Bad light frustrates Aussies
Australia will go into day two at The Wanderers with a slight advantage as bad light brought the first day’s play to a premature end.
The visitors will feel slightly aggrieved having recovered well from a poor start and with a settled partnership currently at the crease.
Debutant Phil Hughes’ Test career got off to the worst possible start when he had a rush of blood to the head and flared at a Dale Steyn delivery in the opening over and only managed to edge it to Mark Boucher for a duck.
South Africa’s bowlers made more inroads early on as they picked up the wicket of Simon Katich, who was out to a superb catch from Neil McKenzie off the bowling of Steyn before Morne Morkel had Michael Hussey caught in the slips by Jacques Kallis.
Ricky Ponting was defiant and played some lovely strokes in his 83 and with the help of Michael Clarke helped take the visitors from 38-3 to 151-4 when the skipper was eventually removed by a brilliant delivery from Makhaya Ntini. It could all have been so different though, had Graeme Smith not put down a simple catch off Steyn on the stroke of lunch when Ponting had just 40 runs to his name.
Steyn picked up his fourth wicket of the day when he had the dangerous Clarke caught behind for 68, but yet again, as was the case in Australia the game continued to ebb and flow as a 72 run partnership between Brad Haddin and debutant Marcus North swung the game back the way of the Australians.
Play eventually came to an end with 21 overs still to go in the day and the visitors will resume day two on 254-5.
Australia 254-5 (1st innings) :
Ricky Ponting 83, Michael Clarke 68, Marcus North 47*, Dale Steyn 3-82.
For the full scorecard click here here.
February 26th, 2009 at 9:30 am
JP Duminy Dragons!!!!!
February 26th, 2009 at 10:12 am
Any suggestions about live radio streaming?
February 26th, 2009 at 10:14 am
Clouds building up. Just hope the rain stays away. 97 000 tickets have been sold for this 5 day test so far. Damn good for a test in SA as tests have not been well supported here.
Go Proteas. Please hope the rain stays away for the first day. Still hot here today but clouds coming over fast now.
February 26th, 2009 at 10:33 am
unbelievable!!!
February 26th, 2009 at 10:39 am
A duck on debut. briliant!
February 26th, 2009 at 10:39 am
#4 rangerman:
I still wanted to say well done on your achievements there on Superbru.
Any tips for the weekend ahead?
Will GBS bounce back?
February 26th, 2009 at 10:56 am
#6 Sheriff: Ja, geez Rangerman, what kind of bones do you throw? Mine are obviously fake.
February 26th, 2009 at 10:58 am
Remind me again to explain the concept of a “parallel blogger” but not today…
February 26th, 2009 at 11:13 am
Steyn se “BUK!”
February 26th, 2009 at 11:23 am
#6 Sheriff: Dont drive drunk?
February 26th, 2009 at 11:28 am
#10 K9 Pavement-special:
Noted.
Can your team pull off a surprise victory this weekend mate?
February 26th, 2009 at 11:30 am
#11 Sheriff: Surprise victory????? We have a 50% chance. And if Heinke is playing….65%.
February 26th, 2009 at 11:34 am
Guy’s any ideas on where i can stream from?
February 26th, 2009 at 11:37 am
This f&*(*%g country is going to the dogs.
The BIGGEST test series, months in the planning and preparation and what happens?
The scoreboard isnt working, so we dont know basic things like bowling speeds etc……
The live radio link is down (Radio 2000) so no radio commentary online either – there is occasionally a fok jou apology given and the score, but thats it.
Wankers
February 26th, 2009 at 11:39 am
Wicket!!!!! 38/3 Hussey
February 26th, 2009 at 11:41 am
#15 K9 Pavement-special: HAHAHA. Morkel takes a wicket here. Looks like the Proteas have just picked up from where they left off in the tests in OZ. So far looking good.
February 26th, 2009 at 11:54 am
Can’t believe the Aussies has a player like McDonald in the team, he is such a bits and pieces player like those useless guys that played for the poms in the mid nineties, like Mark Ealham
February 26th, 2009 at 11:56 am
#17 Corndog: Yes, agree but its good for us if they have him in the team…lol.
February 26th, 2009 at 12:23 pm
Ek kan dit nie glo nie, die krieket word nêrens op radio heeltyd uitgesaai nie ! Net nou en dan op RSG ?
February 26th, 2009 at 1:01 pm
if you want the score instantly go to http://www.cricinfo.com from your phone. thats where i find the score when im not near a tv or radio.
February 26th, 2009 at 1:26 pm
Just want to correct myself here publicly:
I enquired the other day about a player, Vawn Stemmett.
The player I had in mind was in fact, Vaughn van Jaarsveld.
I wonder if he is going to be selected for the ODIs…
February 26th, 2009 at 1:29 pm
#21 Sheriff: Hi Sheriff. Not sure but he did go over to OZ for the odi’s never played many. So not sure.
We really need to take a wicket soon. Probably will have the usual thunderstorm later.
February 26th, 2009 at 1:33 pm
#22 Puma:
Wanderers not too far from here “keo gentleman”
There are some clouds but if storm, then prob 2 hours (hopefully) away
February 26th, 2009 at 2:22 pm
bye bye ponting!
February 26th, 2009 at 4:48 pm
After dreadful start Australia and North look quite well. 400+ look pretty realistic and game is on.
February 26th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
How did they play?
February 26th, 2009 at 5:18 pm
#25 Nils: Nils does your country play cricket? If not how come you know the game?
February 26th, 2009 at 7:50 pm
#27 Puma: No, as far as I know, there are no cricket clubs in Latvia. I started to have interest in cricket when I was news editor in national news agency. I could not understand scores
so I learned about this sport and gradually my horizon broadened.
Since start of the 2003 WC I more or less closely follow major Tests and ODI’s although my knowledge, of course, cannot match those from cricket playing nations and I may not be knowing all cricket nuances in terms etc. but I understand a lot.
February 26th, 2009 at 7:50 pm
#25 Nils:
well they will be doing well then, a par score for the first knock at the wanderers aout 340…
February 26th, 2009 at 7:55 pm
#27 Puma: In these Tests I have slight difficulties, as I like both – Proteas and Aussies.
One part of me wants SA win to finally change world order after Australian hold for 15 or something years but other part cheers for underdogs, as usual – and the Aussies indeed are underdogs and in “hostile territory”.
Anyway, I hope these will be great games and whoever wins, good on them.
February 26th, 2009 at 8:03 pm
#29 gunther: I hope, Aussies will get at least 400, then it not be walkaway for Proteas. I want close fight, after 3rd lost wicket I feared it will go in smoke.
February 26th, 2009 at 9:46 pm
What ever happened to that 36 year old leggie of theirs, remember according to the foul mouth sledgers our batsmen are suspect against leggies.
Did they dump him because he went for 6 an over for 30 overs?