Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers shared an unbeaten century partnership as South Africa regained the initiative on the third day of the second and final Test against Australia at the Wanderers Stadium on Saturday.
South Africa were 229 for three when bad light ended play, an overall lead of 199. Amla was on 89 and De Villiers 70. Their fourth wicket stand was worth 139. It was yet another turnaround in a series in which there have been some remarkable changes of fortune. At lunch Australia would have thought they were in a good position to push for a series-levelling win after 18-year-old fast bowler Pat Cummins struck twice as South Africa lost three wickets. The host nation were 94 for three at lunch.
Cummins bowled immediately after lunch and had a confident shout for leg before wicket against Amla turned down by umpire Billy Bowden. The Australians asked for a review and Bowden’s decision was upheld when replays showed the ball would have hit the leg bail – in the umpire’s discretionary area.
De Villiers also had a close escape against Cummins when he edged the ball down the legside dangerously close to wicketkeeper Brad Haddin. But the pair gradually got on top of the bowling. Although dramatic collapses have been the norm in the short series, South Africa will hope to build on their total as they push to win a home series against Australia for the first time since 1969/70, a victory which preceded 21 years of isolation for South Africa. Cummins was the most impressive bowler, taking two for 46 in 17 overs and troubling all the batsmen on a pitch which continued to offer good bounce and carry for the fast bowlers. Australia were hampered by not being able to call on Shane Watson to bowl after the all-rounder suffered a hamstring injury in the first innings.
Cummins dismissed Jacques Rudolph for 24 and Jacques Kallis for two as the advantage in the morning swung to Australia. South Africa also lost captain Graeme Smith, who made 36 before cutting off-spinner Nathan Lyon to backward point. Starting the day 30 runs behind Australia’s first innings total, South Africa quickly wiped out the deficit, with Rudolph looking in outstanding form as he made 24 off 23 balls with five fours. But with the total on 40, Rudolph tried to pull a short ball from Cummins which rose sharply into his body and the ball looped off the splice of his bat to wicketkeeper Brad Haddin.
Smith was out tamely to Lyon and the scoring rate slowed as Amla and Kallis concentrated on defence. But Cummins came back into the attack and produced a good delivery which Kallis edged to Australian captain Michael Clarke at first slip. It was the last success for the tourists before the weather intervened for the third time in as many days. Amla had faced 196 balls and hit 13 fours before the umpires took the players off the field, while De Villiers had faced 122 deliveries and hit ten fours and a six.
