Skipper Ricky Ponting became Australia’s third all-time leading scorer as he spearheaded his team’s fight-back in the third and final Test against South Africa at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Wednesday.
The 31-year-old right-hander was in sparkling touch and shared in a breezy 70-run partnership with Mike Hussey after the loss of three wickets in the 15 overs to stumps on Tuesday.
Australia were 226 for seven in reply to South Africa’s 451 for nine declared at tea. Adam Gilchrist was on two with Brett Lee yet to score.
Earlier, at lunch, Australia were 124 for three in reply to South Africa’s huge 451 for nine declared, with Ponting on 69 and Hussey surviving a big lbw appeal on 13. Australia were 128 runs behind the follow-on target.
Ponting passed Mark Waugh’s Test aggregate of 8 029 runs when he reached 42 with an on-drive for three off Shaun Pollock during the morning session.
Waugh took 128 Tests to reach his total, but Ponting is playing in his 100th Test match and is averaging 56,35.
Ponting has Allan Border (11 174) and Steve Waugh (10 927) ahead of him as Australia’s all-time leading Test-run scorers. He was on 8 059 career runs at lunch.
Ponting, who was 2005’s leading scorer with 1 544 runs at 61,32 and this week supplanted South African Jacques Kallis as cricket’s top-rated batsman, was in crisp form, playing his shots with great timing and precision.
South Africa looked to be harshly treated when Pakistan umpire Aleem Dar turned down a strong lbw appeal by paceman Andre Nel when Hussey was on nine and Australia at 102 for three.
Television replays showed the ball pitched in line with the stumps and did not deviate leading Hussey’s front pad.
Nel flung his head into the air in disgust and skipper Graeme Smith appeared aggrieved by the decision, but generally South Africa took it well after Australian bowler Brett Lee was officially reprimanded for questioning Dar’s decision on an lbw decision on the opening day’s play.
Australia’s scoring tempo was considerably more than South Africa’s laboured first innings and they raised their 100 in 112 minutes off 25,4 overs.
The Proteas restrained their scoring rate to less than three runs an over in their 154,4 over vigil spanning 11 hours. — Sapa-AFP