Date-stamped : 04 Feb94 - 10:24 South Africa v Australia, Test 3, Adelaide, 28Jan-1Feb 94 ====> Day 1, 28 Jan 94 The Australian team selection was straightforward. Except for Perth, where they both played, McGrath and Reiffel have shared the 12th man duties all season. Today McGrath was left out. Steve Waugh returned after injury for Martyn. South Africa made three changes, Peter Kirsten, McMillan and Snell coming in for Wessels (injured), Symcox and Matthews. The selection of McMillan, after injury, was no surprise. His slip fielding and middle order bat- ting have been sorely missed, and his bowling is at least the equal of any he would replace. But they went into the game with no recognised spinner, being prepared to use part-timer Gary Kir- sten. Also, Craig Matthews, who has bowled well in the tests to date, and who makes the old ball move off the seam, was dropped in favour of cut-bowler Snell who can be a bit wayward at times. Possibly they felt that with McMillan in, Matthews didn't provide enough variety. The wicket played very well today. There was little in it for any type of bowler, and the batsman were able to play shots. It is reckoned to be on the dry side and will probably turn slowly for anyone prepared to tweak it. With Australia winning a good toss and with South Africa, Donald in particular, bowling some rubbish early on with the new ball, the predictable outcome was 1-152 until shortly before tea. The three batsmen to make runs, Taylor, Slater, and Boon all scored well in their usual areas. Slater played all round the wicket but favoured the vee, scoring fours to the off and 1s and 2s to leg. Taylor was similar but preferred the leg side. Boon favoured the cross-batted shots square on both sides. Today he was keeping the cut shot down. During this period, the batsmen were troubled by the occasional short one. De Villiers in partic- ular was a problem here because the batsmen were always looking to get forward to him. But it was Donald who got the wicket. Slater was beaten for pace on the middle stump, hooked a top edge onto his helmet, and was caught at point. Then the real game started just before tea courtesy of the least likely source. Gary Kirsten, the SIXTH bowler used, was bowling round the wicket offies in his 2nd over to Taylor. He wasn't getting any turn but was prepared to toss it up. Taylor was horribly guilty of underestimating his opponent. He played around, across, and without showing the full face to a ball that was meant to go whistling through mid-wicket. He lost his leg stump. McMillan was on at the other end and he also kept the screws on. Before Mark Waugh was set, he got one to cut in shar- ply that hit Waugh on the elbow. After a brief pause for air, Waugh cut the next ball straight to gully where Snell had about four goes at snaffling the catch. Successfully. So, at tea, it was 3 down when Australia were cruising five minutes earlier. After that, Cronje kept Kirsten going for 18 overs until just be- fore the new ball was due. During the early part of this period, Donald got Boon with the three card trick. Two short ones to hit in successive balls went to square leg. The third one was just that little bit quicker, and Boon hit it straight to de Vil- liers at long leg who doesn't miss those. South Africa were back in the game, and another breakthrough would have seen Aus- tralia in trouble. But with Kirsten on, there was always that bit of respite at one end. By the time the new ball was taken, Border and Steve Waugh had settled in, and they really had no trouble in seeing it out. There was ample time to bring up a 50 partnership. Earlier, prior to the new ball, the pair of them had some dif- ficulty in judging the pace, particularly of Donald, but also of McMillan. Border was also very lucky to have survived two bad calls for singles to Rhodes. Rhodes later got one on the end of the fingers and had to go off in pain. Word is that his finger is not broken, but Richie Benaud felt the jury is still out on that. Honours reasonably even, but shaded by Australia who should have done even better. Tomorrow, if Australia can bat for a long time, South Africa will have to master Warne later to avoid another rearguard action. Conversely if a rejuvenated attack can make deep inroads early, South Africa are still well in the game. Contributed by Geoff.Bethell (srg3lib@*grace.cri.nz) ====> Day 2, 29 Jan 94 Australian captain Allan Border became the first player to reach 11,000 Test runs, but Steve Waugh stole the show with a superb 164. Border was out for 84 after sharing a stand of 208 with Waugh as Australia finally declared on 469-7 Waugh hit 19 boun- daries during his 6 hour stint as he compiled his second highest score and seventh Test century. South African openers Andrew Hudson and Gary Kirsten survived the 54 minutes before close as they reached 39-0. Contributed by goo-chie (jdw5@*.ukc.ac.uk) ====> Day 2, MORE A bit of a nothing day really. South Africa weren't able to break through. Australia couldn't score quickly enough to give South Africa both an hour's batting at the end of the day AND a diffi- cult follow-on target. At the end of the day, South Africa need- ed a further 231 to avoid the follow-on with all 10 wickets in- tact. The South African attack looked threadbare today. With Snell only able to bowl 3 overs in the day because of shin splints; with Donald both out of touch and needing to be used as a stock bowler, it was never going to be much of a day for breaking through. Border and Steve Waugh carried on from last night until shortly before tea when Border nicked an angled one from McMillan to Richardson. They put on 208 but it was slow going, particular- ly from Border. 84 in the first session was only beaten by the 100 in the second because Cronje tried both Kirstens in tandem at the end. Steve Waugh played one of his best ever innings. He was particularly strong on the cut and the on-drive square. The only blemish on a perfect semi-circular run chart was the nick through the slips for four that brought up his 100. McMillan claimed the wicket of Healy immediately after Border in a controversial caught at point off bat/pad, but the advent of Reiffel found another ally for Waugh. Waugh himself was out for 164, caught down the leg side off Donald. He didn't believe it either, but here was a definite nick somewhere. By then, however, it didn't matter. South Africa did their best to slow the run rate all day by bowling wide but this only contributed - Waugh apart - to a rather ordinary and pedestrian day's play. Border always had in mind to give South Africa 1 hour late on and use the four main bowlers, but although he got 13 overs in, South Africa were not seriously threatened. McDermott got one or two to lift, but Reiffel was hopelessly wayward and only lasted three overs. May and Warne were soon on, but they only had 5 overs between them. Warne was getting a bit of turn, and should do well tomorrow. It appears that May has found some miracle treatment for his callous and he should be less troubled from now on. Tomorrow should be interesting. South Africa should surely pass the 270 follow-on target late in the day, and that will set Border an evening's task of planning the third innings. That is if, as expected, he gets a good lead. It's well set up to be a good game, even if today was just a jockeying for position. Contributed by Geoff.Bethell (srg3lib@*grace.cri.nz) ====> Day 3, 30 Jan 94 Steve Waugh followed up his first innings century by taking four wickets to put Australia firmly in command against South Africa. Waugh picked up four wickets for just 15 runs in a nine over spell after tea as South Africa ended the day 235-7 after the Aussies' 469-7 dec. Waugh denied Andrew Hudson a century as he fell for 90 while Jonty Rhodes Daryll Cullinan and Brian McMillan all went chea- ply. Hudson had enjoyed a 70 run stand with Peter Kirsten to take South Africa to 173-3 before Waugh struck. South Africa's Peter Kirsten went before a disciplinary hearing after questioning lbw decisions during the Third Test against Australia. Kirsten who finished the day unbeaten on 52 ex- changed words with umpire Darrell Hair as South Africa slumped to 235-7. After the close Kirsten was spoken to by the umpires and ICC referee Jackie Hendricks and any punishment decision will be announced Monday. Under the Code of Conduct he could be fined 75% of his match fee or be suspended for up to three Tests. Contributed by goo-chie (jdw5@*.ukc.ac.uk) ====> Day 3, MORE Very slow today with South Africa scoring 198 runs from 97 overs, but there was much of interest. South Africa's initial target is to avoid the follow-on, and they are still 33 runs short of that with only 3 wickets in hand. There are a number of factors which conspired to produce this result today: 1. South Africa batted too slowly, not taking all the runs that were available. 2. South Africa's middle order fell in a heap, as it always threatens to do. 3. Steve Waugh took 4 wickets on the very day when the spinners managed none. 4. Umpire Darryl Hair was trigger happy with his right index finger when the ball hit the pads. In the first two sessions, although there was no real hint of what was to come, there was always the feeling that South Africa would eventually commit suicide by their decision to play as if under siege. They scored 61 and 73 runs in those two sessions. At tea they were 2-173 but lost 5-64 in that final session with Steve Waugh getting 4 of them. In the top order, Hudson and Gary Kirsten put on exactly 100 with Hudson doing better against pace and Kirsten against spin. Right on lunch, Kirsten was hit in the side by a short one from McDermott. Next ball he was out hooking, beaten for pace, caught by May at square leg. After lunch Cronje, more than most in siege mode, failed to get off the mark. He was caught at the wicket playing defensively to a ball by Reiffel that looked straight but actually swung in slightly and moved back to its original line off the pitch. Hudson and Peter Kirsten took things to tea without further loss. Hudson played well today. He is not a "busy" player in the sense that he looks for the singles but he plays well off the front foot through the covers. He scored hard- ly a single run behind the wicket. His lbw was the first of three given out by umpire Hair. He was well forward but was hit in line. With Steve Waugh coming wide, he was unlucky not to be given the benefit - not for the first time in this series. From then on, it was downhill all the way. Rhodes was beaten by a much quicker one from Steve Waugh and was bowled. It kept low, and Rhodes wasn't even close to keeping it out. Cullinan played on to the same bowler after an attempted back foot shot through backward point. Then McMillan was also lbw to Steve Waugh, on the crease, to a much slower loopy one. I thought this one was fair enough. It swung in, sure, but then straightened on pitching. The final wicket of the day was Richardson who was lbw to McDermott. This was, quite simply, going down the leg side. Period. All this time, Peter Kirsten was hanging on like grim death. He ended up on 52* at the end of the day, but had problems with all bowlers. He was hit about the body and helmet by the quicks and seemed mesmerised by Warne's round-the-wicket stuff into the footmarks. Nevertheless, South Africa would have capitu- lated by now without him. His cutting gave him 4 or 5 boundaries. Shane Warne took no wickets in 36 overs today, and bowled below par. It is becoming increasingly obvious that his shoulder is troubling him. It is an overuse injury, and those don't clear up by bowling. Two ominous points here: 1. Bowling the goog- ly hurts him greatly. 2. Throwing is no problem. So it is having to bowl too many balls that is giving him the problem. With him bowling round the wicket so much and with the googly delivery be- ing excruciating to bowl, he is down on his variety. However, his general bowling today surely contributed to Steve Waugh's 4- wicket bag. He was still able to get a lot of turn despite his shoulder. Tomorrow will be interesting. South Africa have little chance if they cannot score a further 33 runs to avoid the follow-on. Even if they do, Australia will still have a big lead and should be able to give themselves a good number of overs to bowl South Africa out a second time. South Africa will need much more appli- cation from that middle order to get out of this one. The odd one is starting to keep low and there should be even more turn tomorrow and Tuesday. Contributed by Geoff.Bethell (srg3lib@*grace.cri.nz) ====> Day 4, 31 Jan 94 What a tense first session. The closer South Africa got to their target of 270 to avoid the follow-on, the slower the run rate became - or so it seemed. They lost Snell early, caught at the wicket off an excellent McDermott outswinger, but de Villiers decided that he was going to see it through with Kirsten come what may. Reiffel conceded 14 runs from 3 overs today and the other two bowlers other than McDermott used were Steve Waugh and Warne. 19.2 overs from these three yielded precisely 22 runs off the bat. But South Africa made it without further loss. Kirsten did most of the scoring today, including his favourite sweeps off Warne. Warne did get his wicket, his only one of the match, but this was at 270, precisely the score South Africa required. Kir- sten, the pressure now off, hit out to mid wicket but only got a bottom edge on to his foot, the ball rebounding close to Mark Waugh at silly point who took a good catch low down well in front of him. De Villiers, last man out at 273, came charging down the wicket to Warne. He squirted one out to square leg where he, but not Allan Donald thought there was a run. Donald was right. So Australia had a lead of 196 and there were a few overs left to the lunch break for a further 18 to be added. After that, it was just a matter of each batsman settling in, scoring as quickly as possible, and setting South Africa a tar- get. Australia, one down in the series, were obliged to make the running. South Africa were hampered by de Villiers being unable to bowl (thumb injury) but that was not really significant given the context of the game. South Africa set ODI-style fields once any batsman had got set. Australia found it difficult to score quickly on the slowish pitch and because of the regular loss of wickets in the chase. Only Slater was out to a defensive stroke. Border eventually realised that, on this wicket, 320 lead was more than enough and pulled out giving his bowlers a minimum of 20 overs at South Africa today, and all day tomorrow. South Africa quickly got themselves into dire straits, being 3-18 at the close off 22 overs. Warne is turning the ball square on a pitch which is wearing. It was one such ball that bowled the left handed Gary Kirsten. He got one from over the wicket very wide of the off stump, left it without bothering to pad up, and saw it turn prodigiously knocking back his middle and off. Kir- sten stood there dumbfounded for some time. Earlier, Warne had Cronje lbw with a delivery (over the wicket) pitching on leg which straightened and may have hit middle, whilst McDermott had made the initial breakthrough with Hudson cutting him to gully. Tomorrow, it is simply a case of survival. Even that is very unlikely, but we've all written South Africa off before. Contributed by Geoff.Bethell (srg3lib@*grace.cri.nz) ====> Day 5, 1 Feb,1994 Craig McDermott and Shane Warne finished with four wickets each as Australia beat South Africa by 191 runs to level the three Test series South Africa starting the day at 18-3 were all out for 129, 70 minutes before the scheduled close. Paceman McDer- mott grabbed 4-33 while leg spinner Warne took 4-31 including his 100th Test wicket in only his 23rd match. Peter Kirsten (42) and Fanie de Villiers (30) offered the only South African resistance. Contributed by goo-chie (jdw5@*.ukc.ac.uk) ====> Day 5, MORE Comments: This was the day when Australia were going to level the series. Three quick wickets had fallen last night; only 7 to go; the ball was turning; a night-watchman was in; all day to play. For South Africa it was a series of little battles. All spin to start with - unusual, even for Australia, but just a car- ry over from last night. Both men bowled fairly well, but the batsmen were surprisingly untroubled. May was off in favour of McDermott. Round one to South Africa. Soon, the batsmen realised they could keep the score moving as well as hang on - even off Warne to some extent. De Villiers hit him past mid-off for three. Warne was off. Yet another round to South Africa - a big one this time. Border tried everything. He switched his bowlers; he gave both Waughs a bowl just to mix it up; he even tried himself at one stage. Everyone except the too predictable Paul Reiffel got a bowl in that first session. But South Africa held firm at 3-86 after having faced 37 overs in the session. So, there were doubts creeping into the Aussie camp and there was a bit more confidence in the South African camp. The middle session was what test match cricket is all about. Over the lunch break, South Africa must have realised they had a lot to play for again and they went back into their shells a bit too much. Peter Kirsten and de Villiers again held fort for a long while, but the struggle was beginning to take its toll. The first 16 overs of the session yielded just 10 runs. Craig McDer- mott was back on again, and he was giving de Villiers a few short ones. The broken thumb was beginning to hurt, and Kirsten was thinking about taking most of McDermott's bowling. But McDermott was not to be denied de Villiers' wicket for much longer. De Vil- liers was beginning to move that back foot a pace towards square leg, not quite getting behind the line. That didn't matter too much in one sense because he was seing the ball so well, but the concentration was beginning to wane as well. The final ball of the 17th over of the session was it. De Villiers skied it to mid-off, where Reiffel took a comfortable enough catch. It was the final ball before drinks, and the half way point of the day's scheduled play. And so the floodgates had opened, exposing that South African middle order. One ball before drinks, South Africa were 3-100. At tea, they were 7-116 and in imminent danger of defeat. The three major destroyers were Craig McDermott and, sad to say, Ter- ry Prue and Darryl Hair. Rhodes had only made 4 before May, bowl- ing his off-spinners round the wicket, got one to pitch on middle and straighten. It hit Rhodes in line (probably), but the ball had clearly turned so much that it would have passed outside the leg stump. Prue had got it partially right - it IS generally pos- sible to be lbw to an off-spinner going round the wicket and turning - but he failed to allow for the specific. With Cullinan in, Border brought on Warne but the new ball was due and was tak- en not long afterwards. Close to tea, and it was round two of Hair versus Kirsten. Hair won this one, too, because he gave Kir- sten out lbw to McDermott when there were two or three sounds. Even McDermott seemed embarrassed. It may even have been out. The ball certainly hit Kirsten's bat AFTER his pad - there was little doubt he would have been out but for an inside edge - but others thought it hit the bat on the way through as well. Enough, of course, to give the batsman the benefit. But maybe Hair thought there wasn't any doubt. Right on tea, and Darryl Cullinan found yet another way to get himself out. Short one from McDermott; Cullinan ducked; the ball passed over his back and struck the back of the bat which he'd obligingly left sticking up in the air like a periscope. Healy could have had no idea where it was go- ing, but his reflexes and agility were good enough to land him a catch low and wide to his left. After tea it was a bit of an anti-climax. Australia took just 47 minutes to wrap the match up, with Warne getting two and May the other. This gives Warne 101 test wickets from his 23 tests. May, bowling round the wicket, struck first having Richardson caught at slip by Taylor - deflected off Healy's pad. Warne then finished it off with a flipper lbw (McMillan) and a simple c&b off Snell to seal the win. So the series was tied up at 1-all. There is little doubt that Australia were the better side on the type of wickets the tests were played on. South Africa maintained parity only by vir- tue of a strong competitive streak. They were unable, really, to compensate for a weak middle order. It may be a different story in South Africa where they'd be foolish to prepare Warne and May wickets. Contributed by Geoff.Bethell (srg3lib@*grace.cri.nz) ====> Day 5, MORE South Africa go down bravely - Peter Roebuck This was a last day of a drama far beyond its predictable conclu- sion. Simply put, South Africa did not lose a wicket for three hours, but eventually collapsed and were beaten by 191 runs with 73 minutes left to play in the third Test here, enabling Aus- tralia to square the series at one match apiece. It was a day that held a crowd of 9,806 (79,637 for the match) in its thrall. Wickets fell to the last balls before afternoon drinks and tea, punches in the stomach that shook the South Africans. Shane Warne took his hundredth wicket in Test cricket and Ian Healy claimed his 200th victim; a slip catch was taken off the keeper's pads, a batsman and bowler collided, and a stumping appeal was referred to the third umpire, only for it to emerge that no camera had been placed at square leg, the authorities being reluctant to pay for it. Also a hole appeared in a wall in the visitors' dress- ing-room the ground authorities have still to decide whether to ask for payment for the damage. Nor was that all. A tailender with a damaged thumb batted for three hours, far beyond the call of duty. A replacement resisted skilfully for 259 minutes and nine hours in the match, only to depart with the utmost reluctance. Peter Kirsten was duly re- ported by both umpires and fined a further 40 per cent of his match fee, having previously been docked a quarter of it for comments made to an umpire. Finally, the last wicket fell to a full toss, probably the first Warne had bowled all season. To see Kirsten and de Villiers survive the first three hours was to see gameness writ large. Kirsten again used soft hands to stun the spin, and hooked the faster men, his jaw having taken enough of a pounding. De Villiers showed what a man could do with a forward defence and lots of determination. Although he was dropped by Boon at short leg on eight, and rightly survived the stumping appeal, the um- pire being unable to adjudicate because the cameras were at extra cover, he rarely looked in danger. Warne was played with aplomb on a pitch that had abandoned its more licentious ways overnight, and Healy, who had most diffi- culty with him, decided to stand outside leg stump. Against all expectation, South Africa were 86 for three at lunch. De Villiers survived another hour but was near the end of his tether, his brain so drained that he could not obey his own in- junction. At last, he drove loosely and was caught at mid-off. Men with hundreds to their name have left to lesser ovation. Rhodes joined Kirsten, his team's hopes very much alive. Rhodes has battled through many a difficult hour, did so in Sri Lanka to save his team, and had steeled himself again. Alas, the umpire, Terry Prue, adjudged him leg-before to May, when the ball was leaping and spinning far away from his leg stump. Rhodes left without a murmur, conduct that did not commend itself to Kirsten when he was struck on the pad pushing forward at McDermott. It seemed a fair decision by the umpire, Darryl Hair, but Kirsten left at an agonising pace and pointing to his bat. He was punished for this show of dissent. Runs were of no importance, wickets of vast significance. On the stroke of tea, Cullinan ducked a bumper and left his bat like a periscope behind him. The ball deflected off it and Healy, diving far to his left, held the ball in outstretched glove, a catch of stunning athleticism that left South Africa wobbling on 116 for seven. The end was nigh. Richardson edged an arm ball to slip, Taylor taking a smart catch off Healy's pads, and McMillan was once again fooled by Warne's flipper. South Africa's middle order had been a disappointment. Finally, Snell was so nonplussed by a full toss that he stroked it back to the bowler giving Warne his 101st wicket in Test cricket. He was man of the year, Steve Waugh man of the match and series. Australia deserved to win but South Africa lost with honour intact and will be eager to meet Australia on their own pitches in a month's time. (Thanks: The Times) Contributed by Vicky (VIGNESWA@*umass.edu)