Australian went to tea with the second Test against South Africa on a knife-edge after both sides shared the honours in the middle session on the final day.
At the interval the Aussies had reached 6 for 222 at The Wanderers in Johannesburg, still 88 runs short of their target with a thinning list of batsmen left to take up arms.
Brad Haddin was unbeaten on 24 at the break while out-of-form paceman-cum-allrounder Mitchell Johnson had reached 6.
Rain washed out the morning session and after an early lunch break was called, the tourists resumed at 3 for 142 needing a record fourth-innings total of 310 for a series-saving victory.
But while the inclement weather subsided South Africa's pace pressure did not, with rookie quick Vernon Philander sending Michael Clarke (2) back to the pavilion no sooner than he arrived.
The wicket ball was one of the deliveries of the series, one that moved off the seam towards Clarke and finding a tiny gap between the Australian skipper's bat and pad before clipping the top of off-stump.
Ricky Ponting, who resumed on 54 on Monday, could only add eight more to his overnight total before he too fell victim to the Proteas' pace attack.
After leaving several deliveries outside of his off-stump the former captain slashed wildly at Morne Morkel and was caught at second slip for 62.
While his brave knock went a long way to steadying Australia's innings on Sunday, the question remains as to whether it was enough to save Ponting's scalp for the New Zealand Test in Brisbane next month.
With captains past and present dismissed, Mike Hussey and Haddin dug in and, despite some hairy air-swings and near misses, the pair put on a solid 50-run stand.
But again young gun Philander proved to be the thorn in Australia's side, rapping Hussey on the pads on 39 with his first delivery of a new spell.
Hussey called for a referral but there was little point - Philander's perfect line and length finding the left-handed veteran's front pad plumb in front.
Tags: cricket, sport, south-africa, australia First posted November 22, 2011 00:43:58
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