South Africa v Australia, 1st Test, Johannesburg

February 25, 2009


Match facts

February 26-March 2, 2009
Start time 10.30am (08.30GMT)


Big Picture

South Africa's tour of Australia was such a short while ago that it feels like this is the fourth Test in a six-match series. Following their 2-1 win, South Africa headed home and their players had a break of sorts, although there was some domestic cricket on the calendar. Australia faced New Zealand in a one-day contest before rushing to the airport to set off for Johannesburg. Australia enter the series hanging on by a fingernail to their No. 1 Test ranking. They avoided handing it over at the SCG last month but a South African series win this time will mean the end of the long reign of Ricky Ponting's men.

It's only three years since Australia's last Test tour of South Africa but a lot has changed in that time. Only three members of the current squad - Ponting, Michael Clarke and Michael Hussey - made that trip. Where once there was Shane Warne, Matthew Hayden and Brett Lee, there are now names like Bryce McGain, Phillip Hughes and Ben Hilfenhaus. How Australia's newer faces handle the pressure of a Test tour will be a key factor in the final results. There are no such squad issues for South Africa, who have retained the core group that won in Australia and have such a strong line-up that Ashwell Prince couldn't find a spot.

The other fascinating part of the series will be how the two teams use the umpire referrals. Neither side has played under the trial system, which will be overseen in all three Tests by Billy Bowden, Asad Rauf and the retiring Steve Bucknor.


Form guide (last five Tests, most recent first)

South Africa LWWWW
Australia WLLWW



Watch out for

Dale Steyn lived up to the hype in Australia and finished as the leading wicket taker and was a major reason why South Africa won the series. On his home pitches he will again prove a handful, particularly if the prodigious swing that is expected does happen. As if he wasn't threatening enough, he has spent his time off toughening up by wrestling crocodiles.

Phillip Hughes will become Australia's youngest Test debutant since Craig McDermott in 1984 when he walks out on Thursday at the age of 20 years and 88 days. A supremely talented left-hand opening batsman, Hughes has piled up runs for New South Wales over the past 18 months but his most striking characteristic is his ability to perform on big occasions. They don't come much bigger than a tour of South Africa where the No. 1 ranking is on the line and the ability of Hughes and Simon Katich to provide strong starts will be critical to Australia's chances.


Team news

South Africa have named a 12-man squad for the first Test and there isn't much doubt about who will play. The left-arm fast bowler Lonwabo Tsotsobe has been included but will almost certainly be the man to miss out as the settled group that beat Australia at home continues its push for the No. 1 spot. The spinner Paul Harris is likely to play in a team that was so good in Australia that Prince could not break back into the side having fully recovered from his broken thumb.

South Africa (likely) 1 Graeme Smith (capt), 2 Neil McKenzie, 3 Hashim Amla, 4 Jacques Kallis, 5 AB de Villiers, 6 JP Duminy, 7 Mark Boucher (wk), 8 Morne Morkel, 9 Paul Harris, 10 Dale Steyn, 11 Makhaya Ntini.

The rain and pitch conditions at the Wanderers have encouraged Australia to name a 12-man squad with both the specialist spinners Bryce McGain and Nathan Hauritz left out. It means an all-pace attack and the main decision now is whether to include the medium-pace allrounder Andrew McDonald or go for four out-and-out fast men in Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle, Doug Bollinger and Ben Hilfenhaus. The batsman and handy offspinner Marcus North should have confirmed his Test debut thanks to his strong performance in the tour match in Potchefstroom. However, the only one of the three uncapped men in Australia's 12 who is certain of making his debut is the opener Phillip Hughes.

Australia (likely) 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 Doug Bollinger, 11 Ben Hilfenhaus, 12 Andrew McDonald.


Pitch and conditions

There was some rain in the lead-up to the match, which meant that until a couple of days ago the players had not seen the pitch, which was covered by a tent-like structure that allowed the groundsmen to continue working on it. However, both teams are expecting plenty of swing, particularly on the first day, while it could be hard going for batsmen and spinners. There are further storms forecast for the first few days of the Test.


Stats and Trivia

Jacques Kallis needs 12 runs to become the first South African to reach 10,000
AB de Villiers will become the fourth South African to play 50 consecutive Tests
Australia have won the last three Tests between the two sides at the Wanderers and two of the successes were innings victories
Click here for more stats.


Quotes

"We've spoken about the moments of the last series where we were a bit deficient. The guys have learnt a lot from those moments and what we have to do better next time. We can't forget that some of these guys are playing their fourth, fifth, some of them are playing their first Test out here."
Ricky Ponting on the eve of the Test.

"I definitely won't mind seeing Australia bat and having Dale Steyn and Makhaya Ntini and Morne Morkel running in on the first morning."
AB de Villiers wants to bat first but thinks there would be benefits in sending Australia in.

February 27, 2009

Australia fought back from 3-38 to reach 5-254 at stumps on day one of the first Test against South Africa, with Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke making half-centuries.

Debutant Marcus North was 47 not out and shared a 72-run partnership with wicketkeeper Brad Haddin, unbeaten on 37.

Australia have all-rounder Andrew McDonald to come in at No.8 after leaving out New South Wales pace bowler Doug Bollinger. Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus are yet to bat.

North, 29, is one of three debutants in the side, with Hilfenhaus and 20-year-old opener Phil Hughes, who made a fourth-ball duck.

Western Australia captain North hit six fours in a composed two-hour knock, helping Australia reach a respectable position at stumps.

Bad light stopped play at 4.45pm local time in Johannesburg after 68 overs, with 22 overs remaining to be bowled in the day's play. Ground staff immediately placed covers over the centre-wicket area as rain started to fall.

Dropped at first slip on 40, skipper Ponting scored a stylish 83 including 11 fours and one six, adding 113 for the fourth wicket with Clarke, who made 68.

Ponting was bowled by a classic inswinger from Makhaya Ntini at 4-151, and Clarke fell to an extravagant off-drive 31 runs later, caught behind as Dale Steyn (3-82) claimed his third victim of the innings.

Clarke lost his wicket in the penultimate over before tea.

Ponting had won the toss with conditions at the Wanderers stadium expected to favour swing bowlers.

Australia were 3-78 at lunch after Steyn dismissed Hughes (0) and fellow NSW opener Simon Katich (3). Mike Hussey also failed, scoring 4.

Katich fell to a magnificent catch by Neil McKenzie, who dived to his right at gully and Hussey was caught at second slip off Morkel's bowling.

Australia haven't played three debutants in the same Test match since Merv Hughes, Geoff Marsh and Bruce Reid helped Allan Border's side draw the Adelaide Test against Kapil Dev's India in December, 1985.

Smith's South Africa will snatch Test cricket's top ranking from Australia if they win this three-Test series.

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.

01 March, 2009

Mitchell Johnson An unbeaten century from AB de Villiers was South Africa's only positive on the third day of the opening Test against Australia at the Wanderers, with the tourists reaching 1-51 when bad light stopped play - an overall lead of 297.

Responding to the massive 466 set by Ricky Ponting's team in the first innings, the home side endured a mid-morning collapse, before eventually being bowled out for 220 - a 246-run deficit and still 47 runs short of avoiding the follow-on.

But the visitors decided against putting their hosts back in, and by the time the bad light and heavy rain arrived, they had just crossed the half-century mark for the loss of Simon Katich, who got a fine edge off Morne Morkel to wicketkeeper Mark Boucher for 10.

Debutant opener Phillip Hughes, who made a duck in his first innings, was 36 not out alongside captain Ponting as they took Australia to a position of total control.

Earlier, two wickets in four deliveries of the 58th over from Mitchell Johnson helped his team take charge after he had JP Duminy (17) and Mark Boucher (0) both caught by Brad Haddin in the seventh of a nine-over spell.

Resuming on 3-85 overnight, Neil McKenzie added just one more run to his score before he was dismissed in the fourth over of the morning.

Peter Siddle was the bowler, delivering a good ball that cut back off the pitch and hit the Proteas opener just below the knee roll with umpire Steve Bucknor having no doubt in giving the batsman out leg before wicket.

McKenzie was not convinced, though, and opted to use the first of two available referrals, which proved a wrong decision as he was given out for 36.

In Siddle's next over, he fired in a short ball to Duminy that looked to have clipped something along the way to Haddin, but after Ponting decided to go upstairs, he then reversed his call after the camera required for the replay broke down.

The South Africa batsman then received another let off when Ponting put down a relatively comfortable chance at second slip when he was on 13.

But the hosts threw away any initiative that had been slowly developing when Duminy, who added four more runs after that chance, tried to guide a leg-side delivery from Johnson past Haddin, but only succeeded in gloving the ball to the wicketkeeper.

Three deliveries later the same two Australian players combined to dismiss Boucher, who feathered behind for a duck - the South Africa batsman challenging Billy Bowden's call, but his fate was confirmed by third umpire Asad Rauf.

Morkel was next to follow when he tried to pull a short delivery from Siddle and only succeeded in a tame top-edge that was snapped up by the bowler for two.

In the very next over Marcus North picked up his first Test wicket by trapping Paul Harris leg before for one as Australia turned the screw on the hosts.

Resuming after lunch, Dale Steyn and De Villiers began their attempt to again rebuild.

The South African No.5 was dropped by Haddin soon after lunch, off the bowling of Siddle, when the New South Wales gloveman dived in front of North at first slip only to spill the chance.

De Villiers had one other scare in the early nineties when Ponting decided to refer a decision by Bowden not to give him out leg before wicket off an Andrew McDonald delivery, which proved the correct call by the on-field umpire.


The two then brought up the 50 partnership in 82 balls, but three balls later, Steyn's determined effort came to an end when he gave McDonald his first wicket of the game by edging him to North for 17.

De Villiers continued his charge towards an eighth Test century in his 50th match for his country, bringing up his ton in 181 deliveries in the first over with the new ball, when he pulled a short one from Ben Hilfenhaus through mid-wicket for four.

In the next over, Johnson cleaned up Makhaya Ntini for one, leaving his partner not out on 104 as the hosts were all out for 220 - still 47 short of the follow-on, which the tourists decided not to enforce.

Johnson was the pick of the bowlers claiming 4-25 in 18.1 overs, while Siddle bagged 3-76 in 21.

02 March, 2009

Jacques Kallis South Africa's hopes of saving the first Test match against Australia at the Wanderers lay in the balance after day four, with the wickets of Graeme Smith and Neil McKenzie in the final session leaving the tourists firmly in command.

The Proteas reached stumps at 2-178 in pursuit of an unlikely 454, but the dismissal of the captain especially, for a well-played 69 will certainly hurt them going into the final day.

After reaching tea at 57 without loss, McKenzie was first to go with the score on 76 when he edged a full delivery from Mitchell Johnson to wicketkeeper Brad Haddin for 35.

Hashim Amla then came in and survived an early scare when he was almost run out after pushing Andrew McDonald straight to Michael Clarke at cover point, with the fielder narrowly missing the stumps as the batsman's hesitation left him well short of his crease.

But he survived and together with Smith, who brought up his half-century in 84 balls, took the score to 130, before the captain attempted to pull a short ball from Ben Hilfenhaus and only succeeded in top-edging to Johnson at mid-on.

But Amla (43) and Jacques Kallis (26) remained unbeaten at the close to help the hosts reduce the target on the final day - which will be 98 overs due to time lost over the previous three days - to 276.

Earlier, Kallis starred with the ball, taking three wickets and a stunning catch to help his side dismiss the tourists for 207 in their second innings.

The all-rounder claimed the wickets of Ricky Ponting (25), Michael Hussey (nought) and Marcus North (five) in a five-over burst that went for 22 - with Makhaya Ntini and Paul Harris also contributing to the cause with three and two scalps each.

Phillip Hughes, who is playing in his first match, made a rather fortunate 75, but watched as his country slipped from being 1-99 at one stage, to losing eight wickets for 75 runs by the time the extended morning session had ended.

After surviving when he gloved a Morne Morkel delivery to Mark Boucher for 21 late on Saturday - no-one, including umpire Billy Bowden, spotted the edge - the 20-year-old again received a let-off when the same thing happened on Sunday with his score on 36.

However, he rode his luck and went on to bring up his 50 in 85 balls when he punched Morkel for four through mid-off, before completing a half-century stand with Ponting as Australia looked the only side in the game.

But Kallis was then brought into the attack for the first time and his introduction proved a masterstroke move by captain Smith as he struck with the last two balls in the 27th over.

First the all-rounder tempted Ponting into pulling a shorter, slower delivery that he only succeeded in guiding straight to Amla at deep square-leg.

He followed that up with another short ball to Hussey, who could only top edge after he tried to pull the ball away and was snapped up by Ntini at square leg.

Kallis then pulled off a stunning catch two deliveries later when he took a sharp one-handed chance to his right at first slip to send Clarke on his way for a second ball duck.

Harris was the bowler this time, enticing the Australia vice-captain into a thick outside edge off a nicely flighted delivery.

First-innings centurion North survived the hat-trick delivery from Kallis, but could do nothing with the fifth ball of the over, which was pitched short but failed to rise as North expected before crashing into his off stump as the score quickly changed from 1-99 to 5-104.

Another superb catch ended Hughes' brave 123-ball stay, with AB de Villiers this time plucking a one-handed blinder with his left hand inches from the ground at leg slip after the debutant opener tried to turn the ball around the corner.

McDonald lasted just 11 deliveries before he was on his way after edging a wider Ntini delivery on the drive straight to Boucher for seven.


It could have been worse for the tourists an over later when Haddin was given out to Harris leg before wicket by umpire Bowden, but after calling for a review was deemed not out by Asad Rauf.

Ntini though did capture the eighth wicket in his very next over when his angled delivery to Johnson took a regulation edge straight to Kallis for one.

And the same bowler then had Haddin out caught by Boucher in the penultimate over before lunch for a vital 37, before Dale Steyn wrapped up the last wicket 20 minutes after the interval when he cleaned up Hilfenhaus for 16, leaving Peter Siddle unbeaten on 22.

South Africa began the massive run chase solidly with Smith and McKenzie helping it reach tea at 57 without loss.

The Proteas openers were largely untroubled in their pursuit, with the only real scare coming in the first over when Johnson struck the home captain with a seaming delivery on the pads and his opposite number Ponting decided to refer the decision after Bowden gave not out.

It proved the right call with replays clearly showing the ball making contact outside the line of the off-stump as the two batsmen continued to bat fluently to give their side real hope of at least saving the match.

03 March, 2009

Mitchell Johnson and Peter Siddle claimed four and three wickets respectively as Australia wrapped up the first Test against South Africa at the Wanderers with a comfortable 162-run victory just after tea on day five.

The home side had come into the final day confident of at least saving the game, but the tourists' ability to strike at regular intervals proved decisive as Graeme Smith's team were bundled out for 291 in pursuit of a record 454.

Hashim Amla (57) and Jacques Kallis (45) were the only two batsmen to put up any real resistance, and the dismissal of the Proteas' No.3 followed by that of AB de Villiers ended any hope of a draw, let alone victory.

In the end, Johnson's three wickets on the final day, coupled with good support from the rest of his attack, helped Ricky Ponting's team move 1-0 up in the three-Test series.

The hosts began the day well enough with the score at 2-178 as Amla and Kallis looked comfortable through the opening hour when they brought up the 50 partnership from the first delivery of the day.

The Proteas' No.3 then reached his half-century in 103 balls when he capitalised on a Johnson half volley and drove him through the covers for four.

But seven runs later he perished when attempting to flick Siddle through the leg side - his failure to keep the ball down proved his undoing as Phillip Hughes gathered a simple catch at short square-leg.

De Villiers was next to follow when Billy Bowden sent him on his way after being trapped leg before wicket by Andrew McDonald for three.

The batsman was not convinced though and asked for a referral, but his fate was confirmed by TV umpire Asad Rauf, who eliminated any doubt the bowl was sliding down leg side.

The new ball, which was expected to be crucial on the final day, was taken as soon as it became available and Johnson almost struck with the first delivery when Kallis was trapped low on his pads and given out leg before by Bowden.

Kallis also opted to go upstairs - this time the decision proving a correct one as Rauf decided that ball pitched outside the line and reversed the initial call by the on-field umpire.

But Kallis only lasted until Johnson's next over when he tried to drive a fuller delivery and instead succeeded in playing on for 45 as South Africa slumped to 5-247 at lunch.

After the break JP Duminy was first to go when his attempts to fend off a Siddle bouncer saw the ball float easily to Ponting at second slip for 29.


That ended a 39-run stand with Mark Boucher, who continued his resistance with Morne Morkel, but the latter threw his wicket away cheaply with an attempted pull shot off Mitchell Johnson that only flew high to Phillip Hughes at mid-on for two.

Wicketkeeper Boucher was next to follow, this time off a fine Ben Hilfenhaus delivery that cut back off the pitch and cleaned up the stumps as Australia closed in on victory, which came eight deliveries after tea.

Paul Harris was first to go, when he was caught at short-leg by Simon Katich off Siddle for eight, before Johnson bowled Dale Steyn for six to seal the win.

The Australian strike bowler, who was the pick of the bowlers in the second innings with 4-114, was named man-of-the-match for his eight-wicket haul in the game, while he also made 96 not out with the bat.

Siddle claimed 3-46 in the second innings, while Hilfenhaus picked up 2-68.

The next Test begins in Durban on Friday.