December 25, 2008

ANDREW Symonds and Nathan Hauritz have been included in Australia's XI for the crucial Boxing Day Test against South Africa at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Victoria paceman Peter Siddle kept his place in the team despite a moderate showing in the Perth defeat, but all-rounder Shane Watson was again overlooked with Tasmania swing bowler Ben Hilfenhaus cut loose from the 13-man squad.

Symonds has been suffering from knee soreness but on Wednesday night was cleared to play. It was thought he would face a challenge from fellow Queensland all-rounder Watson with Australia short of bowling strike power.

But national selectors opted to stick with the same pace attack, choosing only to swap Jason Krejza for fellow off-spinner Hauritz.

"We have only made the one change in the side and that's Nathan Hauritz will come in for Jason Krejza,'' Australia captain Ricky Ponting said.

"Otherwise we are pretty happy with what most of the rest of the guys did in Perth.

"He (Symonds) has trained well in the last couple of days. In the last three or four days it has improved dramatically from where it was at the end of the Perth game.

"He does feel a lot better with it. He has had a number of scans. It is really now just about management through this game and then through the next (Sydney) Test match.''

Symonds didn't bowl in South Africa's second innings in Perth and will be able to bowl off-spin in Melbourne but not his medium pacers, Ponting said.

Australia trail 1-0 in the three-match series and will lose top ranking to the Proteas if the go down 3-0. They are bidding to avert a first home Test series loss since 1992-1993 against West Indies.

Ponting said Australia had considered going into the game with an all-pace attack plus part-time spin from Symonds and Michael Clarke, but decided to play Hauritz, who took four wickets in the second Test against New Zealand in Adelaide last month before making way for Krejza in Perth.

South Africa have retained the same side which won in Perth by six wickets, with vice-captain Ashwell Prince missing out again after failing to prove he has overcome a thumb injury.

Both sides trained at the MCG on Thursday before having family lunches for Christmas Day. A crowd of 70,000 is expected on Boxing Day, and fine and sunny conditions have been forecast.

Teams Australia: Ricky Ponting (captain), Matthew Hayden, Simon Katich, Michael Hussey, Michael Clarke, Andrew Symonds, Brad Haddin, Brett Lee, Mitchell Johnson, Nathan Hauritz, Peter Siddle.
South Africa: Graeme Smith (captain), Neil McKenzie, Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, Jean-Paul Duminy, AB de Villiers, Mark Boucher, Morne Morkel, Paul Harris, Dale Steyn, Makhaya Ntini.

26 December, 2008

Ricky Ponting emphatically answered critics of his captaincy with a gutsy ton but his team remains in a dogfight to square the series against South Africa after the opening day of the second Test at the MCG on Friday.

After yet another failure from opener Matthew Hayden, who made eight, vice-captain Michael Clarke will be entrusted with the task of steering Australia to a total in the vicinity of 400 on Saturday when it resumes on the second morning on 6-280.

Guilty of rash dismissals in Perth, Clarke has batted with more caution this time, taking more than three and a half hours to reach 36.

While not the best of his career, Ponting's 37th Test century, and fourth at the MCG, was particularly sweet, coming after a week of intense criticism following his side's six-wicket loss in the first Test.

Given a life on 24, Ponting made the Proteas pay, delighting the 63,263 fans with an entertaining 101 off only 126 balls before being dismissed with the last ball of the second session.

Scratchy early in the face of an excellent but unrewarded spell of outswing bowling from Jacques Kallis, who made the Australian captain play and miss several times, Ponting gradually improved as his innings wore on.

His innings hit top swing during the middle session when he plundered Makhaya Ntini for three consecutive boundaries, the first one seeing him past 50.

He raced through the 90s, taking just five balls to leap from 87 to three figures, but his innings came to an end when he was caught at short leg by Hashim Amla off the bowling of Paul Harris.

Unlucky in Perth, Hayden had nobody to blame but himself this time when he attempted to drive Ntini but succeeded only to hit it straight to JP Duminy at point.

Katich, in contrast, appeared at ease in the middle and was in magnificent touch.

Batting with the assuredness lacking in his opening partner, Katich was largely untroubled by the Proteas attack.

So it came as a surprise when Katich, on 54, played on to an innocuous delivery from Steyn, who had earlier not threatened with the new ball.

With his confidence lifted, Steyn started to build some menacing pace and, with the aid of movement in the air, resembled the demon quick whose stocks have risen significantly this year.

Michael Hussey, who had no trouble playing the disappointing Morne Morkel, succumbed to his first delivery from Steyn.

Unable to withdraw his bat in time, Hussey feathered one to Mark Boucher, completing his third duck from his past five innings.

Andrew Symonds and Brad Haddin both made bright starts but could not curb their natural aggression and were both victims of outstanding slips catching.

Coming in the penultimate over of the day, Haddin's dismissal, for 40, was particularly bitter for the Australians, who had batted with tremendous application against the second new ball.

26 December, 2008

Makahya Ntini South African paceman Makahya Ntini has a habit of breaking records.

The 31-year-old, who was discovered herding cattle as a youngster in his home village of Mdingi in the Eastern Cape, is poised to leapfrog his hero Malcolm Marshall's record for most Test wickets when play resumes on day two of the second 3 Mobile Test at the MCG on Saturday.

After snaring the wicket of Matthew Hayden for the ninth time in his career, Ntini captured Brad Haddin's scalp late on the first day to draw level with the West Indian great on 376 wickets in 12th place on the all-time list.

"As a bowler if you equal your hero it makes a huge difference, and then at least it shows … that you are someone," Ntini said after the opening day's play.

"And then you become one of those heroes as well. Whoever comes behind you he has to pass your name. Those are the kinds of things you have to enjoy."

With the remainder of this Test and the third match in Sydney still to come, Ntini could move past England all-rounder Ian Botham (383) by the end of this series and set his sights on chasing Shaun Pollock (421), who is the leading South African wicket-taker of all time.

Ntini is no stranger to the headlines.

In 1998 he became the first black man to play Test cricket for his country and he was the first South African to take 10 wickets at Lord's in 2003.

Two years later, he smashed the West Indies in Trinidad in 2005 with 13-132 - the best-ever match figures by a Proteas bowler.

But controversy has never been far away. In 1999, just as his career seemed to be hitting its stride after being named in South Africa's 15-man squad for that year's World Cup, the then 22-year-old was charged and convicted of rape.

He strongly maintained his innocence and after the conviction was later overturned on appeal, Ntini returned to the national side with a renewed focus.

Now, as one of the world's leading strike bowlers, Ntini has his eyes on winning this Test and the series for South Africa, having helped reduce the hosts to 6-280 at stumps.

"We've done very well not to let them pass 300 in the first day," he said. "If you say to every team you can be in the same position as we are, you'd be very delighted."

Haha yeah I agree about Hussey and Ponting and Hayden. I'm just saying I think Ponting should choose his words more carefully when he's not making many runs at all himself. But I think they should drop Johnson :P

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Australia is just suffering from not giving others a go at all when they were going through their true dominant stage, and always gining nsw guys a go over anyone else. GO SIDDLE AND MCDONALD!!

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Hilfenhaus misses out again.

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03 January, 2009

South Africa has taken the opening honours in the third Test, leaving Australia 6-267 following an absorbing first day's play at the SCG.

The hosts will start day two with Michael Clarke (73) and the clean-hitting Mitchell Johnson (17) to take up the challenge of pushing their side past 300.

Only Clarke, who made his first SCG Test half-century, offered any real resistance as four batsmen perished after reaching 30 on a pitch containing no obvious venom.

The Australian vice-captain, who was dropped on 12 and 69, has been at the crease for 235 minutes, stroking nine fours in a patient knock.

Clarke and Brad Haddin (38) put on 75 for the sixth wicket and looked to have done enough to ensure Australia would end the opening day in reasonable shape.

But the introduction of the second new ball brought about the downfall of Haddin, who played around a Dale Steyn delivery to be bowled in the shadows of stumps.

Steyn was the pick of the Proteas' bowlers, finishing with 2-71 from 21 overs.

Australia won the toss and elected to bat first under overcast skies before a healthy first-day crowd of 37,901.

The home side lost Simon Katich (47) and Ricky Ponting (0) during a tense first session.

Katich looked in good touch in racing to 47 from 52 balls before sparring at a Jacques Kallis (1-43) delivery and edging a catch to AB de Villiers at second slip.

One run later the in-form Ponting was on his way for a first-ball duck.

Morne Morkel (1-49) got a ball to seam back, catching the inside edge of the Australian skipper's bat and presenting wicket-keeper Mark Boucher with a catch to the delight of the South Africans.

Matthew Hayden, fighting to save his career, cautiously made his way to 31 before chasing a wide delivery from Steyn and dragging the ball onto his stumps.

The big Queenslander cut a dejected figure as his made his way off the ground, the big first-day crowd giving him a rousing send off in the knowledge he may have batted at international level for the last time.

Hayden's dismissal left Australia shaky at 3-109.

With the score on 130 Michael Hussey, who had fought hard to get to 30, edged Paul Harris (1-44) to Kallis at slip and was on his way back to the pavilion.

Harris wildly celebrated the wicket but appeared to twist a knee after leaping through the air in delight.

While he was off the field receiving attention, Andrew McDonald arrived at the crease for his debut innings and was immediately struck on the body by a 142km/h thunderbolt from Morkel.

He was lucky to survive beyond five after his helmet was dislodged and almost crashed back on his stumps while attempting to dodge a Morkel bouncer.


McDonald moved to 15 before he was caught behind off Makhaya Ntini (1-48), with Haddin the last man out for the day.

Australia handed debuts to McDonald and Doug Bollinger, while the buoyant Proteas went in with an unchanged line-up.

The home side, 2-0 down after defeats in Perth and Melbourne, is looking to avoid its first home series clean sweep loss in 122 years.

04 January, 2009

Nathin Hauritz South African skipper Graeme Smith was taken to hospital for x-rays on a suspected broken finger after a Michael Clarke century was negated by a fightback from the Proteas late on day two of the third 3 Mobile Test at the SCG.

In reply to Australia's challenging first innings total of 445, the visitors will enter day three 1-125 with Hashim Amla (30) and Jacques Kallis (36) to resume on a pitch showing signs of wear and tear.

Smith retired hurt on 30 after being stuck on the left hand by a Mitchell Johnson (0-27) delivery that reared nastily off a good length.

The problem centres on the knuckle area of the little finger. Smith was taken to hospital with his left hand heavily bandaged, later returning to watch the closing overs.

Also battling an elbow injury to his right arm, Smith is unlikely to take any further part in this Test.

Neil McKenzie, who laboured for nearly two hours, was the only wicket to fall in the South African innings, trapped lbw by Peter Siddle (1-21).

Clarke's ton – his first Test century on the SCG - underpinned Australia's large first innings total before a crowd of 30, 293.

His 142-run partnership with Johnson (64) swung the game Australia's way.

Resuming on 77, Clarke showed his intent from the opening ball, cracking Makhaya Ntini (1-102) through the covers for four.

He brought up his 10th Test century with a quick single before sprinting towards the members' stand with arms raised in triumph, seemingly oblivious that there was a third umpire's decision pending.

Clarke, who was dropped on 12 and 69, survived the close call and went to lunch with hopes of reaching 150.

But in his opening over Duminy enticed a return catch from the Australian vice-captain, who left his home ground to a standing ovation.

Clarke's purposeful knock – a mix of exquisite drives, intelligent running and rigid defence – contained 17 fours in a 373-minute stint at the crease.


Johnson, who was put down by Kallis on 18, clubbed 11 boundaries en route to his best score at Test level before being snapped up at first slip by Smith off Dale Steyn (3-95).

Siddle (23) and Nathan Hauritz (41) kept the momentum going, the former cracking seven fours in a rousing hand before his appreciative home crowd.

Hauritz was last man out – caught by Duminy off the bowling of Paul Harris (3-84) – just before tea.

Whoo! Peter Siddle only wicket of the day for Aus.

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05 January, 2009

A maiden five-wicket haul to paceman Peter Siddle has seen Australia finish day three of the third 3 Mobile Test on top despite the best efforts of Mark Boucher who rescued the South African innings with a well-made 89.

Siddle, who finished with the impressive figures of 5-59, took just 22 deliveries to capture the final four wickets and restrict the Proteas to 327.

Boucher arrived at the crease with the Proteas in trouble at 4-166 but put his head down to grind out a patient 265 minute innings before Siddle sent his stumps sprawling to secure his first Test five-for.

The veteran Proteas gloveman shared in a 115-run partnership with Morne Morkel (40) to frustrate the home side before the Victorian changed the course of the match with his inspired spell.

Having captured Morkel, Siddle removed Paul Harris (two) and Dale Steyn (six) in quick succession before capturing the free-swinging Boucher.

Australian openers Matthew Hayden (18) and Simon Katich (9) survived a nervous six-over period before stumps progressing to 0-33 - a lead of 151.

JP Duminy (11) was the only batsmen out in the middle session, given out lbw after playing back and being caught on the crease by Mitchell Johnson (2-69).

While Morkel rode his luck – playing and missing at a number of deliveries – Boucher also enjoyed some good fortune.


On 27 he played a ball from Nathan Hauritz (0-68) onto his stumps only for the bails to stay rigid in their grooves.

Lion-hearted paceman Doug Bollinger (0-78) bowled without luck in search of his first Test wicket, having strong lbw appeals against Duminy and Morkel turned down by umpire Billy Bowden.

Before lunch Mitchell Johnson struck with the ball and in the field to leave South Africa in trouble.

Johnson shifted dangerman Jacques Kallis (37), caught at first slip by Hayden, then ran out AB de Villiers (11) with a brilliant piece of fielding.

Debutant Andrew McDonald (1-41 from 22 overs) chipped in with his first Test wicket – removing Hashim Amla (51) lbw – as the Proteas' strong overnight position (1-125) quickly eroded.

The first session yielded just 51 runs for the loss of three wickets.

Kallis added one to his overnight tally before driving at Johnson and edging a comfortable catch to Hayden.

Amla passed the half-century mark but was then involved in an unnecessary run out with de Villiers.

Pushing a quick single to Johnson at mid on, Amla called for a run but watched in horror as de Villiers moved slowly out of his crease and was beaten by a direct hit at the keeper's end.

McDonald, who had done an excellent job strangling the South African top order, then trapped Amla with one that nipped back to leave the Proteas in a deep hole at 4-166 before Boucher and Morkel combined.

South African skipper Graeme Smith is unlikely to play any further part in the match after suffering a hand injury on day two.