Morne Morkel triggered a tail-end collapse with the vital wicket of Michael Clarke for 230 on Friday morning, finishing with a five-wicket haul to help South Africa claw its way back into the second test after restricting Australia to 550 in the first innings.
Australia resumed day two at 482-5 and added only 68 in 21 overs, including a 46-run last-wicket stand between James Pattinson (42) and Nathan Lyon (7 not out).
South Africa openers Graeme Smith and Alviro Petersen survived four overs to get the tourists to lunch at 3 without loss.
Australia’s slide started with the dismissal of captain Clarke, the first batsman to post four 200-plus test scores in one calendar year when he reached his double century late on day one, who added only six to his overnight score before he was beaten by Morkel and lost his middle stump. It ended his stunning start to the series against top-ranked South Africa, scoring 489 runs before losing his wicket the 31—year—old Clarke scored an unbeaten 259 in the drawn first test at Brisbane last week.
Morkel also removed Matt Wade (6) and Ben Hilfenhaus (0) to return figures of 5—146, his sixth five—wicket haul in test cricket.
Rory Kleinfeldt collected his first test wicket albeit after a very close review for a front—foot no—ball when Peter Siddle (6) edged him to Smith at first slip in a period when the Australians lost five wickets for 22 runs. That included the dismissal of Mike Hussey (103) on the last ball of the opening day that ended his 272—run fifth—wicket stand with Clarke.
Pattinson went out swinging and played an entertaining cameo just when it seemed Australia had completely lost its ascendency, stroking four boundaries and two sixes in his 35—ball knock.
Day two contrasted sharply with the first, when the Australian batsmen flayed a depleted South Africa attack for 66 boundaries and nine sixes and posted the country’s second—highest first day score ever. Legbreak bowler Imrain Tahir was particularly punished and returned 0—180 from 23 overs across both days.
As well as Clarke, who had 40 boundaries and a six, David Warner hit four sixes and 16 boundaries in a 112—ball 119 and Hussey hit nine boundaries and four sixes in his second hundred in as many innings against South Africa.
The South African attack had a massive setback when 37—year—old allrounder Jacques Kallis injured his right hamstring after taking two early wickets and limped off the field in the 17th over. Australia at that stage was 77—3. Kallis hasn’t returned to the field and will not bowl in the remainder of the Adelaide test, but is expected to bat down the order.
Clarke, who became the first batsman to post four 200—plus test scores in one calendar year when he reached his double century late on day one, added only six to his overnight score before he was beaten by Morkel (5—146) and lost his middle stump.
via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/sport/morkel-leads-south-africas-comeback-in-2nd-test/article4125936.ece
No comments:
Post a Comment