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The war of the words may have received a cautionary
note, but not the one on the field. South Africa
took the pre-emptive strike on a bounce and pace
pitch at WACA , Perth. The pitch may have lost its
reputation as a paceman's paradise to a great
extent, but its tradition of drama and suspense was
very much intact. That the eventual outcome of the
match was a draw was unexpected, but not
unappreciated.
Graeme Smith firmly believes that his team has the
resources to beat Australia and is endowed with
tremendous self-belief. It certainly seemed that
way in the first Test of the 2005-06 season between
the two countries. South African Jacques Rudolph
has had a mixed year and made the final XI only
after a niggling elbow ruled Jacques Kallis out.
But he filled the role magnificently to thwart the
Australians, who at one stage looked poised for a
win.
While discipline in bowling seemed South Africa's
strategy, Makhaya Ntini simply blew away the
Australians every time they tried to get a grip on
the proceedings in the middle. With an immaculate
line and length, he forced Australia's best to play
miscued strokes and handed South Africa the
advantage on day one. Apart from skipper Ricky
Ponting's seventy-one, Australia never really
kicked on.
Ntini had plenty of reasons to be proud of having a
five-wicket haul to his name in his first
appearance at the WACA. But his wasn't a solo
effort. Good support came in the form of the ever
persevering Shaun Pollock, Charl Langeveldt and
Andre Nel, the latter learning the value of
tempering his aggression and channelising his
energies into effective bowling.
AB de Villiers and skipper Graeme Smith saw through
the dying moments of the first day's play. Brett
Lee and Shane Warne broke through on the second
day, and at 187-6, the visitors seemed leagues away
from overhauling Australia's score. Warne though
was making history, having taken more than
eighty-five wickets in a single calendar year, a
record long held by Dennis Lillee.
But Mark Boucher and Pollock brought their
experience to the field and their attacking batting
temporarily halted Australia from making deeper
wounds. But the clot was brief and after a marginal
lead of thirty-eight, South Africa folded on 296.
Normally, even a nominal lead is considered a
psychological advantage. But it seemed that South
Africa had conceded the initiative by the end of
their innings.
South Africa's performance in the field in the
second innings was a far cry from their creditable
showing in the first. Catches slipped through
butter-fingers, some harder than others. When the
fielders support the bowlers, it infuses new life
into the tiring team. On this occasion, the
Australians made most of the wearisome bowlers.
From a potentially perilous position, Australia
were in the rebuilding process when day three drew
to a close. Smith believed Australia's
vulnerability lay in the fact that the combined
experience of Mike Hussey, Brad Hodge and Andrew
Symonds tallied to barely ten Tests. But trust the
Australian newcomers to come to the fore. Hussey
and Hodge built on a century-plus partnership that
had the South Africans hopping.
While Hussey showed his brilliance through a half
century, it was Hodge who eventually stole the
headlines with a majestic, unbeaten double century.
Not only was it a huge personal milestone, it
changed the complexion of the match. Ponting
declared on 528-8 and set South Africa a target of
491, which would test the nerves of the very best
in the last four sessions of the Test.
South Africa lost both openers on day four itself,
but Rudolph and Herschelle Gibbs battled on until
stumps. But Gibbs fell early on the fifth morning
to the fiery Brett Lee, and Ashwell Prince did not
survive long either, succumbing to the guiles of
Shane Warne. South Africa looked like they were in
for a treatment reminiscent of the past.
But Rudolph was elegance personified even in a
defensive situation, while the aggressive Justin
Kemp displayed that he could drop anchor when the
situation demanded it. The duo built a century
stand that withstood the Australian onslaught on
the last day. Kemp's half-century earmed as much
acclaim as Rudolph's fifth Test century, a knock
made under immense pressure, and not just from the
Australians.
Warne gave Australia the much needed breakthrough
late in the day with the wicket of Kemp, but South
Africa's resistance stood firm. The Test ended in
an eventful draw. Going by the way the sides played
at Perth, the second Test, to begin on Boxing Day
in Melbourne, promises to be a great contest. |