JOIN USTon-up Smith leads SA fightback
Graeme Smith struck a defiant century in the face of Australia's massive first innings total of 550, but the hosts grabbed a pair of wickets after tea to restrict South Africa to 217 for two at the close of the second day of the second Test.
With Australia's bowlers toiling fruitlessly on a flat wicket during the heat of the day, the South Africa captain nudged his team steadily forward but opener Alviro Petersen and Hashim Amla suffered brain-fades to lose their wickets.
Having raised his 26th Test century, the barrel-chested skipper was unbeaten on 111, with Jacques Rudolph on 25.
Resuming on 117-0, Petersen added 21 runs with Smith after tea but their partnership was broken by a poorly judged attempt at a single and a sprightly 37-year-old in Mike Hussey.
After driving spinner Nathan Lyon to mid-on, Petersen swerved to avoid Smith down the pitch and was a few centimetres short of safety when Hussey swooped and threw down the stumps with a direct hit.
Having been frustrated by the pair for more than a session, the Australians celebrated wildly as Petersen trudged off, having eased off in his dash to the crease, thinking he was safely home.
Australia were convinced they had their second wicket four overs later when Smith was given out caught behind when on 78, but the decision was over-ruled after video review, leaving paceman James Pattinson biting his lip in frustration.
The reprieve was Smith's second in his innings after he survived a stumping chance on 46 when wicket-keeper Matthew Wade fumbled a Lyon delivery behind the stumps with the Proteas skipper well out of his crease.
Score board
Australia (I Innings, O/n 482/5):
Warner c Smith b Morkel 119
Cowan c & b Kallis 10
Quiney c Smith b Morkel 0
Ponting b Kallis 4
Clarke b Morkel 230
Hussey b Steyn 103
Wade c De Villiers b Morkel 6
Siddle c Smith b Kleinveldt 6
Pattinson c Smith b Steyn 42
Hilfenhaus c Kleinveldt b Morkel 0
Lyon (not out) 7
Extras (LB-11, W-1 NB-11) 23
Total (all out, 107.2 overs) 550
Fall of wickets: 1-43, 2-44, 3-55, 4-210, 5-482, 6-494, 7-501, 8-503, 9-504.
Bowling: Steyn 23.4-4-79-2, Morkel 30-5-146-5, Kallis 3.3-1-19-2, Kleinveldt 20.1-4-81-1, Tahir 23-0-180-0, Du Plessis 7-0-34-0.
South Africa (I Innings):
Smith (batting) 111
Petersen (run out) 54
Amla st Wade b Warner 11
Rudolph (batting)..................................25
Extras (B-7, LB-2, W-3, NB-4) 16
Total (for 2 wkts, 67 overs) 217
Fall of wickets: 1-138, 2-169.
Bowling: Hilfenhaus 12-4-36-0, Pattinson 8-0-40-0, Lyon 24-2-53-0, Siddle 12-3-34-0, Clarke 3-0-10-0, Hussey 1-0-7-0, Warner 5-0-27-1, Quiney 2-1-1-0.