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A day of determined batting from South Africa, coupled with three key Australian top-order wickets, has the tourists in a strong position at stumps on the second day. Australia trail by 397 runs with seven wickets in hand and three days of play remaining.
After the tourists resumed on 3 for 230, it was a day of watchful accumulation until Graeme Smith declared the South African innings closed at 9 for 451 with an hour of play remaining until stumps. The awkward fifteen over period that followed was a productive one for the Proteas, with Charl Langeveldt removing both openers as Australia slumped to 2 for 35. Nel sealed the advantage in the final over of the day, when Brad Hodge fell into the trap of fending a short delivery to short leg.
Matthew Hayden was the first man to go, inside edging a drive back onto his stumps in the fourth over of the innings. At the other end, Langer looked in dangerous form after missing the Melbourne Test with a hamstring strain. The West Australian slammed 25 from 20 balls before dragging an ambitious pull-shot on to his stumps whilst attempting to smash his third consecutive boundary. Jacques Kallis must have breathed a sigh of relief, after having grassed a chance in the slip cordon when Langer was on 12.
He may be having a forgettable series in the field, but Kallis played a crucial role as the Proteas amassed a commanding first innings total. His 275-ball innings of 111 wasn’t flamboyant, but it was effective. Combining with Ashwell Prince (119), the pair resisted doggedly, and between them had amassed 219 runs when Kallis top edged a pull shot to Glenn McGrath at fine leg.
Prince maintained his impressive 100 per cent conversion rate of fifties to tons, and was jubilant upon reaching his third Test century. He may feel aggrieved at the manner in which his innings of 119 was ended by a Warne lbw shout, and rightly so. A leg-spinner pitched outside off and spun in to strike the pad outside the line whilst not playing a shot – but not enough to hit off stump, or warrant a raised finger from Billy Bowden.
The luck continued for Australia soon after, when an attempted sweep from Mark Boucher was hit straight into the ground and then rebounded off the pad to a diving Adam Gilchrist. Aleem Dar upheld the appeal for a catch, though he could be forgiven for doing so - even Boucher was seemingly unaware of what had happened.
Shaun Pollock chipped in again with a handy 46, before holing out to mid-on, and debutant Johan Botha was unbeaten on 20 when Graeme Smith called his troops back to the dressing room.
South Africa require a victory in this Test in order to level the series, and by the end of the second day it remains a distinct possibility. Scoring a large first innings total was only the first part of the job – they needed early wickets as well. They’ve managed to do both, and Australia will have to fight hard to either maintain or advance their series lead.
