Clarke leads Australia's fight-back

There was more than a hint of deja vu at the SCG, where Australia's top order spluttered against a probing South Africa before looking to Michael Clarke for a rescue mission on a slow-moving first day. None of South Africa's bowlers dominated individually but as a group they maintained the pressure and showed why their team could be the No. 1-ranked Test side within four days.

At the MCG last week, South Africa considered Australia's 6 for 280 at stumps on day one as below par having chosen to bat. The Sydney pitch was friendlier but South Africa's attack was just as hostile and they stuck to their plans until late in the afternoon to keep Australia to 6 for 267.

AUSTRALIA - 1ST INNINGS
M. L. Hayden b Steyn			31
S. M. Katich c de Villiers b Kallis	47
R. T. Ponting c Boucher b Morkel 	 0
M. E. K. Hussey c Kallis b Harris 	30
M. J. Clarke not out			73
A. B. McDonald c Boucher b Ntini 	15
B. J. Haddin b Steyn			38
M. G. Johnson not out                   17
EXTRAS (lb-7, w-2, nb-7)        	16
TOTAL (6 wkts; 88 overs)       		267

TO BAT: N. M. Hauritz, P. M. Siddle, D. E. Bollinger.

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-62 (Katich), 2-63 (Ponting), 3-109 (Hayden), 
4-130 (Hussey), 5-162 (McDonald), 6-237 (Haddin).

BOWLING: D. W. Steyn 21-4-71-2, 
	 M. Ntini 19-5-53-1 (2nb, 1w), 
	 M. Morkel 17-3-49-1 (5nb), 
	 J. H. Kallis 15-4-43-1 (1w), 
 	 P. L. Harris 16-3-44-1.