A brave South Africa hit back to reduce Australia to 5 for 111 and an overall lead of 273 runs at stumps on day three of the second Test at the Adelaide Oval.
The match hangs in the balance after the home side stumbled somewhat in the second innings, having dismissed the Proteas for 388 in reply to 550.
And if Australia is going to beat the world's number one side it will have to do so without the services of paceman James Pattinson, who is unlikely to bowl in the rest of the Test after suffering an apparent side strain.
Look back at how an intriguing third day unfolded (all times AEDT).
7:15pm: That's it for day three at the Adelaide Oval. Be sure to join us on Sunday as Australia looks to build on its 273-run lead and bat the Proteas out of the match.
6:50pm: Walshy also spoke with Proteas batsman Faf du Plessis, who impressed with 78 on debut. He admitted to having plenty of nerves before settling in nicely:
"I had a shocker coming down, I think I fell almost three times on my way down to the field and the crowd was a little bit into my ear on the way down. I would have abused myself aswell."6:35pm: Grandstand's Peter Walsh spoke with spinner Nathan Lyon, who took 2 for 91 in South Africa's innings of 388. He still holds out hope that James Pattinson will bowl tomorrow. He also appeared confident Australia could pick up the 10 wickets for victory:
"The South Africans got the ball to reverse swing and it's starting to spin... the pitch is going to start to deteriorate and go up and down. I'm looking forward to bowling out there, it's great to bowl on a pitch which offers you a little bit."Second Test: Stumps, day threeD. Warner 41
E. Cowan 29
R. Ponting 16
R. Kleinveldt 3-14 (6 overs)
M. Morkel 1-24 (9 overs)
D. Steyn 1-28 (10 overs)
South Africa 388 (124.3 overs)
G. Smith 122
F. du Plessis 78
J. Kallis 58
B. Hilfenhaus 3-49 (19.3 overs)
N. Lyon 2-91 (44 overs)
P. Siddle 2-130 (30.5 overs)
M. Clarke 230
D. Warner 119
M. Hussey 103
M. Morkel 3-146 (30 overs)
J. Kallis 2-19 (3.3 overs)
D. Steyn 2-79 (23.4 overs)
6:29pm: Kerry's quick assessment of what's unfolding:
I didn't pick this today, I thought Australia would build strongly on their lead. But their lead looks good, if they can add another 70 or 80 in the morning with their last five wickets they will be hard to beat.
He points out that Australia will have to win without the services of James Pattinson, who appears unlikely to bowl for the rest of the match after aggravating a side stain earlier today.
It's a big day for Australian cricket tomorrow, they have the chance to beat the world's number one Test side. Let's see if they can.
6:25pm: That's stumps. Australia is 5 for 111, effectively 5 for 273, with two days still to play in what is becoming a more intriguing Test match by the minute. Excellent fight-back there from the Proteas, who are still in this match up to their eyeballs. Michael Clarke heads to the rooms on 9 with Mike Hussey getting to 5.
6:16pm: Mike Hussey emerges from the dressingroom to try and see out a tricky couple of overs alongside his skipper.
6:15pm: Out! The nightwatchman punt fails as Peter Siddle falls to Morne Morkel, caught behind for 1. Aussies 5 for 103, leading by 265 runs.
6:05pm: The knives are sharpening once again for Ricky Ponting. Last summer's revival against India seems a long way in the rear vision mirror now. He came into this series as the Sheffield Shield's leading run-scorer but has so far recorded knocks of 0, 4 and 16.
@Jovianshadow Time for Punter to retire! #AusvRSA #abccricket @abcgrandstand
@agnuspagnus Rickey Ponting can join Rob Quiney in front of the telly for 3rd #AUSvSA #cricket test. #Cricket9 #abccricket @abcgrandstand
@Pink_Chrissy @abcgrandstand @drewmorphett I suspect his last dismissal ever. They can't keep selecting a player who's just not performing
6:04pm: Has South Africa played its way back into this match? Kerry O'Keeffe is still not convinced:
I just think that first innings deficit is going to hurt them too much, they needed to get 80 or 90 closer than they did. They're going to be chasing 320 on a pitch that's doing a lot.
5:59pm: Peter Siddle is sent out as nightwatchman with a minimum of 5.4 overs remaining in the day's play.
5:57pm: Got him! Ricky Ponting edges that one from Dale Steyn onto his stumps and doesn't the Proteas paceman love it. I can't print what Ponting shouted to himself. He goes for 16 and Australia is 4 for 98, leading by 260.
5:53pm: Morne Morkel returns for Tahir and it's a fine first over from the Proteas paceman. There's an lbw shout from the first ball while Michael Clarke is comprehensively beaten from the second and sixth deliveries. All the luck going Pup's way at the moment. "Why couldn't Rob Quiney have some of that?" Barry Richards asks. Good question.
5:44pm: "Geez, that was the buffet ball wasn't it. Help yourself," comments Barry Richards as Imran Tahir concedes yet another four to Ponting. It's a wonder Graeme Smith has any hair left.
5:39pm: Phil Hughes remains another option for Perth should Shane Watson fail to front up. The former New South Wales opener has just brought up his first Sheffield Shield ton for adopted state South Australia against Victoria.
5:36pm: Here's the skipper for another middle order revival. He's got a lazy 489 runs in two innings so far this series. Yawn. This time though he strides to the wicket with his side holding a 253-run lead, so he can breathe a little easier.
5:34pm: Bowls him! Ed Cowan has played all around this one from Rory Kleinveldt, who gets his third scalp. A little bit of reverse swing there for the bowler and Cowan's stumps are shattered. He's out for 29, Australia 3 for 91.
5:30pm: Ponting takes two boundaries off three Tahir balls. Money for jam for a player of his quality. Imran is going for more than a run-a-ball once again.
5:28pm: Has Rob Quiney signed his death warrant for the third Test at the WACA? Someone's got to go if Shane Watson is fit:
@PolarVan So should end the Quiney experiment, he should never have been picked #asuvsa #cricket9
@wakkatoo And it's back to the state team for quiney. #anothermattelliot #ausvsa
@patorme23 I can honestly say, I have never seen a better 2 ball duck; another Love/Elliott/Jacques #AUSvSA @dixwah @SamPerry6
@matt_hudson Quiney just played last innings for Aust for a while #pair #backtoshield @abcgrandstand #AUSvSA @kingo_1989 @_Aaron_Meadows
5:26pm: Ricky Ponting gets off the mark with a single from the bowling of Rory Kleinveldt. No doubt a little sigh of relief there from the Tasmanian.
5:17pm: So here's Mr Ponting, Test cricket's leading run-scorer at the Adelaide Oval. He's coming off a couple of low scores himself. Needs to cash in here against an understrength Proteas attack.
@peterawalsh Put down your plastic cups of soup! Hands up those who are VERY nervous for the PUNTER !Wicket
5:15pm: Out! And that's a pair for poor Rob Quiney. He edges Kleinveldt behind second ball and that could be the last time we see him in Test cricket for a while.
5:13pm: Out! This one bounces more than David Warner expected and he gets a leading edge which flies straight to an advancing Faf du Plessis at cover. Rory Kleinveldt is the wicket taker and Warner goes for 41. Australia 1 for 77.
5:08pm: No! Heartbreak for Imran Tahir. He thought he had his first Test wicket there but on replay, he's produced a front-foot no ball! Tahir is having an absolute nightmare here. Ed Cowan had poked that one to extra cover just three balls after the drinks break. He gets a life on 26. That is unforgivable from Tahir, who's now racked up 0-200 across the two innings.
5:04pm: That's drinks with Australia reaching 73 without loss. David Warner is on 39 and Ed Cowan 26.
4:50pm: 14 runs off that over from Tahir. All off the blade of Warner, who all of a sudden has gone to 35 off 47 balls. Says Geoff Lawson:
That's not good. You don't have to play big shots when Tahir's bowling at the moment, you just wait for a poor delivery. He's lacking confidence, which is understandable.
4:46pm: Graeme Smith tosses the ball to Imran Tahir. It's probably fair to say he'd be a touch nervous.
4:44pm: The West Indies have gone to lunch at a mammoth 8 for 639 in the second Test against Bangladesh. Their lead is 252. Shivnarine Chanderpaul is unbeaten on 143 while Marlon Samuels was out for a Test-best 260 and Dwayne Bravo made 127.
4:40pm: India is all out for 327 in the second Test against England in Mumbai. Cheteshwar Pujara was finally dismissed for 135. He has been out just once in three innings for 382 runs. Monty Panesar too 5 for 129 (47 overs) and Graeme Swann 4 for 70 (34.1 overs), including his 200th Test scalp. He's the fourth fastest Englishman to the mark behind Ian Botham, Fred Trueman and Sir Alec Bedser.
4:38pm: David Warner cover drives Morne Morkel for four to reach 16 off 35 balls. This is sedate stuff from the New South Welshman compared with his first knock.
4:28pm: Four more there for Cowan. He gets it wrong but the edge off Morkel flies past gully and the slip cordon as the Aussie opener moves to 12 solely in boundaries. Australia 0 for 29 and leading by a commanding 191 runs.
4:16pm: Big lbw appeal there from Steyn on Warner but not out is the decision. Smith and Steyn confer with de Villiers on a possible appeal but opt against it. A good decision - it was travelling well over. The over is a maiden, the first of the innings.
4:09pm: It's another flying start here for the Aussies - they've raced to 0/20 after three overs with Warner reaching 9 and Cowan 4.
3:57pm: So it's Dale Steyn in to Ed Cowan to kick off Australia's second innings. The first over goes for 10, with a four off the blade of Cowan through square leg to go with four leg byes and two singles.
South Africa 388 (124.3 overs)
G. Smith 122
F. du Plessis 78
J. Kallis 58
B. Hilfenhaus 3-49 (19.3 overs)
N. Lyon 2-91 (44 overs)
P. Siddle 2-130 (30.5 overs)
M. Clarke 230
D. Warner 119
M. Hussey 103
M. Morkel 3-146 (30 overs)
J. Kallis 2-19 (3.3 overs)
D. Steyn 2-79 (23.4 overs)
3:36pm: Out! Faf du Plessis misses that debut century as he pops up one to Clarke at silly mid-on to be out for 78. Hilfenhaus gets his third wicket and South Africa is all out for 388, a deficit of 162 runs. And that'll be tea on day three.
3:35pm: The word on James Pattinson is that he's likely gone for the rest of the Test. He's gone for scans on a possible side strain but the results won't be known until tomorrow. Bitter blow there for Australia. He'd already received treatment for it late yesterday.
3:30pm: This is tremendous batting by Faf du Plessis, who would seriously be starting to entertain the idea of a century on debut now. He moves to 77 with a four and six off consecutive Siddle deliveries. Can Tahir hang about? South Africa 9 for 382.
3:21pm: Kerry O'Keeffe wasn't kidding about Imran Tahir's cut earlier. He slices that one from Siddle over the slip cordon for four to get off the mark.
3:15pm: Dropped! No disgrace there though. Du Plessis has a go at one and it deflects off the hands of a flying Ricky Ponting at midwicket. That was struck firmly and Punter did superbly to even get his mitts anywhere near it.
3:07pm: Out! Nathan Lyon gets one through the defences of Morne Morkel, who attempts the sweep and misses. The ball smacks into middle and leg and he's gone for 6. South Africa 9/352.
3:06pm: Morne Morkel takes two runs off Nathan Lyon and South Africa has avoided the follow-on. Not that Clarke would have enforced it in any case.
3:00pm: Peter Siddle is back on in place of Clarke and he causes some immediate damage, striking the fingers of du Plessis who reels away in some pain.
2:56pm: That's 50 on debut for Faf du Plessis. 124 balls with 10 fours.
2:51pm: Out! "Very unlucky that is," says Barry Richards. Too right. That delivery from Michael Clarke pitched outside the line and beat the bat, ricocheting off Kallis's pads, onto his right thumb and then into the waiting hands of Matthew Wade.
"The best left-arm spinner in Australia?" asks Jim Maxwell. Kallis is gone for a very gritty 58 off 93 balls. End of a 93-run partnership with du Plessis.
2:50pm: Big appeal here for a caught behind on Kallis. The umpire says no but Clarke is pretty convinced and he's going upstairs. Australia has just the one referral remaining.
2:45pm: Six! Kallis takes the maximum from a short one from Clarke, depositing it over midwicket.
2:43pm: 50 for Kallis. He pummels Michael Clarke for four to bring it up too. Brilliant, fighting innings from the injury-hampered Proteas all-rounder. All class. He hasn't done a lot of running here - 10 fours in that half-century, his 56th in Test cricket.
2:40pm: That's drinks with South Africa adding 58 runs in that hour without losing a wicket. They're 7 for 331 with Faf du Plessis on 48 and Jacques Kallis 47. Bobby Quiney bowled his third maiden then and he has the very tidy figures of 0 for 10 off seven.
2:36pm: Du Plessis hits the front once again, with 48 to Kallis's 47. What price both batsmen getting centuries? The game appears to be in another holding pattern with nothing really doing for the Australians at this point. Clarke and Quiney operating.
2:29pm: ABC Grandstand's got another special guest in store in the morning:
@peterawalsh Slater,Lee and Viv. Wow. The man who carved up attacks all over the world will join us in the morn. pic.twitter.com/4gAMjm1N2:14pm: That one is pulled away by Kallis and he moves past du Plessis (39) to 40. Next ball, same result. Exactly the same spot on the field. That's the 10th four since the restart and Australia has released the pressure valve a little here. Kallis is motoring towards his half-century and looks less hindered the more he bats. Time for a few more bouncers?
2:12pm: Shot! Kallis stands and delivers and Siddle can only turn and watch as a sweetly timed off drive races away to the boundary. No need to run for that one. "Beware the wounded buffalo," says Henry Lawson.
2:05pm: Kerry O'Keeffe notes that Clarke's got no first slip to Siddle. "It's justice if it goes through there, isn't it, first slip. That's too funky for me (not having one)."
2:01pm: There's both the 50-run partnership and the 300 up for South Africa. Faf du Plessis is on 34, Jacques Kallis 30 and the Proteas are 7 for 300. 20 minutes survived after lunch.
1:53pm: Kerry still reckons David Warner should be getting more of a bowl. The opener hasn't had the chance to add to his 1 for 27 off five overs yesterday.
I just thought there was so much there - the action was pretty controlled. Amla walked past one. Just terrific.
1:44pm: Kallis has taken three straight fours off Siddle here. Not all of them convincing but the result is the same and he moves quickly to 23. South Africa 7 for 285.
1:40pm: It's Lyon to deliver the first over after lunch with du Plessis facing up. There's a slip, a leg slip and a short leg in place.
1:05pm: The news on James Pattinson is he has pain in his side and has been sent for scans. Fingers crossed.
B. Hilfenhaus 2-43 (17 overs)
P. Siddle 2-64 (21.5 overs)
M. Morkel 3-146 (30 overs)
J. Kallis 2-19 (3.3 overs)
1:00pm: That'll be lunch with South Africa losing a disastrous 5 for 56 in that session to hand the momentum well and truly to Australia. The Proteas are 7 for 273, still needing 68 runs to avoid the follow-on. The gritty Kallis is still there on 11, with Faf du Plessis grinding his way to 26.
12:58pm: South Africa 7 for 272, still needing another 69 runs to avoid the follow-on. Sir Viv Richards is at the Adelaide Oval, by the way. He gets a big cheer as he walks past a section of the crowd.
12:57pm: Kallis hooks Siddle for four. A bit of weight onto the hammy there as he leans back but no grimace. Siddle's retort is another bouncer. There's the grimace.
@peterawalsh Kallis in Cricket you don't go for the jugular - you go for the hamstring.12:52pm: Siddle bounces Kallis and straight away he clutches the hamstring after ducking out of the way. Not good. The Siddler tests it once again the very next ball. Kallis is grimacing.
@Henrylawson180 not sure why Kallis came in at 9 ? wasting two batsmen against the new ball who were not capable Kallis limping but coping12:39pm: Kallis is not going to die wondering here as he hoists Lyon for four over mid-on to move to 6.
12:24pm: Hilfy welcomes Mr Kallis to the crease with a bumper which he does well to evade. No let-up here from the Aussies, who have the Proteas on the ropes at 7 for 250.
"Suddenly Australia, who've knocked over two tailenders, are confronted with a man with 12,000-plus Test runs to his name and 40-plus hundreds," says Neil Manthorp.
12:22pm: And here he is. Jacques Kallis is walking out to bat. Not that they've left him much work to do or anything.
The only South African in this current side to play at the Adelaide Oval is batting at number nine for the first time in his career.
12:21pm: Out! Ben Hilfenhaus has cartwheeled Rory Kleinveldt's off stump and the Tasmanian gets his second scalp of the innings.
No footwork there from Kleinveldt, who tries to smash it into the construction site and loses his off peg.
12:19pm: A little something to crow about there for South Africa as du Plessis plays a beautiful off-drive for four off Siddle to bring up the 250 for the tourists. Du Plessis moves to 15.
12:16pm: Oh dear. James Pattinson grimaces after sending down just one delivery. And he's going off the field. Australia's turn now for some bad luck in the bowling department.
12:13pm: Rory Kleinveldt walks out to bat for the Proteas, so still no sign of Jacques Kallis. He is apparently padded up in the dressingroom though.
12:12pm: Out! And Ben Hilfenhaus gets the long-awaited scalp with Dale Steyn wafting at one and edging to Ricky Ponting at slip. He's gone for 1 and South Africa is in deep trouble at 6 for 246.
12:06pm: It appears Jacques Kallis is still being greatly troubled by that right hamstring:
@NeilManthorp Kallis will not bat unless "absolutely necessary". Wonder what would constitute "absolutely necessary"? A couple of overs to save the game?12:05pm: We asked a little while ago whether you thought Australia should enforce the follow-on - here's some of your responses:
@NeilManthorp Pretty certain Australia won't enforce the follow-on - in any circumstances. Open up possibility of batting last on day 5? No way...
@gavnor72 no, get them out, pile on runs, bowl them out on 4th/5th day pitch SA demorilised
@drnicko18 bat to get a 500 run lead and then leave 5 sessions to bowl them out. Dont screw our bowlers with 4 tests left this summer
@clarkey_73 no way!When u win the toss & bat 1st u want last use of the pitch-fraught with danger 2 change a winning plan.
@craiginbne with so much time left I wouldn't enforce follow-on. Give your bowlers a rest and let the pitch get more up and down.
@bushiemanbrown You would be mad to bat last on this deck. Go in for the kill Pup. Foot to throat.
@CarlosDarwinNT put them back in the field & grind them for another day. Especially morkel. Set a massive total and aim for a win in Perth.
@rachelkareta no. no way. too much to play for & no one wants to bat on the adl pitch on day 5.
@_Rounders_ of course the follow on should not be enforced. Need to get time in the middle for Quiney and Punter
12:02pm: That's drinks with South Africa teetering at 5 for 245. They're still a long way off avoiding the follow-on, let alone thinking about getting near Australia's 550 at this point. A dominant opening hour there by the home side.
11:58am: Pup ignores KOK's sagely advice and throws the new rock to Ben Hilfenhaus. He's still got only two wickets this series (and both tailenders, at that), so the Tasmanian needs to start making something happen.
11:56am: We've had 80 overs to the new ball is due but Kerry reckons Michael Clarke shouldn't take it just yet.
I'd actually give David Warner a bowl. I'm a little bit leg-spinner biased, in case you haven't noticed. I actually thought Imran Tahir bowled well. The first ball of his 19th over was a good one, it only went for four.
11:51am: Kerry reckons he can't wait to see Imran Tahir come out to bat. "Only shot, the cut". His batting surely couldn't be any worse than his bowling. South Africa still needs 111 to avoid the follow-on. Do you think Australia should enforce it if it comes to that? Let us know on Twitter @abcgrandstand. We'll publish some of your responses here.
11:47am: Dale Steyn comes out to bat for South Africa now. We were expecting Jacques Kallis so that's interesting. Is the hamstring strain still causing him too much grief?
11:45am: The decision gets the all-clear and de Villiers is gone for 1. South Africa struggling now at 5 for 240. The Proteas have lost 3 for 23 and both of their referrals to boot. "Stats or not, Peter Siddle has it over AB de Villiers and it continues," Kerry says.
11:44am: Out! It's all happening here and Siddle strikes again, snaring de Villiers lbw! Oh no, wait. The batsman is appealing. Here we go again.
11:40am: Snicko has registered a significant spike re: Smith's dismissal, by the way. So it appears Billy's got this one right. Siddle continues to the two fresh batsmen - AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis.
11:38am: Some talk in the box now about whether Australia will enforce the follow-on - here's Kerry O'Keeffe:
I don't think Australia will look at a follow-on situation, I think they'll bat again. They don't want to be batting last on this pitch.
11:32am: Yep, out! Siddle strikes and Smith is gone for 122. There does appear to be the tiniest of flecks on HotSpot and that's seemingly proven enough for Billy Bowden's original decision to stand. Smith is livid and stands there defiantly for several seconds before traipsing off with several shakes of the head. "I'm not saying he didn't hit it, but he clearly believes he didn't hit it," says Neil Manthorp. The lads in the box aren't convinced that was out. South Africa 4/233 now.
11:29am: Out! No, wait! Peter Siddle has seemingly enticed another edge from Graeme Smith but the skipper is adamant he hasn't contacted that one and goes upstairs immediately.
11:23am: Out! Nathan Lyon strikes ad Jacques Rudolph is caught at cover by Rob Quiney for 29. He added just four runs to his overnight score. South Africa 3 for 233.
11:16am: Meanwhile Geoff Lawson expects to do a bit of star-spotting in the Adelaide crowd...
@Henrylawson180 another gorgeous cricket day at the world's best cricket ground Haven't spotted Kirk Tippett yet(I think he means Kurt.)
11:08am: One of the most interesting - or ominous, depending on your allegiance - statistics to come up yesterday was that in the 25 previous Tests in which Graeme Smith has scored a ton, he's never lost.
His record stands at 17 wins, eight draws. Will Australia end that streak in Adelaide? Time will tell.
11:04am: Spoke too soon. Graeme Smith has opened his account for day three with a four through the gully off Peter Siddle's first ball.
11:02am: Just one run off the opening over of the day. The hosts will hope that's a common theme, with South Africa still trailing by 332.
10:59am: Skipper Michael Clarke will bowl the first over of the day as the Aussies chip away at the final few overs before they can take the new ball. Jim Maxwell's assessment of South Africa's position? "Useful", but the Proteas "still have some work to do".
10:53am: We're only a few minutes from play resuming and it's already 29 degrees this early in the morning.
Adelaide may be in for a scorcher today, which is sure to make it tough for the Aussies out there in the field if they don't take some wickets.
10:35am: Our own man in Adelaide Peter Walsh spoke to Ricky Ponting's wife Rianna this morning about the children's cancer foundation her and her husband founded. You can listen to their chat below.
10:30am: Welcome back to Grandstand's blog coverage of the second Test. I'm Joel Zander and I'll be piloting this ship all the way through to stumps. Here's the state of play:
G. Smith 111*
A. Petersen 54
J. Rudolph 25*
H. Amla 11
D. Warner 1-27 (5 overs)
P. Siddle 0-34 (12 overs)
B. Hilfenhaus 0-36 (12 overs)
J. Pattinson 0-40 (8 overs)
N. Lyon 0-53 (24 overs)
Tags: cricket, sport, adelaide-5000, sa, australia, south-africa First posted November 24, 2012 10:30:41
No comments:
Post a Comment