Australia pile on the agony

Matthew Hayden scored another hundred and Steve Waugh fell for 90 as Australia’s batsmen all made starts and scored freely to establish a first innings lead of 210 at the end of the third day of the second Test.

Hayden made his sixth Test hundred and fifth this year as his 202-run opening partnership with Justin Langer, the first time in Test history an opening pair have had three 200-run partnerships in a season, set the base for Australia’s total of 487/9. Australia lost five wickets in the last session but it did not stop them from scoring 361 runs in a 105-over day as South Africa’s bowlers were made to toil.

South Africa took the safe option at the start of play, opening with a spinner in Henderson and their most economical bowler in Kallis, with the intention to prevent Australia from gaining momentum from the outset. That containment took precedence over an early wicket-taking assault by Donald and Pollock was an indication of how unpenetrative the South African attack had been.

As it turned out, it was not effective, as Hayden furthered his dominance of the bowling. Short of options, South Africa were reduced to reacting to his strokeplay. Hayden picked off Kallis, was in full command against Henderson by sweeping powerfully or using his feet, and generally put on an exhibition of excellent Test batsmanship.

Hayden was certainly the predominant partner, demonstrating the explosive power, good touch and sharp running between the wickets that he has displayed all year and which kept South Africa in a reactive mode. Donald and Pollock found a little of their rhythm when they came into the attack, but they too were mostly at the mercy of Hayden.

Hayden was unusually demonstrative upon reaching his hundred, celebrating with a leap and swish of his bat. As 2001’s most prolific Test batsman, he may as well have been celebrating his entire year. Upon reaching 1382 runs in 2001, he surpassed Bob Simpson for most runs by an Australian in a calendar year. Clearly, the resurrected Hayden has now proved he is a complete batsman, as runs against India in India and South Africa in Australia testify. Not many have been as successful against those attacks in those places as he has this year.

For South Africa, the partnership had already reached monstrous proportions when finally broken by Donald. Langer raised the 200 at the excellent rate of 3.62 by punching Donald down the ground before holing out to square leg next ball for 85. Langer mishit the hook against a well-directed bouncer over off stump, finding Klusener by the umpire to give Donald just his second wicket of the tour. It prompted White Lightning to turn, arms outstretched, and tell somebody where to go in two succinct words, an address possibly aimed at a critical media who thought Donald’s performance the previous day might signal his career is at an end.

The loss of Langer did not diminish Hayden’s ambition and nor did it herald any circumspection from Ponting, who drove a Donald full toss through mid off first ball and went after Henderson, as the pair pressed for every available run to drive home their position. With 141 runs in the 150 minute session, Australia were just 10 short of South Africa’s total at 267/1 with only the last over to see off before lunch when Hayward unexpectedly dislodged Ponting.

On 22, Ponting received a brutal lifting delivery from Hayward that had him jumping and fending off the glove, the simple catch lobbing to Kallis at slip. It was a rare moment of respite for South Africa.

Hayden threw away a potentially massive innings to Henderson’s second ball after the resumption, without addition to the total. Advancing down the pitch, Hayden tried to hit straight, but was deceived in flight as the ball dropped on him and dragged a catch to Donald at long on. It looked reckless, and it also presented South Africa with a slight opening, but similar attacking play had also brought him his hundred.

With both Waughs on zero, Hayward’s short-pitched length was predictable and nearly paid off. He ruffled Steve Waugh, having him edge through a vacant third slip forcing off the back foot, and twice more fend climbing deliveries over the slip cordon. Despite the discomfort, Waugh typically survived, but was fortunate to be reprieved twice against Donald with the new ball.

Dippenaar at short leg was the offender on both occasions. Trying to turn one ball to leg, Dippenaar got a hand to the ball as he dived forward without holding on. The second time, he slipped as he dived, the ball again bouncing out of his hands on the ground. The chances generated were indicative of Donald’s improved rhythm, as his battle with the Waughs was more like what Australia is used to against South Africa.

Pollock also bowled a good spell, with Mark Waugh surviving a close lbw appeal after being struck on the knee roll by a ball that might have cut back just enough to save him. After adding 81 counter-attacking runs, Donald broke the Waugh union with a deserved wicket. On 34, Mark Waugh played across the line to one angled in to him, the ball going through to take a slight deflection off the pad and knock back middle; Australia 348/4.

Steve Waugh, short of runs this season, put the chances behind him to progress in typical fashion to 65 not out at tea, with Martyn 6 in Australia ’s 375/4. Despite South Africa’s relative improvement, the session saw another 107 runs added to take the Australian lead to 98.

The 400 was raised at a rate of 3.76, as Martyn showed off the glorious timing that has made him one of Australia’s best batsmen since the start of the Ashes. Lance Klusener, who has effectively played as a specialist mid off fielder given his contribution in the match, was brought into the attack for the first time to bowl the 110th over of the innings. One of the questions leading into the series was whether South Africa’s disciplined attack would be able to stem Australia’s scoring rate, and so far they have conclusively failed to do so.

In terms of wickets, the last session belonged to South Africa, as the Australian batting fell away slightly in pursuit of runs. It began with the contentious run out of Steve Waugh, who added to his collection of scores in the nineties by falling ten runs short of his 28th hundred.

Martyn pushed to Gibbs at cover and set off for a risky run, with the direct hit at the keeper’s end by South Africa’s best fielder beating Waugh’s dive. Square leg umpire Darrell Hair gave Waugh out without consulting the third umpire, which Waugh did not realise as he lingered at the crease.

Waugh spoke to Hair and after Pollock also appeared to tell him what happened, made his way off without further incident. However, subsequent replays showed that Boucher’s gloves had in fact begun to break the bails before the ball struck the stumps. Hair, at square leg, was obscured from what occurred by Boucher, yet made his own decision anyway. Whether or not a bail remained to be dislodged by the time the ball hit was difficult to determine, but either way Waugh had a case for the decision being referred to the third umpire, if in fact he mentioned it to Hair.

Adam Gilchrist was circumspect by his standards, mindful of the need to keep batting as Australia built their lead towards 200. Australia lost Martyn for 52 with the score 462/6, caught at slip off Pollock. Martyn pushed at the ball as it left him off the pitch, taking his bottom hand from the bat as Kallis dived to his left to hold a good catch he could easily have dropped.

Perhaps emboldened by recent form, Warne departed immediately thereafter for 1, ambitiously attempting to hook a Donald bouncer over off stump and top-edging a catch to Kirsten at mid wicket. That left an improved Donald with a shot at Lee, who was nearly yorked first ball. It was Hayward who got him, slashing a hard catch to McKenzie in the gully for 3 as Australia lost late wickets.

Andy Bichel was another who fell to an attacking stroke, gloving a hook off Pollock to Boucher for 5 to make Australia 475/9, below the 500 they had earlier appeared likely to pass but still with a considerable lead. With McGrath at the wicket, Pollock tried to play a similar game to Waugh by offering singles to Gilchrist. It did not quite work, as with the field up in the last over Gilchrist twice found the boundary against Hayward to finish 30 not out.

A lengthy second innings with the bat in hope of a draw seems South Africa’s only chance preventing an Australian series victory in this Test.

Scorecard: South African 1st innings | Australian 1st innings
Match report: Day 1 | Day 2
Images: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3