Saturday, December 27, 2008

Duminy fightback stuns Australia

Second Test, Melbourne, day three (close):
Australia 394 & 4-0 v South Africa 459
Match scorecard


JP Duminy
Duminy came of age to produce an astonishing innings in Melbourne

A remarkable ninth-wicket partnership of 180, the third best in Test history, saw South Africa establish an unlikely first-innings lead of 65 in Melbourne.

JP Duminy was the last wicket to fall for a magnificent 166 after South Africa had started day three on a worrying 198-7, still 196 behind.

But Duminy produced an extraordinary fightback with Paul Harris (39) and Dale Steyn (76) in a total of 459.

At stumps, Australia were 4-0 in the early stages of their second innings.

Duminy had made his Test debut in Perth, where he hit a wonderfully composed 50 not out in South Africa's famous successful chase of 414.

The 24-year-old trumped that effort, though, with this terrific display of concentration in which he faced 340 deliveries and struck 18 boundaries.

And he found a particularly adhesive partner in number 10 batsman Dale Steyn, who himself hung around for 191 deliveries.

Their partnership, played out before a disbelieving packed crowd at the MCG, spanned nearly 64 overs from well before lunch until beyond the tea interval.

It was a sorry day for Australia's bowlers, who desperately missed the cutting edge of Brett Lee.

The experienced paceman missed the day's play with a sore left foot, and although Lee has been upstaged by Siddle and Mitchell Johnson in the series - those two seemed to panic without the presence of the experienced attack leader.

More to follow.

No comments: