South Africa fight back

ADELAIDE, Australia, Nov 24, (AFP) - South Africa gave themselves an outside winning chance in the second Test in Adelaide with five Australian wickets late on the third day on Saturday.

The Australians, leading by 162 runs after the first innings, were sailing along at 77 without loss before a tumble of wickets gave the Proteas renewed heart with two days left.

At the close, Australia were 111 for five with first innings double centurion Michael Clarke on nine and century-maker Mike Hussey not out five. That gave the home side a lead of 273 runs with five wickets left. Rory Kleinveldt bowled his team back into the contest with three wickets in 18 balls and Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel grabbed one each to add an edge to the contest.

South Africa had been facing the possibility of a huge run chase. The biggest successful chase at the Adelaide Oval was 315, which Australia achieved to overhaul England in 1902.

"What we did tonight in the last session was exactly what we needed to still have a sniff in the game. And we did that," allrounder Faf du Plessis said. "So we're still in there with a chance.

"If they just went 4-1/2 runs an over with no wickets, we would have been under massive pressure. At the moment, we're still in there."

Spinner Nathan Lyon, who could have a major say for Australia over the final two days, said: "We're pretty happy with where we are sitting at the moment with a a 273-run lead.

"It's going to be hard work in the morning, but hopefully we will be able to fight the reverse swing and spin and get us a good lead again and see where we get to."

Swing bowler Kleinveldt struck with two wickets in three balls, getting David Warner to miscue to Du Plessis at cover for 41 and then dismissing Rob Quiney for his second duck, nicking to wicketkeeper AB de Villiers.

Kleinveldt picked up his third wicket when he bowled Ed Cowan for 29.

Ricky Ponting's miserable series continued when he chopped Steyn on to his stumps for 16 and nightwatchman Peter Siddle made just one before he was caught behind off Morkel.

AUSTRALIA – 1ST INNINGS 550
SOUTH AFRICA - 1ST INNINGS

G. Smith c Wade b Siddle		       122
A. Petersen run out (Hussey) 			54
H. Amla st. Wade b Warner 			11
J. Rudolph c Quiney b Lyon 			29
AB de Villiers lbw b Siddle 			01
F. du Plessis c Clarke b Hilfenhaus 		78
D. Steyn c Ponting b Hilfenhaus 		01
R. Kleinveldt b Hilfenhaus 			00
J. Kallis c Wade b Clarke 			58
M. Morkel b Lyon 				06
I. Tahir not out 				10
Extras (b7, lb2, w3, nb6) 			18
Total (all out, 124.3 overs) 		       388

Fall of wickets: 1-138 (Petersen), 2-169 (Amla)
		 3-233 (Rudolph), 4-233 (Smith)
		 5-240 (De Villiers), 6-246 (Steyn)
		 7-250 (Kleinveldt), 8-343 (Kallis)
		 9-352 (Morkel), 10-388 (Du Plessis)
Bowling: Hilfenhaus 19.3-6-49-3
	 Pattinson 9.1-0-41-0 (4nb, 1w)
	 Lyon 44-7-91-2
	 Siddle 30.5-6-130-2 (2nb)
	 Clarke 7-1-22-1
	 Hussey 1-0-7-0 (2w)
	 Warner 5-0-27-1
	 Quiney 8-3-12-0

AUSTRALIA – 2ND INNINGS
E. Cowan b Kleinveldt 				29
D. Warner c du Plessis b Kleinveldt 		41
R. Quiney c de Villiers b Kleinveldt 		00
R. Ponting b Steyn 				16
M. Clarke not out 				09
P. Siddle c de Villiers b Morkel 		01
M. Hussey not out 				05
Extras (lb7, nb3) 				10
Total (5 wkts; 32 overs) 		       111

Fall of wickets: 1-77 (Warner), 2-77 (Quiney)
		 3-91 (Cowan), 4-98 (Ponting)
		 5-103 (Siddle)
Bowling: Steyn 10-4-28-1
	 Morkel 9-2-24-1
	 Tahir 7-1-38-0 (1nb)
	 Kleinveldt 6-1-14-3 (2nb)