/ 20 December 2005

SA fight for draw in first Test

South Africa lost two morning wickets and was fighting to save the first cricket Test against Australia at the Waca, going to lunch on the final day’s play at 140-4 after being set 491 runs to win.

Leg-spinner Shane Warne (2-29 from 20 overs) and paceman Brett Lee (1-49 from 17 overs) both made breakthroughs in the opening session.

Lee bowled a fiery spell to right-hander Herschelle Gibbs (33), getting an edge with the score on 109 for Warne to take a difficult catch at first slip.

Warne took his fifth wicket of the match by convincing West Indian umpire Billy Doctrove that left-hander Ashwell Prince was lbw for eight at 138-4, although the ball appeared to strike the pad outside the line of off-stump.

Following Brad Hodge’s 203 not out in Australia’s second innings of 528-8 (declared), South Africa reached 85-2 at stumps on the fourth day with Gibbs on 17 and Jacques Rudolph on 18.

Rudolph slowly advanced to 40 not out in almost three hours of batting with Justin Kemp on one at lunch on Tuesday. – Sapa-AP