Siddle sparks Australia's resurgence
Second test against South Africa:
Australia were winning the battle of the fast men but it wasn't Brett
Lee who surged the home team back into the series. After Dale Steyn, the
form bowler of 2008, stormed to five wickets in the opening session,
South Africa's top order was knocked over by Peter Siddle, a 24-year-old
Victorian who is growing as a Test quick in front of his home crowd.
Siddle's knowledge of the surface helped gain him a start after the
disappointing defeat in Perth, and he was responsible for driving
Australia to a position of strength with 3 for 24 from 13 overs as they
attempt to level the three-match contest. At stumps South Africa were in
severe trouble at 7 for 198, still 196 behind Australia's first-innings
394, which grew in value with each wicket.
Steyn collected three breakthroughs before lunch to capture 5 for 87,
but by the end of the day the 114 runs Michael Clarke marshalled from
Australia's lower order in that session was the most important early
development. From there they controlled the South Africans in a style
that was familiar to the country's previous outfits. Once again it looks
as if Graeme Smith's side is better as a chaser instead of a leader.
Smith followed his 108 in Perth with a committed 62 that held the top
order together until he departed to a clever plan from Siddle. The
dismissal switched South Africa to survival mode and JP Duminy was the
only specialist left to deal with the problems. He reached a calm 34 at
the close and should not expect much help from the remaining batsmen.
In his second spell Siddle was trying to force Smith, who was
starting to appear affected by his nagging elbow injury, to hit down the
ground instead of square on the offside and between midwicket and
square-leg. When Smith had grown comfortable with the straighter line
Siddle delivered a wider ball and the captain reached for it, but could
only edge it to Brad Haddin.
It may be the most important dismissal of the game as Smith was the
best of the visiting batsmen.
AB de Villiers, who spent 24 balls on zero, was a different man from
the hero of Perth and followed Smith on 7 when beaten for pace by Siddle.
Siddle appealed loudly for an lbw until his team-mates pointed to the
broken stumps and he smiled like it was a surprise birthday party. South
Africa were 5 for 132 and Siddle had his third wicket, which came in a
six-over spell of 2 for 12.
Australia's last four wickets added 117 runs. Michael Clarke, who was
unbeaten on 36 off 157 balls yesterday, scored 52 off 51 today. The
contrast in his approach is best illustrated by the way he handled
Makhaya Ntini: He scored 6 runs off 41 balls from Ntini on day one, as
opposed to 23 off 18 today.
Dale Steyn's 5 for 87 is his fourth five-wicket haul of the year - he
is the highest wicket-taker in 2008.
AUSTRALIA - 1ST INNINGS
M.L. Hayden c Duminy b Ntini 8
S.M. Katich b Steyn 54
R.T Ponting c Amla b Harris 101
M.Hussey c Boucher b Steyn 0
M.J. Clarke not out 88
A. Symonds c Kallis b Morkel 27
B.J. Haddin c Smith b Ntini 40
B. Lee c Kallis b Steyn 21
M.G. Johnson b Steyn 0
N.M. Hauritz c Smith b Steyn 12
P.M. Siddle c de Villiers b Kallis 19
EXTRAS (b-5, lb-12, nb-7) 24
TOTAL (all out; 113.4 overs) 394
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-21 (Hayden), 2-128 (Katich), 3-143 (Hussey), 4-184 (Ponting), 5-223 (Symonds),
6-277 (Haddin), 7-322 (Lee), 8-326 (Johnson), 9-352 (Hauritz), 10-394 (Siddle).
BOWLING: Steyn 29-6-87-5, Ntini 27-7-108-2, Kallis 18.4-4-55-1, Morkel 22-3-89-1, Harris 17-3-38-1.
SOUTH AFRICA - 1ST INNINGS
G.C. Smith c Haddin b 62
N.D. McKenzie b Siddle 0
H.Amla c Symonds b Johnson 19
J.H. Kallis c Haddin b Haurit 26
A.B. de Villiers b Siddle 7
J.P. Duminy not out 34
M.Boucher c Hussey b Hauritz 3
M. Morkel b Johnson 21
P.L. Harris not out 8
EXTRAS (lb-4, nb-14) 18
TOTAL (7 wkts; 63 overs) 198
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-1 (McKenzie), 2-39 (Amla), 3-102 (Kallis), 4-126 (Smith), 5-132 (de Villiers), 6-141 (Boucher), 7-184 (Morkel).
BOWLING: Lee 13-2-68-0-5.23 (7nb), Siddle 13-3-24-3-1.84 (4nb), M.G. Johnson 17-3-53-2-3.11 (2nb), Hauritz 20-6-49-2-2.45 (1nb). |
