Australia tour of South Africa

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Fixture

[Sadaf Gondal]

South Africa's coach Mickey Arthur is confident that his team has worked out Australia's two newest batsmen Phillip Hughes and Marcus North, both of whom starred in the visitors' 162-run win in Johannesburg. South Africa must turn around their form for Friday's second Test in Durban to have any chance of winning the series and claiming the No. 1 Test ranking.
Arthur knows that the key is a more consistent bowling effort after Australia were allowed to post 466 in the first innings at the Wanderers. North made 117 in his first Test innings while his fellow debutant Hughes fought out 75 in the second innings despite being severely tested by short bowling from Dale Steyn and his colleagues.
"We had the strategy to Hughes," Arthur said. "We know he scored very much square of the wicket, we know he wasn't comfortable under the short ball. We knew that going into the Test and we didn't see too much of it in the first innings but come the second innings he got stuck in and that just confirmed what we already knew about him. We confirmed we were on the right track."
However, it is a tactic that won't unsettle Hughes, who has been facing nasty bouncers since he was a child playing against much older men in rural New South Wales. He said thoroughly enjoyed the stoushes with Steyn and Morne Morkel, who is a full foot taller than the 170-centimetre Hughes.
"I love it. I love them to come hard at me," Hughes said after his debut. "I'm only a short left-hand opening batsman. They like to come in pretty hard but I love that challenge. I'm sure I'm going to get more of it and I can't wait."
Arthur said his men had also figured out the best way to attack North, who was much more solid at the crease than the slightly unpredictable Hughes. In the second innings North was undone by a straight ball that kept low and Arthur felt his bowlers had erred in the first innings by given him too much width.
"Marcus North closes himself off a little bit, gets that head outside off stump," Arthur said. "We think we were probably a bit wide to him in the first innings. We think we've got strategies that can undermine Marcus North. I was very impressed with his debut, I thought he was very, very good but we'll be far better prepared in terms of what we've seen from him now to execute our game-plans against him."
Part of the bowling problem was the unpredictability of Morkel, who bowled a few stunning deliveries like the sharp bouncer that had a fending Simon Katich caught behind in the second innings, but leaked too many runs. Morkel went at more than four an over in both innings and struggled to find a consistent length.
He was also chastised by Arthur for his disappointing batting efforts at No. 8. In the first innings Morkel was caught and bowled when he miscued an attempted pull but it was in the second innings that he really let his team down, also caught when his pull lobbed limply to midwicket when the lower order was trying to salvage a draw.
"Batting-wise it was disappointing," Arthur said. "We've chatted about it so I'm not talking behind his back. To get out the same way was disappointing. We see a lot of potential in Morne as a batter though. He's just got to work his game up.
"With the ball he is so exciting. We're going to see some really good spells and we are going to see some ordinary spells. We've got to realise he's probably a year behind Dale in terms of development as a quick bowler. We're going to have to live through the ordinary spells because in between there's been some very, very good spells as well."
Morkel will hold his place for the Test at Kingsmead, where Arthur was confident his extra bounce could be a key factor. It means the only question for South Africa is whether to hand a debut to Morkel's brother Albie, who has joined the 12-man squad, or stick with the spinner Paul Harris, at a venue where South Africa have not played a specialist slow man in their past two Tests.
"I'm not ruling out any option at the moment," Arthur said. "It is likely that we will play the spinner. We've played a spinner throughout our last successful period of 18 months. I think our spinner has been quite an integral part of our attack.
"Overhead conditions will play a major role on the morning of the game. The amount of grass that gets taken off the wicket will play quite an important role. I'm not ruling out the option but if all things are equal I'm pretty sure we'll play the spinner."

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Australia bat in second Test in South Africa

DURBAN: Australia won the toss and decided to bat in the second Test against South Africa at Kingsmead here Friday.

Both teams were unchanged from the first Test in Johannesburg, which Australia won by 162 runs. It was the fifth time in as many Tests between the two sides that Australian captain Ricky Ponting won the toss. The pitch was well-grassed and the weather was sunny and warm.

The players of both teams wore black armbands and observed a minute''s silence before play in memory of the victims of the attack on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore, Pakistan, on Tuesday.

South Africa squad: Graeme Smith (captain), Neil McKenzie, Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Mark Boucher, Morne Morkel, Paul Harris, Dale Steyn and Makhaya Ntini

Australia: Ricky Ponting (captain), Simon Katich, Phil Hughes, Michael Hussey, Michael Clarke, Marcus North, Brad Haddin, Andrew McDonald, Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle, Ben Hilfenhaus. Umpires: Asad Rauf (PAK), Billy Bowden (NZL). TV umpire: Steve Bucknor (WIS). Match referee: Jeff Crowe

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Aussies 303-4 against Africa on first day in second Test

DURBAN: Opening batsmen Phillip Hughes (115) and Simon Katich (108) hit centuries on Friday to guide Australia to a dominant position against South Africa on the first day of the second cricket Test.

The Australians finished the day on 303-4, with the not-out batsmen Michael Hussey (37) and Marcus North (17) forging a 37-run partnership for the fifth wicket.

South Africa had made some inroads into the Australian batting by taking two wickets in each of the final two sessions of the day, but the touring side hold the edge on the day''s play.

Hughes was the more aggressive of the openers, batting 190 minutes and smashing 19 fours and two sixes before being first man out. Far from worrying about reaching his maiden test century, the 20-year-old Hughes went from 89 to 105 in one over from Paul Harris. He leapt from 93 to 105 by hitting successive leg-side sixes off the spin bowler.

Hughes was out when the first-wicket partnership was worth 184. He tried an extravagant cut shot but was well-held by Neil McKenzie in the gully off Jacques Kallis.

Kallis had dropped Hughes on 114 off the bowling of Morne Morkel, who also later lost out on a referred decision when South Africa suggested Katich had touched a delivery to wicketkeeper Mark Boucher when he was on 63. TV umpire Steve Bucknor upheld standing umpire Billy Bowden''s not-out decision.

Katich, Hughes'' captain at New South Wales, played a more patient innings, reaching 108 in 296 minutes, hitting 16 fours.

He was the third man out, with the total on 259, to be followed seven runs later by Michael Clarke (three). But Australia recovered through the efforts of Hussey and North.

"That''s the way I like to play my cricket," Hughes said. "It was nice to be batting with Simon when I got the century. I''ve spent a fair bit of time batting with him (in state cricket in Australia)."

"We are definitely in a great position after the first day. We need to take it forward Saturday," Hughes added.

Earlier, Australia captain Ricky Ponting (nine) failed to get hold of an attempted lofted drive over mid-off, off Harris, and McKenzie grabbed the catch, one ball after Ponting had only just cleared him with the same shot.

South Africa''s bowlers were guilty of some loose deliveries in the first session, with Morkel the chief culprit. He went for eight in his first over - the 10th of the innings - and then conceded 21 including four byes, which flew over the keeper''s head in his second.

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Proteas in trouble at 138-7 as Johnson devastates

DURBAN: Mitchell Johnson claimed three wickets and forced two more batsmen to retire hurt Saturday as Australia led South Africa by 214 runs at stumps on the second day of the second Test.

Johnson had figures of 3-37 - including taking two wickets in the first over of the innings and one with the final ball before tea - as the South Africans battled to 138-7 in reply to Australia''s 352.

J.P. Duminy was the only Proteas batsman to show resistance, hitting five fours in 152 balls to reach 73 not out after coming to the crease at 6-3 in the sixth over. Together with No. 10 batsman Dale Steyn (8 not out), Duminy added 32 for the eighth wicket.

Making the situation worse for the Proteas was captain Graeme Smith (2) and Jacques Kallis (22) having to retire hurt after being hit by Johnson. Smith''s little finger on his right hand was broken by the left-arm quick, who later hit Kallis on the chin with a bouncer.

A bleeding Kallis was attended to on the field but left to be replaced by Mark Boucher, who was yorked by Johnson off the last ball of the session for 1. Smith is not expected to bat again in the innings, and could be out of action for two to three weeks.

Kallis returned to the crease when Paul Harris was the fifth man out in the final session of play for 4, but he lasted only two balls. He flicked allrounder Andrew McDonald to leg to be well taken by Ricky Ponting at short midwicket for 22, scored in two hours.

Harris and Kallis were McDonald''s first two wickets, in three balls, and he also bowled Morkel (2), to finish the day with 3-25.

To start the Proteas'' troubles, Johnson had Neil McKenzie caught by wicketkeeper Brad Haddin for 0 on the third delivery of the innings. Two balls later, Johnson trapped Hashim Amla lbw in a decision that was upheld after being referred to the TV umpire to leave the hosts on 0-2.

After an injured Smith left the pitch for X-rays, A.B. de Villiers fell lbw to Ben Hilfenhaus for 3 in the sixth over to make it 6-3.

Earlier, the South Africans took six wickets for 49 runs to bowl out Australia for 352 just after lunch at Kingsmead.

Fast bowlers Steyn and Makhaya Ntini claimed two wickets each with Morkel and Kallis taking one apiece to get South Africa back into the match after Australia had resumed on 303-4.

There was little sign of the drama to come in the first hour of play, but the dismissal of Australian batsman Michael Hussey in the 12th over of the day was the start of more breakthroughs for South Africa.

Hussey had his off-stump uprooted by Morkel on 50, having batted 214 minutes and hit nine fours, and having earlier had a running verbal battle with Steyn.

The Australians scored 19 more runs before losing three wickets in six balls with the score on 348.

The bowler to start the mini-collapse was regular partnership-breaker Kallis, who induced first test century-maker Marcus North to flick a ball to Steyn at square leg on 38. North hit five fours in 151 minutes.

In the next over, Ntini found himself on a hat trick after dismissing Haddin (5) and Johnson (0) in successive balls. Haddin pulled a ball straight to Amla at midwicket, and Johnson was out lbw after offering no shot to a full delivery.

Steyn claimed wickets with his second and fourth balls in the first over after lunch as Australia lost its last nine wickets for just 144 runs after their opening batsmen had put on 184 for the first wicket.

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Proteas-Aussie Test enters into interesting stage

DURBAN: The second Test between South Africa and Australia has entered into an interesting stage at the end of the fourth day’s play here at the Kingsmead stadium on Monday.

Jacques Kallis and A B de Villiers shared an unbeaten 164-run partnership and gave South Africa a chance of saving the second Test taking them to 244 for two at the close of play. They had been set to make 546 to win.

Kallis, who was dropped off the first ball he faced, made 83 not out and de Villiers 67 not out while fast bowler Peter Siddle made a double breakthrough as Australia pushed for a series-clinching win but the rest of the bowlers toiled without success.

Siddle dismissed opening batsmen Neil McKenzie and Hashim Amla during a hostile post-lunch spell. He finished the day with two for 39.

The hosts’ realistic objective was to survive a potential 170 overs to prevent Australia from taking a winning 2-0 lead in the three-match series. McKenzie and Amla put on 63 and defied the Australian bowlers until the 23rd over when McKenzie pushed at a lifting delivery just outside his off stump and edged a catch to wicket-keeper Brad Haddin.

New batsman Jacques Kallis was dropped first ball off a similar delivery from Siddle, edging a chance to a diving Marcus North at first slip. Siddle struck again half an hour later when Amla edged a drive to Australian captain Ricky Ponting at second slip.

Kallis took advantage of his let-off and showed his best form of the summer as he batted for 224 minutes, facing 161 balls and hitting 11 fours. De Villiers faced 166 deliveries and hit seven boundaries on a pitch which played easily apart from occasional uneven bounce.

Amla opened with McKenzie in the absence of injured captain Graeme Smith, who suffered a broken bone in his right hand while batting on Saturday. Australia batted for 35 minutes at the start of play, adding 39 runs in 7.4 overs.

Opening batsman Phil Hughes went from 136 to 160 with audacious stroke play before he slashed a catch to third man off Makhaya Ntini. Australian captain Ricky Ponting declared when new batsman North fell without scoring, edging Dale Steyn to third slip.

[Sadaf Gondal]

DURBAN: Australia clinched the Test series against South Africa when they won the second Test by 175 runs at Kingsmead here on Tuesday.

South Africa were bowled out for 370 in their second innings with 37.4 overs to spare on the final day.

The series win enabled Australia to bounce back after losing a home series against the same opponents earlier in the season.

The victory was virtually sealed when the tourists dismissed overnight batsmen Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers inside the first hour.

South Africa lost another two wickets before lunch. Although Mark Boucher and Morne Morkel resisted for 79 minutes after the break, the end came quickly after Boucher gave a return catch to part-time spinner Marcus North.

A win for Australia would clinch the three-match series after they won the first Test in Johannesburg by 162 runs.

Kallis and De Villiers made their third wicket stand worth 187 before Kallis was caught at second slip off Mitchell Johnson in the sixth over of the day for 93.

Kallis added just five runs after being dropped by Michael Clarke at point off Ben Hilfenhaus in the previous over.

Three overs later De Villiers was caught behind in Peter Siddle's first over of the day for 84.

With no chance of chasing down a target of 546, Duminy and Boucher resisted for an hour until Duminy was caught behind for 17, gloving a vicious lifter from Hilfenhaus.

Paul Harris was caught at deep midwicket off occasional left-arm spinner Simon Katich, who went on to take two more wickets and finish with figures of three for 45.

Australia took the new ball which was due when South Africa resumed at 244 for two at the start of the day.

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[Sadaf Gondal]

Ashwell Prince's appointment as South Africa's Test captain has lasted less than 24 hours. The day after Prince was named as the stand-in leader for the Cape Town Test in the absence of Graeme Smith, Cricket South Africa (CSA) reversed its decision and instead handed the captaincy to Jacques Kallis.
Kallis will lead the side in a one-off capacity in the third Test at Newlands, which begins on March 19. A CSA statement said the decision was made to allow Prince to concentrate solely on his new position as opening batsman.
Normally a middle-order player, Prince has been thrust into the opening role because the selectors were reluctant to tamper with their successful middle order of Hashim Amla, Kallis, AB de Villiers and JP Duminy. Prince was overlooked for the first two Tests after Duminy cemented his role during the tour of Australia, when Prince had a broken thumb.
Prince, usually the vice-captain of the side under Smith, has led South Africa in two Tests. Kallis also captained South Africa during the final Test of Australia's previous tour, again when Smith was injured.

[Sadaf Gondal]

Ricky believes that Australia's series win in South Africa proves that his side have not fallen as far as many critics suggested after their summer at home. The loss of a Test series at home for the first time in 16 seasons, when Graeme Smith's team enjoyed a 2-1 triumph, led to queries over Australia's ability to hold on to their reputation as the world's best side.
Despite South Africa's history-making wins in Perth and Melbourne, Ponting always maintained that the series in Australia had been tightly fought. Australia started well at the WACA and the MCG before allowing South Africa to fight back magnificently and the key in Johannesburg and Durban has been maintaining their intensity for greater stretches of time.

"As I said before we left, I thought the Australian summer was a lot close than the results actually indicated," Ponting said. "I thought we dominated certain parts of the first two Tests without winning them. I think what we've done since we've been here is dominate the game, but not let them back in. We played our best cricket for longer periods of time."
Ponting has already endured the ignominy of being the first Australian captain to lose the Ashes in nearly two decades and his side famously responded by beating England 5-0 in the next series. A similarly long era of home series victories ended in Melbourne late last year and Australia's hearty celebrations after the Durban win - there were some bleary-eyed players on the plane to Cape Town the next day - confirmed how desperate they had been to bounce back immediately.
"It's not revenge, it's just very satisfying," Ponting said. "I'm just very proud of this group of players that we've got here that they've been able to play at this level over the last couple of weeks. We played some amazing Test cricket over the last couple of weeks and a level of cricket that everybody outside of our dressing room thought we weren't capable of. That's been the most satisfying thing for me."
Having secured the series and their No. 1 ranking, the Australian players have been joined by their wives and girlfriends and have several days free of training and team commitments to enjoy the sights of Cape Town. The South Africans, on the other hand, have returned to their home cities and will spend the week and a half between Tests picking over what went wrong after the euphoria of their Melbourne triumph.
"There are a lot of disappointments but for us it's about looking at that now and finding out where we can get better," the captain Graeme Smith said. "Maybe when the emotions drift away a bit more we can get more clinically into where we want to improve and how we can get better."