Victory in sight for Aussies in Adelaide Test

Updates from the fourth day of the Adelaide Test being played between Australia and South Africa.

Sydney: Victory may be on cards for the Aussie team after they took control of the second Test against the South Africans on day four at the Adelaide Oval.

Australia’s front-line bowlers have laid the platform for an important second Test victory over Proteas in Adelaide, but there’s still more work required on day five if they’re to secure a 1-0 lead in the series. South Africa reached 4-77 at stumps on Sunday, chasing 430, still requiring 353 runs with six wickets in hand to pull off a record-breaking fourth-innings win. But a draw would be a fine result for the Proteas. If the Australians win the series they can assume South Africa’s world No.1 ranking and all the Proteas will be thinking about is staying 0-0 and forcing a decider in Perth, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. According to the paper, when Ben Hilfenhaus (1-23) had Graeme Smith (nought) caught at slip in the first over of the Proteas’ second innings and Hashim Amla (17) fell the same way to impressive spinner Nathan Lyon (2-15), the world’s best were officially on the ropes. Though Ricky Ponting’s offspinners didn’t yield a wicket when he was thrown the ball in the second last over of the day, his maiden over brought more cheers from the Adelaide Oval crowd than had been heard all Test, the paper said. Alviro Petersen (24) and Jacques Rudolph (3) offered little resistance, leaving it to remaining batsmen AB de Villiers, Faf du Plessis and the injured Jacques Kallis to attempt a rescue mission of almighty proportions, it added. If South Africa is to score a famous victory they must post the biggest ever fourth-innings run chase in Tests and survive another three sessions on a deteriorating pitch., it concluded. ANI