded: "We have rewarded players who have done well in the Standard Bank Pro20 domestic competition and they will all get a game in one of the matches at least.

"We have recognised that Pro20 is a different form of the game from ODIs, being a very fast game. Our record has not been particularly good of late in this format and this is our last chance to identify players before the ICC World T20.

"It is not just a question of seeing how they do in matches but also to give the management team the chance to assess all aspects of their respective games."

South Africa team for the third Test: Ashwell Prince (captain), Imraan Khan, Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Mark Boucher, Paul Harris, Albie Morkel, Dale Steyn, Makhaya Ntini, Wayne Parnell.

South Africa Twenty20 squad: Johan Botha (captain), Yusuf Abdulla, Hashim Amla, Mark Boucher, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Herschelle Gibbs, Johann Louw, Albie Morkel, Justin Ontong, Wayne Parnell, Robin Peterson, Dale Steyn, Roelof van der Merwe, Vaughn van Jaarsveld.

Australia have more to gain in dead rubber

March 18, 2009

Match facts

March 19-23, 2009
Start time 10.30am (08.30GMT)

Big Picture

The series is decided and the Cape Town Test has become a dead rubber but for several individuals there is still plenty to play for. The Australians in particular will be keen to keep up their strong form ahead of their next Test appointment. The Ashes begin in July and with the likelihood that established players such as Stuart Clark, Brett Lee and Andrew Symonds will be available for selection, the newer faces in the squad will be desperate to push their cases for spots on the tour. Men like Ben Hilfenhaus and Marcus North have all but booked their places for the England trip and a strong performance in Cape Town would cap off their auditions.

As far as team momentum is concerned, this game has far less importance than the equivalent dead rubber in Sydney in January. Australia fought back from their 2-0 series deficit to win that game and the impetus helped them begin strongly in South Africa, while their opponents faded away. But this time the South Africans have no Test cricket on the agenda for nine months - their home series against England begins in December.

It's therefore hard to know what the likes of Ashwell Prince and Imraan Khan can take out of this game in isolation. The two men have been included as the openers for this game in the absence of the injured Graeme Smith and the axed Neil McKenzie. Prince and Khan could be competing for one opening position when Smith returns but with so long before the England series, they have no choice but to treat this as a one-off match.


Form guide (last five Tests, most recent first)

South Africa LLLWW
Australia WWWLL



Watch out for

Ashwell Prince has been asked to open and it's not a job that he is used to. A trial run for the Warriors on the weekend worked well - he made a handy 254 against an attack boasting both Morkel brothers. Prince will also be keen to prove a point to the selectors, who left him out at the start of this series despite his standing as the team's vice-captain, after he missed all three Tests in Australia due to a cracked thumb.

Mitchell Johnson is the leading wicket taker for the series and most significantly his repertoire now boasts the inswinger to right-handers. It has made him a serious threat in the swinging South African conditions and if the Newlands pitch has a hint of green on the first morning he could be a handful. South Africa's new openers will be warily eyeing off Smith's hands after Johnson broke one in Sydney and the other in Durban.


Team news

There has been nothing but team news for South Africa over the past week. After the Durban loss, McKenzie and Morne Morkel were dropped and with Smith injured, it meant three changes to a side that hadn't altered at all since the start of the tour of Australia. Prince and Khan will form a new and experimental opening partnership, while Albie Morkel is set to make his debut at the expense of his brother.

South Africa (likely) 1 Imraan Khan, 2 Ashwell Prince, 3 Hashim Amla, 4 Jacques Kallis (capt), 5 AB de Villiers, 6 JP Duminy, 7 Mark Boucher (wk), 8 Albie Morkel, 9 Paul Harris, 10 Dale Steyn, 11 Makhaya Ntini.

Australia's only decision is whether to use the same XI that won the first two Tests or include the legspinner Bryce McGain. The Newlands pitch is expected to offer some turn and McGain, the only uncapped member of the original squad, will be strongly considered for his Test debut just a week short of his 37th birthday. If he does play it will likely be as a replacement for his Victoria team-mate Andrew McDonald, who has been solid in the first two Tests without categorically imposing himself on them.

Australia (possible) 1 Phillip Hughes, 2 Simon Katich, 3 Ricky Ponting (capt), 4 Michael Hussey, 5 Michael Clarke, 6 Marcus North, 7 Brad Haddin (wk), 8 Mitchell Johnson, 9 Peter Siddle, 10 Bryce McGain, 11 Ben Hilfenhaus.


Pitch and conditions

Less than 24 hours before the game, the Newlands pitch was sporting significant patches of grass, although there were sizeable bare spots at either end. It will be given a shave before the match and should become the best batting surface of the series. The forecast for the first few days is for perfectly sunny conditions and temperatures of around 25C.


Stats and Trivia

Australia's Test record at Newlands rivals their record anywhere in the world. They have won nine of their ten Tests at the venue, losing for the only time in 1969-70
Australia are the only team to have beaten South Africa in Newlands Tests in the post-Apartheid era
Ricky Ponting needs 52 runs to reach 11,000 in Tests, a mark that only Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara and Allan Border have achieved
This will be the last Test appearance for the umpire Steve Bucknor, who will quit the game having stood in a record 128 Tests


Quotes

"There's a lot of upsides in Bryce playing in this game but with this group of players we've got together and the work that they've done over the past few weeks it is going to be difficult to break the side up."
Ricky Ponting

"We've got to take note of what they did in the third Test match in Sydney. They turned it around and we've got to do the same here."
Jacques Kallis, South Africa's acting captain

20 March, 2009

Dale Steyn An impressive bowling display from South Africa put the host firmly in command against Australia at stumps on day one of the third Test in Cape Town.

Dale Steyn and Paul Harris starred with the ball, claiming seven wickets between them as the tourists were dismissed for 209.

The new-look opening pair of Imraan Khan (15) and Ashwell Prince (37) then helped the Proteas reach 57 without loss at the close.

Simon Katich and Brad Haddin were the only two batsmen to shine for Australia with 55 and 42 respectively, but the South Africans struck at regular intervals to leave their visitors in a poor position in the third and final match of a series Ricky Ponting's men lead 2-0.

The Australia skipper won his sixth successive toss against the South Africans this morning and opted to bat first, and will have been thoroughly disappointed with the way the day panned out at Newlands.

Makhaya Ntini had a loud shout for lbw against Katich in the eighth over, but it was turned down by umpire Asad Rauf. The home team referred the decision but to no avail as the tourists rode their luck through the first part of the morning.

Paceman Ntini again had reason to feel aggrieved against the same batsman in the 14th over when Katich was dropped on nine by debutant Khan at backward point.

Katich survived a further scare midway through the 22nd over when the other debutant Albie Morkel thought he had him caught behind by Mark Boucher, but umpire Rauf was not moved and the South Africans this time opted not to go for the review.

Phillip Hughes was then dropped on 33 by JP Duminy at short cover off Harris but his reprieve lasted only two balls before the slow left-armer snared his man lbw.

The following over the Proteas picked up the prize scalp of Ponting, who was on the receiving end of a fine outswinger from Morkel and edged behind to Boucher without troubling the scorers.

The tourists went into lunch at 2-66, but the home side did not have too long to wait to claim the third wicket.

It came in Steyn's second over when Michael Hussey (20), who had just reached the 3000-run mark in Test cricket, received a ball that kicked back off the pitch.

He played it into the ground and it bounced back, clipping the bails.

The South African strike bowler came back with the first ball of his next over to clean up the new man Michael Clarke for a third-ball duck to leave the tourists reeling at 4-81.

Haddin and Katich dug in though, with the latter bringing up a patient 138-ball fifty when he played Ntini through mid-off for a single.

Just as Australia looked to be heading into tea with four wickets down, Harris claimed a fifth when he tempted Katich into an attempted sweep, but the batsman only succeeded in lifting the ball to Khan on the leg side.

Resuming after the break at 5-158, Harris struck an immediate blow when he trapped Haddin in front.


The wicketkeeper was not convinced, asking for umpire Steve Bucknor's decision to be reviewed, but TV official Billy Bowden confirmed his fate.

Mitchell Johnson and Andrew McDonald then dug in, frustrating the hosts for more than 12 overs, before the latter walked across and feathered an outside edge off Ntini to Jacques Kallis at first slip for 13.

After that, the tourists completely fell away with Peter Siddle next to go two balls later when he too nicked behind off the same bowler, this time the catch snapped up at second slip by AB de Villiers for a duck.

Steyn then tempted a stubborn Johnson to chase after a shorter delivery which was claimed by Prince running in from long-on for 35.

Debutant Bryce McGain was last man out when he became Steyn's fourth victim, edging to De Villiers at third slip for two.

21 March, 2009

Centuries from Jacques Kallis and Ashwell Prince helped South Africa reach stumps on day two of the third Test against Australia in a position of total command at 3-404.

The tourists managed three wickets on a one-sided second day in Cape Town as the home side made rapid progress against their below-par opponents, who were dismissed for just 209 on day one.

Makeshift opener Prince was undoubtedly the star with his 150, while captain Kallis was also instrumental reaching the close unbeaten on 102.

With him was AB de Villiers on 39 not out, with the pair seeing their side through to the close 195 runs ahead and with seven first-innings wickets still in hand.

Trailing Australia 2-0 in the series, the Proteas made a poor start to the day when Peter Siddle claimed the early wicket of debutant Imraan Khan for 20.

A full-length delivery saw the batsman trying to turn the ball onto the leg side, but he succeeded only in scooping the ball back to the paceman, who took a low one-handed catch to his right.

Two balls later he almost got rid of Prince with another full ball that looked out leg before wicket.

However, umpire Steve Bucknor decided it was not out and his call was justified by Billy Bowden upstairs after Ricky Ponting opted to refer the decision.

The home side continued to steadily build with Hashim Amla and Prince moving past the 50 partnership off 106 deliveries as South Africa went into lunch strongly placed at 1-148.

The second session started terribly for the Proteas as their number three threw away his wicket for 46 in the third over.

Mitchell Johnson was the bowler, enticing Amla to chase a wide delivery outside the off stump that was edged behind to Brad Haddin to end a 97-run stand.

Kallis was then given a real scare just after coming in when a short ball from Ben Hilfenhaus rapped him on the helmet, reviving memories of the second Test in Durban when the all-rounder was forced to retire hurt after being knocked on the chin by Johnson.

However, he survived and offered good support to Prince, who brought up his 11th Test century in the 56th over of the innings.

There were no nervous 90s for the Warriors batsman as he raced from 89 to 100 in just four deliveries, bringing up his ton when he charged down the track against Bryce McGain and lofted him to the long-off boundary.

Kallis then raised the 50 partnership when he lifted the expensive leg-spinner down to the mid-wicket boundary for six as South Africa reached tea at 2-256.


It was not too long after the break that the 100 stand was raised - it came in the 73rd over off 164 deliveries.

That was followed by Kallis reaching his 50 in the same over when he crashed Hilfenhaus through mid-on for four.

Prince then reached the 150 mark, but was out immediately after courtesy of a referral and an extremely long delay.

The batsman played at a Hilfenhaus delivery down the leg side and was initially given not out by umpire Bucknor.

But Ponting asked the question and even though there was no conclusive evidence that Prince had gloved to Haddin, TV official Bowden eventually decided to send the left-hander on his way after a near six-hour stay at the crease.

That also ended a 160-run partnership, but De Villiers continued his support role for Kallis with the pair climbing into the bowling to bring up another half-century in 10 overs.

And with just under four overs remaining in the day, Kallis ended an 11-month drought without a hundred with a scampered single off Siddle.

It was another controversial moment with umpire Rauf initially signalling leg-bye, before concurring with Bowden upstairs and then reversing his call as Kallis celebrated a 31st Test century.

22 March, 2009

Paul Harris and Dale Steyn claimed two prized wickets after tea on day three of the third Test to help South Africa edge closer to victory against Australia in Cape Town.

The pair dismissed Phillip Hughes (32) and Ricky Ponting (12) to leave the tourists 2-102 at stumps at Newlands, still trailing the hosts by 340 runs with two days to play.

AB de Villiers was the star performer earlier in the day, notching his ninth Test century, while debutant Albie Morkel also contributed with a brisk 58 as the Proteas piled on a massive 651 all out in response to the visitors' first-innings 209.

It was their highest ever total against Australia beating the previous best 9-622 declared set in Durban 39 years ago and came as South Africa looked to salvage some pride having lost the opening two Tests in the three-match series.

And it continued to build on its first-innings bowling performance with Harris dismissing nemesis Hughes, who had already scored 383 runs in his previous five efforts against it, in the 14th over.

The left-arm spinner floated in a wide delivery that the New South Wales batsman could not resist and only ended up edging to Jacques Kallis at first slip concluding a 57-run opening stand.

Ponting was in next and never looked settled against an inspired Steyn.

The South Africa strike bowler looked to have had his man early in the 21st over when the Australia captain was squared up and seemingly caught by Harris at gully.

Ponting stood his ground though, and was eventually deemed not out by third umpire Billy Bowden after replays showed the ball had bounced millimetres short.

But that joy was short-lived, as Steyn enticed him to chase an away swinger with the final ball of the over that was easily gathered by Mark Boucher leaving Simon Katich (44) and Michael Hussey (13) unbeaten at the close.

The Australians did have some joy at the start of the day when two wickets from Mitchell Johnson and another from Ben Hilfenhaus helped them reduce the home side to 6-508 at lunch.

Kallis, who was not out on 102, perished without adding to his overnight score, while JP Duminy and Boucher also fell cheaply.

The stand-in captain was first to go in just the third over of the day courtesy of an error of judgment, which saw him attempt to pull Hilfenhaus onto the leg side.

But he succeeded only in lifting the ball straight up into the air, handing a simple return catch to the bowler.

Duminy was next to follow for seven, when he dragged a wide delivery onto his stumps whilst attempting a pull off Johnson, before Boucher chased a full angled ball from the same bowler and edged to Ponting at slip for 12.

After the break, the hosts came out on a mission blasting 97 runs in the first hour, when they were especially harsh on Bryce McGain and Andrew McDonald.

De Villiers reached his century off 149 balls when he scrambled two runs off the leg-spinner, before Morkel reached his 50 in just 59 balls shortly after when he tapped the same bowler for a single.

The pair then cut loose, and after Morkel slammed Peter Siddle for consecutive boundaries, his partner took four sixes in four balls from the 140th over bowled by McDonald.

However, the medium-pacer struck back and clean bowled the debutant to end his entertaining 71-ball stay.


But De Villiers continued his assault lifting McDonald for yet another four over the mid-on region to raise his 150 in style.

Spinner Katich was then introduced and he struck immediately by claiming the prized scalp of De Villiers, whose attempt to lift him over the mid-wicket fence ended with McDonald taking a straightforward catch and sending the batsman on his way for 163 in just 196 deliveries.

The score was then 637 and South Africa lost another wicket on the same total when Katich drew an edge from Steyn through to Michael Clarke at first slip for a fourth-ball duck.

Captain Ponting then put down a tough chance from Harris off Johnson at second slip, before the same bowler managed to induce another edge that was this time snapped up by wicketkeeper Haddin for 27 as South Africa ended with its third highest score ever in Test cricket.

Johnson ended as the pick of the visiting bowlers grabbing 4-148, while there were also two wickets each for Hilfenhaus and Katich.

22 March, 2009

Australian paceman Peter Siddle is still optimistic his side can hold on for a draw in the third Test against South Africa in Cape Town.

The tourists ended the third day on 2-102, still needing 340 to make South Africa bat again after AB de Villiers (163), Ashwell Prince (150) and Jacques Kallis (102) guided the hosts to a commanding position.

But Siddle believes there are still plenty of positives for his side to take out of the match providing they stay patient.

"It was a long day for all of us. We had to stay out there for 150 overs and all three quicks bowled 35 overs so it was a tough time," Siddle said.

"Mitch (Mitchell Johnson) ended up with four wickets and Kat (Simon Katich) got a couple at the end, so that was good, but it was a tough day."

"The pitch is still holding up and the boys stuck at it out there tonight in fading light."

"If we can bat for a bit of time, be patient and work through it, we can see how it goes by the end of tomorrow."

De Villiers was the star for South Africa on day three, with the youngster guiding his team to a mammoth 442-run lead on the first innings with a flawless century.

The 25-year-old said it was a tough battle all day against the Australian bowlers and was ecstatic with his contribution.

"It was a truly special day for me," he said. "Obviously scoring a hundred here at a special ground, Newlands, and in front of this unbelievable crowd was just really amazing."


"It was tough today, there was a little bit of bounce and I thought Peter Siddle bowled very well."

"I had to grind my way through with a lot of singles, a lot of leaving, but the scoring did get a bit easier towards the end."

"Only when I got up to my hundred did I start scoring more freely. I'm pretty chuffed."

The right-hander is now banking on Paul Harris to help grind out a consolation win after they lost the opening two games in the three-match series.

"Two wickets down, eight to go, hopefully we'll get them tomorrow," he said.

"Obviously Paul (Harris) is going to be our key wicket-taking option. Hopefully, he'll come through and deliver."

"But if he doesn't I'll back our seamers to come through. It will take a whole lot of hard work tomorrow, but I truly believe we have the bowling attack with the ability to do so."

23 March, 2009

A maiden career century from Mitchell Johnson was little consolation for Australia as Paul Harris grabbed six wickets to help South Africa wrap up the third Test by an innings and 20 runs in Cape Town.

The tourists, who won the opening two matches of the three-Test series, were all out for 422 on the fourth afternoon at Newlands to lose by an innings for the first time in exactly 11 years.

Harris, the slow left-armer, was the Proteas' star man in notching his best-Test haul of six for 127, but the day undoubtedly belonged to Johnson after he slammed an unbeaten 123 in just 103 balls to help his side go down fighting.

He was given superb support from Andrew McDonald, who made 68 to share a 163-run partnership for the seventh wicket, as the visitors tried their best to make the home side bat again.

But the dismissal of the Victorian all-rounder spelt the beginning of the end, which came when Harris sent Ben Hilfenhaus on his way to hand the Australians a first innings defeat since they lost to India at Calcutta in 1998.

The day began with Ricky Ponting's men playing a game of patience, which saw them score a mere 40 runs in the morning session.

They had to wait until the sixth over of the day for their first run, which came courtesy of a fine cover drive by Michael Hussey off Makhaya Ntini for four.

Simon Katich had a real let-off in claiming his first run - Dale Steyn sent in a full delivery outside off stump that was chased after by the left-hander with the ball flying straight to Harris, who failed to hold on to a simple chance at gully.

The New South Wales batsman then brought up his half-century by walking across his stumps and swatting Albie Morkel down to the fine leg boundary for four.

But he was out for 54 not long after, playing a wide and tossed up delivery off Harris straight to JP Duminy at mid-off to end a 159-ball stay.

There was still time for another scare for the tourists, which came in the final over before lunch when Michael Clarke was given out caught behind by umpire Steve Bucknor - who was standing in his last-ever Test match.

Mark Boucher took a simple catch, but the batsman referred the decision on the grounds that he failed to get an edge on the Jacques Kallis delivery and replays revealed he was correct.

Australia headed into lunch at 142 for three.

Resuming after the break, Hussey's determined innings of 39 soon came to an end when he was surprised by a Steyn ball that kicked up off the pitch and succeeded only in finding Duminy at gully.

Brad Haddin came in with a little more intent and was handed a lifeline when he was put down in a Harris over by close fielder AB de Villiers in what was a tough chance that took the bat and pad along the way.

However, the bowler had his revenge in his next over when he tempted the Australian wicketkeeper to come down the track and attempt to lift him for four.

The ball only ended up being chipped into the air and Duminy ran back from mid-on to take a fine diving catch with Haddin gone for 18.

And Steyn then removed the last of the recognised batsmen, when he sent in a full length ball that Clarke tried to play through the covers, but the ball was played on to his stumps for 47 as the visitors reached tea at 231 for six.

But any hopes by the home side had of immediately wrapping up the Australia tail were thrown out the window by McDonald and Johnson's free-flowing stand.

The pair scored 116 runs in the first hour after tea, including raising the 50 partnership in just over nine overs.

McDonald brought up his first half-century off 56 balls when he drove Kallis for a single, which was followed by Johnson bludgeoning Morkel square of the wicket for four to raise his fourth Test fifty and third against South Africa that came from 51 balls.

The hundred partnership came from 91 balls, before Harris finally managed to put the brakes on when he claimed two wickets in two balls.

The first was that of McDonald, who was caught by the close in fielder De Villiers.

However, he was not convinced and went upstairs, with TV umpire Billy Bowden confirming his fate.

The very next ball, Harris forced Peter Siddle to try and defend and he too succumbed to the same man at silly point as the hosts sensed victory.

But Johnson, who made 96 not out in the first Test at the Wanderers, kept them waiting and brought up his maiden first-class hundred by pulling Steyn for a massive six over mid-wicket reaching his ton in just 86 balls.


In the next over though, he ran out new man Bryce McGain for a duck while attempting to retain the strike - substitute Sybrand Engelbrecht the fielder.

And with the light quickly fading, Hilfenhaus was last man out when he edged Harris to Ashwell Prince at first slip for 12 leaving South Africa to cherish a consolation victory.

Harris was the pick of the bowlers with his six wickets, while Steyn claimed three for 96.