ADELAIDE: South Africa’s pacemen routed Australia’s batsmen with five late wickets to leave the hosts reeling at 111-5 at the close of day three on Saturday and buoy the tourists’ hopes of pulling off an unlikely victory in the second Test.
Dismissed for 388 at Tea to trail Australia’s massive first innings total by 162 runs, Rory Kleinveldt took three wickets in a withering pace assault, with fellow quicks Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel taking a wicket each as the Adelaide Oval wicket bared its teeth late in the day.
First innings hero Michael Clarke and Mike Hussey survived a nervous few overs as shadows crept across the ground, with the hosts stuttering to a still-precarious 273-run lead.
Clarke, who scored a second consecutive double-century in the first innings, was on nine, with Hussey on five after a pulsating day in baking heat.
David Warner and Ed Cowan pushed the lead to 239, before Kleinveldt ended their 77-run opening stand amid a superb burst of swing bowling.
Kleinveldt, a late selection following a back injury to Vernon Philander, removed Warner for 41, the pugnacious opener miscuing a swipe off his pads to produce a simple catch to Du Plessis at extra cover.
The two-test paceman Kleinveldt then had Rob Quiney feathering an edge to wicketkeeper AB de Villiers in the same over, the Australian number three slumping to his second duck of the test following a nine in his sole innings in Brisbane. Quiney made it a third in quick succession by bowling Cowan through the gate, before Dale Steyn had the out-of-form Ricky Ponting out for 16 when the former Australia captain played onto his stumps.
Nightwatchman Peter Siddle strode out to the crease to meet Clarke but headed back quickly, managing just one run, after nicking to De Villiers off Morkel.
The powerhouse display brought the visitors back into the match and the tourists will be mindful of history at Adelaide Oval, where the greatest successful run chase was by England in 1901/02 when they mowed down 315 for victory.
South Africa were earlier buoyed by fighting half-centuries from an injured Jacques Kallis and debutant Faf du Plessis before the tourists were dismissed at tea, still 162 runs short of Australia’s massive first innings total of 550.
Kallis was courage personified as he smashed a fighting 58 despite a hamstring injury, anchoring a 93-run partnership with Du Plessis to guide the tourists past the follow-on.
Du Plessis also showed great composure with a 78 on debut and put the Australian attack to the sword with a breathless display of clean hitting in the final overs. (Reuters)