Australia is no doubt going to hand over the highest spot in test ranking after four more days as per Cricket360 analysis and they were once again proving their inferiority on the first day of the last test of the series against South Africa after Ponting had opted to bat, being the toss winner. Aussies made two changes on their side amid wide criticism about the selection of the test team with Bollinger and McDonald padding up for them at Sydney. Proteas opted to field with the same team which had brought laurels to them in the last two tests. The wearing Hayden and Katich, who was with one of his best knocks today, managed to survive till 62 runs for the first wicket after they started off on a batsman friendly pitch.

Katich was looking confident enough to make a big inning as he powered some great shots to reach 47 off just 52 balls. But he could not refrain from playing a bounced delivery from Kallis and was easily caught at slip by De Villiers . The score was 62 runs and Ponting had to go back duck immediately after Australia added one more run to the total score as the skipper struggled to play a Morkel delivery and provided a chance to Boucher behind the stumps to celebrate an easy catch.

Hayden was playing a tiresome innings of his career and he was showing extra caution. The under pressure batsman could not survive more after scoring 31 runs from 78 balls and he dragged a wide going delivery from Steyn on to his sticks to present the live score shaking at 109/3. Hayden debatably was playing his last test and the crowd too seemed to be thinking alike after his dismissal.

Hussey too could not make much improvement to his struggling form after the Indian Tour and he could not capitalize on a well made 30 off 132 balls and went back edging Harris to the slips and then the pressure was on the debutant McDonald who got struck on his elbow and further on his helmet. However he managed to make 15 runs and then he edged a ball from Ntini and was shown the way back by Boucher behind the stumps. The man was never at ease and he would never like to remember his debutant innings. Just like in the 2nd test at MCG, Aussies lost their 5th wicket earlier in the innings and they were shivering at a cricket score of 162/5. This should be the main point on which Aussies must think upon the ways to improve, for they have been loosing their specialist batsmen well before 200 runs in the recent matches.

Clarke was again there to the rescue of Australia and he was, just like in the last test, too cautious and was pretty slow too. Haddin was also looking to pile up a good partnership and end the day without any damage and they succeeded to some extent by putting up a brave 75 runs stand. Things were just looking like the repetition of the 2nd test to Cricket360.com when Haddin was bowled at 38 by Steyn after Smith had decided to take the new ball just before half an hour to the close of 1st day’s play.

Clarke was given life twice at 12 and 29 respectively to score his first half century at home ground and would hold the key on 2nd day with the pitch showing some injuries with just one day’s play. South African bowlers bowled with discipline and they all shared one wicket each except Steyn who fired the last minute thunderbolt by clearing Haddin off to scalp 2 wickets.

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3.25 Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved."

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