Australia lose five in second innings as Adelaide Test hangs in balance

 

After bowling out South Africa for 338 at Tea, Australian openers, Ed Cowan and David Warner began well and scored at a rate upward of five runs per over until Rory Klienveldt, Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel picked up five Australia wickets

Imran Tahir, who went wicketless for 159 runs in his 21 overs in the first innings, wasn’t allowed to settle down as Warner hit him for 14 runs off his over in the second innings as the opening pair put on another 50-run partnership.

Smith made a double change as he brought in Klienveldt from the other end to support Tahir in the 12th over.

Tahir struck, but on a no-ball as Cowan got lucky after a leading edge went straight to the field at extra cover. But less than three balls later, Klienveldt gave South Africa the first breakthrough as Warner gave a similar catch to Faf du Plessis at extra cover.

Klienveldt then came around the wicket to pick another wicket in the same over as Rob Quiney edged a ball that was angled into him but was going away, to give an easy catch to the South African wicket keeper AB De Villiers and reduce the home side to 77 for two.

Ricky Ponting joined Cowan in the middle but just three overs later Klienveldt struck again. An inswinging delivery from him went through Cowan’s defense to castle his stumps and leave Australia at 91 for three as the game approached the close of play on Day Three.

Smith brought back Steyn and  Morkel back into the attack to put extra pressure on the Australian batsmen in the fading light. Both of them struck as Dale Steyn cleaned up Ricky Ponting (16) while Morne Morkel sent back nightwatchman Peter Siddle in the penultimate over of the day as the latter nicked the ball to De Villiers behind the stumps.

Earlier, Australia began day on a positive note as Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus sharing four of the wickets, including the prized scalp of Proteas skipper Graeme Smith for 122 and the visitors went in for lunch at 273 for seven, thanks to a 93-run eight wicket stand between Du Plessis and Jacques Kallis.


Brief Scores: Australia 550 and  111 for 5 ( David Warner 41, Ed Cowan  29; Rory Klienveldt 3 for 14) lead South Africa 338 (Graeme Smith 122, Faf du Plesis 78; Ben Hilfenhaus 3 for 49) by 273 runs.