Australia vs South Africa: Adelaide Test poised for a thrilling finish

Live score from the third day of the Adelaide Test between Australia and South Africa.

Zeenews Sports Bureau

SCORECARD» Australia Over: 32 II Score: 111/5 (Clarke 9*, Hussey 5*) Quite an absorbing day of cricket! First, Australia pushed South Africa on the brink of follow-on before Kallis and Plessis rescued them. Plessis, playing in his first ever Test scored 78 while Kallis made a fighting fifty ignoring his injured hamstring. They were bundled out for 388 handing Clarke’s team a lead of 162 runs. The opening pair of Cowan and Warner began positively adding 77 runs for the first wicket. Kleinveldt then removed Warner and Quiney in one over and then added another to rattle Australian top order. By the end of the third day’s play, the Oz scorecard read 111/5. However, their lead is already 273 and still the hosts are in a comfortable position and the Proteas will have to bat extremely well as the pitch is already supporting the bowlers. ==================================================================================== Australia Over: 27 II Score: 98/4 (Clarke 2*, Siddle 0*) South Africa are on top in this final session of the third day’s play. They have picked four wickets. The last man to be dismissed was Ricky Ponting who was bowled after an inside edge led the cherry to crash on the stumps. He scored 16 (34b, 4X3). Before him, Ed Cowan became third victim of Kleinveldt after being bowled at the score of 29 (50b, 4X6). ==================================================================================== Australia Over: 18 II Score: 79/2 ( Ponting 0*, Cowan 28*) SA picked two quick Australian wickets in David Warner and Rob Quiney. Both of them fell to Rory Kleinveldt – Warner was out after a leading edge was taken by Plessis at extra cover while Quiney grabbed a pair after edging to keeper De Villiers. ==================================================================================== Australia (2nd innings) Over: 12 II Score: 54/0 ( Warner 35*, Cowan 18*) Imran Tahir, who had a forgettable first innings outing, has been introduced into the attack and has received a not-so-warm welcome as in his first over David Warner collected three boundaries. ==================================================================================== Australia (2nd innings) Over: 6 II Score: 25/0 ( Warner 10, Cowan 8*) After dismissing South Africa for 388 and thereby getting a lead of 162 runs, Australia have begun their second dig with David Warner and Ed Cowan opening. The pace duo of Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel have begun the proceedings for the Proteas. ==================================================================================== South Africa Over: 124.3 II Score: 388/10 ( Plessis 78, Tahir 10*) Ben Hilfenhaus dismissed Faf du Plessis for 78 as South Africa posted 388/10 runs in reply to Australia’s 550/10. The home team now has a lead of 162 runs. The visitors looked in trouble after losing seven wickets for 250 runs. However, Plessis and Kallis added 93 runs for the eight wicket to help them avoid follow-on. Smith top scored for SA with 122 runs while Hilfenhaus took 3/49 for Australia. ==================================================================================== South Africa Over: 121 II Score: 367/9 ( Plessis 63*, Tahir 4*) Nathan Lyon cleaned up Morne Morkel to take his second wicket in the match. He scored 6 (9b, 4X1) before being bowled. Meanwhile, Plessis, who is playing in his first ever Test, has completed a half-century. ==================================================================================== South Africa Over: 115 II Score: 343/8 ( Morkel 0*, Plessis 49*) Jacques Kallis completed his fifty with a boundary towards midwicket region off Michael Clarke. He finished the over with a flat six over midwicket boundary. He was caught by wicketkeeper Matthew Wade off Clarke’s next over after going for a sweep. He scored 58 (93b, 4X10 6X1). Morne Morkel is the new batsman. That partnership lasted for 93 runs- the second highest in the SA innings. ==================================================================================== South Africa Over: 104 II Score: 319/7 ( Kallis 44*, Plessis 39*) Kallis struck two consecutive boundaries in Siddle’s 27th over. The first one was a pulled behind square while the next was again a pull that moved him to 44. The current partnership is now worth 69. ==================================================================================== Australia came back strongly on the third day to push South Africa on backfoot. The Australian bowlers took five wickets in the first session while giving away just 56 runs. Overnight pair of Graeme Smith and Jacques Rudolph could only add 16 to the score as the latter was removed by spinner Nathan Lyon. Smith was next to depart, falling to Siddle. He then trapped AB de Villiers to leave the Proteas struggling. When lunch was taken the visiting team was seven wickets down with Jacques Kallis and Faf du Plessis on crease.