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SA take big stride towards series win

Cricket Third Test: Steyn strikes as Proteas establish 292-run lead
Last Updated 01 December 2012, 17:40 IST

South Africa, fired by a devastating spell of bo­wling from Dale Steyn and sustained by the batting of Hashim Amla, took a firm grip on the third and final Te­st against Australia on Sa­turday to end day two with an imposing lead of 292.

Amla finished the day one run short of his 18th Test century with South Africa on 230 for two after paceman Steyn had taken 4-40 as the bowlers dismissed the hosts for 163 for a first-innings lead of 62.

Skipper Graeme Smith put on 178 for the second wicket with Amla before departing for 84 late in the day to leave Jacques Kallis, who had made 17 not out, to resume on Sunday.

Australia had started the day on 33-2 in front of a bumper WACA crowd hoping to see Ricky Ponting score a century in his penultimate innings and drive his country towards a series victory and the number one Test ranking that would go with it.

Their hopes lasted less than 40 minutes as Steyn, who took three wickets at the cost of just four runs in the morning sun, and his fellow quicks Vernon Philander (2/55) and Morne Morkel (1/19) unleashed the barrage the Australians had feared all series.

The first ball of the Steyn's first over dispatched opener David Warner caught behind for 13 after a fruitless TV appeal, while his fourth ball sent nightwatchman Nathan Lyon back to the pavilion for seven.

Ponting, who had been welcomed by a standing ovation, managed just four runs when he was trapped lbw by Philander, his subsequent appeal to the TV umpire having less merit than Warner's but proving just as fruitless.

With their free-scoring captain Michael Clarke at the crease, Australia's hopes of a first innings lead were still alive but Steyn squashed them with his best ball of the series.
A fullish effort delivered at full pace that moved away at the last moment, the delivery induced Clarke into an edge that AB de Villiers collected.

Only wicketkeeper Matthew Wade, who scored a bright 68, and debutant pace bowler John Hastings, the last Australian out for 32, offered any real resistance to the South Africans. Wade built a partnership of 55 with Mike Hussey and brought up his second Test half century from 51 balls.

Hussey was removed by Morkel having eked out 12 runs in 68 balls before Robbie Peterson, who finished with 3/44 after being recalled for his first Test in four years, bowled Wade and mopped up the tail just before tea.

South African opener Alviro Petersen, after a bright start,  fell when Mitchell Johnson, off his own bowling, flung himself down to his right to take the ball just above the turf.
Smith, who scored his 84 off just 100 balls with 13 fours, was victim of a third sensational catch when Lyon dived low to claim the ball in the deep over square leg with the end of the day in sight.

score board

SOUTH AFRICA (I Innings): 225

AUSTRALIA (I Innings; o/n: 33/2):

Warner c de Villiers b Steyn    13
Cowan c Kallis b Steyn    0
Watson lbw Philander    10
Lyon c du Plessis b Steyn    7
Ponting lbw Philander    4
Clarke c de Villiers b Steyn    5
Hussey c Smith b Morkel    12
Wade b Peterson    68
Hastings c Petersen b Peterson    32
Johnson b Peterson    7
Starc (not out)    0

Extras (LB-5)    5

Total (all out, 53.1 overs)    163

Fall of wickets: 1-3, 2-18, 3-34, 4-35, 5-43, 6-45, 7-100, 8-140, 9-162.

Bowling: Steyn 16-4-40-4, Philander 16-0-55-2, Morkel 13-6-19-1, Peterson 8.1-1-44-3.

SOUTH AFRICA (II Innings):

Petersen c & b Johnson    23
Smith c Lyon b Starc    84
Amla (batting)    99
Kallis (batting)    17
Extras (LB-6, W-1)    7

Total (for 2 wkts, 38 overs)    230

Fall of wickets: 1-28, 2-206.

Bowling: Starc 10-0-76-1, Watson 5-2-17-0, Johnson 7-0-35-1, Hastings 8-0-47-0, Lyon 7-1-38-0, Hussey 1-0-11-0.

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(Published 01 December 2012, 05:16 IST)

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