T1 Day 3 Tea Time: AB’s Spark Amidst the Gloom

Home

T1 Day 3 Tea Time: AB’s Spark Amidst the Gloom

Posted by admin February 28, 2009 No Comments

siddle rejoices RlFNV 17022

The nightmares magnified for South Africa. It is astonishing then how one diamond stood out amongst the bloodshed.
AB de Villier’s eighth Test century came under trying circumstances in his fiftieth Test. Needless to say, his innings was the most scintillating while the rest of the South African team appeared in shambles. He scored his runs fluently, almost tragically given the mayhem at the other end.
His century though came with the aid of Dale Steyn, the only man in the tail who could manage to hold his own. But Steyn’s stay at the crease was not made any easier, greeted by short balls repeatedly and hostile spells from the Australian bowlers. Peter Siddle gave him a snorter, then a piece of his mind. But Steyn remained unruffled through it all, his fifty run stand with de Villier reducing the deficit and gave the crowds something to cheer about.
Double strike on the score of 138 spelt more trouble for South Africa when Jean Paul Duminy walked after nicking one from Ben Hilfenhaus and Mark Boucher was given marching orders by the on field umpire and the review system though he remained indignant of not having nicked the ball.
Another double trouble landed when Morne Morkel was followed by Paul Harris, for a dubious lbw decision, to leave South African fans feeling hollow and the gloom in the stadium firmly descending on the South African dressing room at eight down for 158 when lunch arrived but with men with no appetite.
Being bowled out for 220, South Africa’s deficit post tea was 267. Given the rather cloudy conditions and the threat of more rain imminent, one would have expected Australia to put the South Africans back into bat, by enforcing the follow on.
But strangely Australia saw greater comfort in batting again themselves, and their openers negotiated the spell before tea when Morne Morkel posed more problems than others, while South Africa face a tall order ahead of them with two days and a session after tea to go!

Aus To Play Pakistan But in UAE

T1 Day 2: Smiths Lauds Kallis 10000 Class Efforts; But SA Struggle

T1 Day2 Tea Time: North- Star on Debut; Johnson – The Heartbreak Kid

Time to Let Number Three Breathe

Chesterfield Special: Tough Road to Triumph for Proteas

T1 Day 2 Lunch Time: Another Century Partnership Bails Australia Out

Day1 Tea Time: Aus Breathe Easier but Lose Key Wickets

T1 Lunch Time: Aus Blood Three Debutants; Smith Drops Ponting

RSA- Aus:Captains Brace for Use of Referral System

SA- Aus Preview: South Africa Leave Prince Out, Call Tsotsobe

SA – Aus Preview: Australia Land With New Faces, Arduous Dreams

SA- Aus: Look Back on the Australian Summer