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The Boxing Day Test at the MCG left both teams feeling they still had a realistic first day after a riveting day’s play.
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South Africa would have rued the dropped catch of Ricky Ponting even more had he stuck around the crease. On a day when the Australian skipper survived a reprieve to cost the opposition a century, South Africa showed they were not going down on the intensity.
The expected happened. Matthew Hayden fell cheaply once again. But South Africa struggled in the morning as Dale Steyn only found his rhythm after changing ends. But it was expected as Graeme Smith himself suggested Steyn would take time to adjust to the pitch at the MCG. But when he did, he pulled off some crucial blows.
While Neil McKenzie was left to rue his drop in the slips, Ponting showed off an aura of majesty with his timing and shot range. In fact, the rebuilding process with Simon Katich had South Africa worried if they were in for a longer grind. But Katich was dismissed for a half century. More importantly, South Africa had broken the century stand between the two men, thanks to Steyn who found it perfect to signal he had found his range. Australia threatened to get into a spiral when they suddenly found themselves at three down for 143 after Steyn took out Mike Hussey for a duck.
Road blocks were placed and that allowed Australia to build onto a score of 280 for six at the end of the day. It came by way of Ponting’s knock, ended finally by Paul Harris and thereafter, by another rearguard action from Brad Haddin. But that was before Makhaya Ntini struck timely with the new ball to send back Haddin as South Africa were looking at the tail when the day finally drew to a close.
Ponting was thinking 350 was a good enough score. But they also thought 414 would be enough. This Test is shaping up nicely and it is only the first day’s play.
a href="http://www.crickblog.com/entry/australia-arrogant-and-over-rated/">Australia – Arrogant and Over rated
South Africa Trounce Australia and History With Panache
Can South Africa pull off a “India”?
Time to Let Number Three Breathe
Australia: Heading For a Finish
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