At stumps in its second innings on Saturday, Australia was 38 for one, with Matthew Hayden out for 20 on a skied ball to Boucher off Charl Langeveldt’s bowling. Earlier in the day, the Proteas were all out for 296, an overall first-innings’ lead of 38 runs after Australia scored 258 on the first day.
On Sunday, with the scores level, Justin Langer will resume on 15 with nightwatchman Brett Lee yet to score.
Warne took three South African wickets in the first cricket test to reach 87 dismissals for the calendar year and overtake the previous record of 85 set by Australian fast bowler Dennis Lillee in 1981.
Boucher paid tribute to Warne as a ”great bowler” but believed his side was well-placed in the match.
”I’d say we are in the leading position, having them nought for one wicket,” Boucher said.
Warne dismissed Ashwell Prince on an lbw decision at the WACA ground to claim the record. He had tied the mark when he bowled A.B. de Villiers earlier in the innings, and later moved to 87 wickets for the year when he bowled Mark Boucher for 62.
Playing in his 14th test of the year, Warne is also the world’s leading test wicket-taker with 648.
”I’m happy about the record, but more pleased I got a couple of crucial wickets when we needed them,” said Warne.
”I’ve probably played 15 seasons of international cricket (he made his test debut in Sydney in January 1992),” Warne said.
”To have your best one being the current one, I suppose that makes you look forward to the coming years. Hopefully I’ve got a couple of good years ahead of me.”
Lillee, who was in the crowd at his home ground to watch the match, said Warne was a worthy holder of the record.
”A record’s always going to be broken, it’s a known thing, and your hope is it goes to someone you rate very highly and I rate him as the best I’ve ever seen, so it’s perfect,” Lillee said.
Statistically, the WACA is Warne’s worst ground in Australia. He has taken just 26 wickets for an average of 39.15 runs in Perth before Saturday, compared with his career average of 24.98.
Lee took 5-93 for Australia after starting the innings with the less than impressive figures of 0-45. De Villiers scored 69 runs to lead South Africa ahead of Boucher’s 62.
Lee trapped Pollock lbw for 34, breaking a 73-run seventh-wicket partnership stand with Boucher. It triggered a collapse of 4-32.- Sapa-AP