Australia had the best of the second day of the second Castle Lager Test against South Africa at Kingsmead on Saturday although Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers fought back well in the last session of the day with a partnership of 130.
At close of play, South Africa had 140 for two — still trailing Australia by 229 runs.
Australia resumed their second innings on their overnight score of 228 for five.
South Africa kept it tight in the first part of the morning session — the first half hour of play yielded just two runs, and the first boundary came up in the ninth over of the day.
But although the South African bowling was disciplined, Michael Hussey and Andrew Symonds were able to leave a number of balls, and did not appear to be in any danger of getting out.
Andre Nel was brought back into the attack after the drinks break, and made an immediate breakthrough when he had Symonds out leg before wicket for 13.
Symonds had been looking somewhat uncomfortable after being hit in the face by a delivery from Makhaya Ntini on Friday, and his innings was uncharacteristically slow. He faced 53 balls for his 13 runs, and hit just one boundary.
Five balls later dangerman Adam Gilchrist was dropped by Ashwell Prince, and South African heads dropped. But the dropped catch proved not to be too expensive, as Gilchrist was caught behind by Mark Boucher in Nel’s next over, for two runs.
The Australian tail-enders frustrated the South Africans, who thought they had the end of the Australian innings in sight.
Middle order batsman Michael Hussey led the last three batsmen on a charge and the last three wickets cost 110 runs. Shane Warne, who was greeted by boos as he made his way to the crease, played a cameo innings. He and Hussey put on 56 runs for the eighth wicket, with Warne contributing 36 off 31 balls. His innings came to an end in the third over after lunch when he was caught by De Villiers off Shaun Pollock.
Andre Nel added to his pre-lunch haul when he had Michael Kasprowicz caught by De Villiers for seven, but Stuart Clark stuck around while Hussey launched himself at the South African attack. At lunch, Hussey had 40 off 155 balls. When he was given out lbw to Kallis for 75, he had added another 35 runs off just 40 balls.
Clark finished not out on 13, and Australia were all out for 369 just after the afternoon drinks break.
South Africa had the worst possible start, losing two wickets in the first four overs. Graeme Smith was out first ball, when he tried to drive a widish delivery from Brett Lee and was caught at third slip by Justin Langer. Herschelle Gibbs went out in the
fourth over, when he was clean bowled by Kasprowicz.
But South Africa’s premier batsman Kallis and the young De Villiers did much to steady the South African innings. Scoring at more than four runs an over in rapidly fading light, they got to 100 off 143 balls in 99 minutes and their century partnership came up off 151 balls.
Kallis, looking completely in control and playing some superb shots, reached his 39th Test half century off just 49 balls. When play was called off because of bad light, Kallis was not out on 72 and De Villiers had 48. – Sapa