CricketArchive

South Africa chase 376 for clean sweep
by CricketArchive Staff Reporter


Event:South Africa in Australia 2008/09

DateLine: 6th January 2009

 

The Australian openers began the day with an overall lead of 151 runs ahead of South Africa. Hayden was out in the middle with his chest puffed out and ready to take on the bowlers. Deep down his heart he he knew that his days are numbered and that this was the last real chance for him to survive in the Test level. He was aggressive from the word go while Katich who has cemented his spot looked all at ease. There hadn't been much for South Africa to cheer in the morning session, only the exit of Hayden. Hayden's 39 was his highest Test score of the home summer and he played some impressive strokes, driving down the ground and clipping through and over leg with power. But all season Hayden's downfall has been trying one big shot too many and again he fell to a moment of impulse when he inside-edged onto the stumps while trying to lift Morkel over mid-on from outside off.

 

Ricky Ponting and Simon Katich continued the effort for the rest of the session as they combined for a 74-run stand that was tough going at times. As Jacques Kallis was sending down maiden after maiden - five in a row to be exact - Katich went 40 balls and nearly an hour without scoring, before he moved from 17 to 18 with fortunate inside-edge off Makhaya Ntini. Katich's innings could fairly be described as a tough grind. Only gradually did scoring become easier, and he nudged his way to 61 from 136 balls.

 

Things were generally easier for Ponting, although he had come to the crease on a king pair and very nearly completed it. He tried to leave his first delivery from Morkel but didn't get the bat out of the way in time and the edge flew past the stumps and off to the boundary. He found his form after that and got a further eight boundaries away, including some classic Ponting pulls and back-foot drives. Soon after lunch Ponting was cleaned up by Morkel when he tried to go for an expansive drive of a ball that was close to his body. Katich's innings could fairly be described as a tough grind. Katich finally departed it was in unusual circumstances; Dale Steyn came around the wicket and angled one in that struck Katich in line with middle stump. There was no appeal whatsoever from Steyn but Mark Boucher went up and Asoka de Silva agreed - fairly - surprising both batsman and bowler. Hussey and Clarke took the team to tea and pot-tea both upped their ante.

 

Hussey deposited Ntini over the long on boundary and Clarke found the ropes a couple of times in their 76 run association. When the lead became 375, Ponting declared giving his bowlers three and a half session to have a go at the South African batsmen. With Smith out due a fractured finger, it was of interest to many as to who will partner McKenzie as the opener. To everyone's surprise Morkel strode out as a reward for his stodgy 40 in the first innings, but he lasted just two balls as he chipped a catch to Johnson at mid on who took a tumbling catch. Bollinger was the bowler and he seemed very much happy with his first Test wicket at his home ground. Amla and McKenzie steadied the innings with the former lashing out some glorious and exquisitely timed shots. At the end of the day South Africa needed 314 more runs to win to get a 3-0 scoreline and Australia have three sessions to try and bowl out South Africa.

 

 


LATEST SCORES

| Privacy Policy | FAQs | Contact |
Copyright © 2003-2024 CricketArchive