2nd Test, Day 3: South Africa vs Australia - As it happened...

Live updates from Day 3 of the 2nd Test between South Africa and Australia being played at at St George`s Park

Zee Media Bureau/Chaitan Papnai/Jayanta Oinam

SCORECARD» | COMMENTARY» | AS IT HAPPENED» ============================================================== South Africa 2nd Innings Stumps Day 3 Over 47 || Score 192/4 At the end of the Day 3 at St George's Park, South Africa lead Australia by 369 runs with six wickets in hand. Hashim Amla, who batted with exemplary purpose, will start next day on 93. His has been the story on Day 3. =================================================== Over 40 || Score 170/4 In the 40th over, Petter Siddle kept a tight line to force de Kock play-out a maiden over, a rare one from the Australians. In the 40 overs in this innings, they have managed only four maidens – which reflects how well and confidently the Proteas are batting. And to that note, Hashim Amla has reached 79 runs from 97 balls with 11 fours. While, on the other end, de Kock is taking some to settle – has played 11 balls for his one. With 15 overs left for the day, South Africans have increased their lead to 346. =================================================== Over 36.6|| Score 167/4 Johnson strikes Trying to up the scoring rate, de Villiers perished while chasing a bouncer from Mitchell Johnson. And another catch for the wicket-keeper. A productive session for Brad Haddin, at least. With this, arrived in the centre – ODI specialist, Quinton de Kock. Perfect situation for the youngster to score some quick runs, all for the cause of team and some fun too. AB de Villiers c Brad Haddin b Mitchell Johnson 29 (39b) =================================================== Over 35 || Score 149/3 In the last ten overs, South Africa has scored 48 runs. And with a lead of over 300 runs from the visitors, the Proteas will heckle for more runs, irrespective of the merits of the balls. Unless Australians remove some quick wickets, their target in the fourth innings will be a gargantuan total. =================================================== Over 25.5 || Score 112/3 Peter Siddle has got his second wicket on the match, removing a dangerous-looking Faf du Plessis thanks to an awkward bounce. Faf du Plessis c Brad Haddin b Peter Siddle 24 (35b) Now, it's Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers -- two of the best batsmen in the business today, in the centre. =================================================== Over 25 || Score 112/2 Now the lead is 289. In between, Hashim Amla has reached his 50 with a boundary off Ryan Harris, while Faf du Plessis, on 24 off just 29 balls, is batting beautifully. Trouble coming Australia's way! =================================================== Over 20 || Score 83/2 The experienced Hashim Amla and his partner, Faf du Plessis are batting with relative ease as the Australian bowlers struggle to find any wicket-taking deliveries. Amla has so far scored 35 runs from 43 balls, with the help of six fours – majority of which are silken drives and du Plessis is on 14 from 19 deliveries, with two boundaries. =================================================== Tea Break Over 15 || Score 58/2 At tea on third day, South Africa lead Australia by 235 runs at the expense of 2 wickets. In an eventful post-lunch session, four wickets were taken -- two each for both the teams and scored 99 runs in 22.4 overs. There were two Umpire Reviews by South Africa, with one positive – that of Steve Smith wicket and the negative one against Peter Siddle off a Morne Morkel LBW claim. As of now, the match is firmly in the control of the hosts. With another 150 odd runs and the confidence of their bowlers, the Proteas can go for a desirable result. =================================================== Over 11.6 || Score 42/2 Finally, a wicket for the laborious Siddle. And an encouraging sign for the Aussie fast-bowlers, especially Mitchell Johnson. For the first time in the match, the ball carried to the gloves after kissing the bat. The pitch might still hold some life for the quicks. Dean Elgar, who was instrumental in South Africa posting a 400+ score in the first innings, played a loose shot trying to connect an outside off delivery. But ended up edging the ball in to the safe hands of Brad Haddin. Dean Elgar c Brad Haddin b Peter Siddle 16 (46b) =================================================== Over 10 || Score 41/1 With one wicket already back in hut, the two South African batsmen in the centre – Dean Elgar and Hashim Alma are taking a cautious approach. Scores are coming in a healthy rate for Test cricket, though, thanks to some easy boundaries. With a visible sign of the pitch deteriorating, Michael Clarke already put Nathan Lyon on, as early as ninth over. The lead for South Africa: 218 with more than two days left in the match. =================================================== Over 5 || Score 21/1 Mitchell Johnson returned to haunt the South African skipper again. Graeme Smith failed to move his feet and paid the price, which may well turn out to be a costly one for him and the team. It was an ordinary ball from the Aussie fast bowler, but it seemed Smith expected a short one and instead of playing his usual front foot defense or whatever shot, he stood there and dragged the ball into his stumps. And it was only the 25th ball of the innings. After that impressive bowling performance from his bowlers, it was the last thing expected from the skipper. In this series – in all of four innings, Johnson has got the better of Smith three times. Surely, a Mr. Bunny in the making for Johnson. Graeme Smith b Mitchell Johnson 13 (12b) =================================================== Innings Break Over 57 || Score 246 This has been a redemption of sorts for the South Africans after that humiliating defeat in the first Test. Morne Morkel cleaned up the Australian tail. The South African bowler removed Steven Smith, who was looking for a rear-guard action, and Ryan Harris in quick succession to give his side a crucial 177 run first innings lead at St George's Park. Morkel and Philander returned with a three-wicket haul each while Parnell contributed his mite with two important wickets - batting heroes from the Centurion Test, Alex Doolan and Shaun Marsh. Two remaining wickets were shared by Steyn and the part-timer Duminy. Steven Smith c AB de Villiers b Morne Morkel 49 (72b) Ryan Harris c F du Plessis b Morne Morkel 26 (26b) =================================================== Lunch Over 49.2 || Score 205/8 In the last ten overs, the visitors have lost two more wickets in the form of Brad Haddin and Mitchell Johnson. Steyn bowled a beauty to get the better of Haddin. It was a perfectly pitched delivery with a hint of swing, Haddin misread it completely and within a flash his stumps were tumbled down. Then walked in Johnson to join Smith in the middle. But after scoring quick 27 off 23 balls he was clean bowled by Duminy in the 50th over. So the first session of the day belongs to South Africa. The visitors are still trailing by 218 runs and they just have two more wickets left. MG Johnson b Duminy 27 (39m 23b) BJ Haddin b Steyn 9 (54m 25b) =================================================== Over 40 || Score 168/6 South African skipper Graeme Smith has introduced his strike bowler Dale Steyn in the 35th over as the first bowling change of the day. Smith got lucky in the 37th over, bowled by Steyn, as he was dropped by Robbie at square leg at 24. Smith has been scoring runs swiftly and has quickly moved to 39 off 42 balls with the help of seven boundaries. Whereas, on the other end, Haddin is playing patiently and is on nine after facing twenty deliveries. Meanwhile, the visitors have crossed the mark of 150 runs but are still trailing by 255 runs. =================================================== Over 33 || Score 138/6 Double blow for Australia. After losing the wicket of Warner in the 31st over, visitors lost another wicket in the form of Nathan Lyon, in the very next over. Morkel bowled a short and quick delivery to Lyon, which was too hot to handle for the batsman and after kissing his bat the ball crashed onto his stumps. Steven Smith and Brad Haddin have come to the crease after the fall of two quick wickets. Australia is still trailing by 285 runs. NM Lyon b Morkel 15 (61m 43b) =================================================== Over 30 || Score 128/5 Vernon Philander and Morne Morkel have started the bowling proceedings for the home side. South African bowlers would try to target Nathan Lyon first, who came as a night watchman on Day 2. At the moment the tail-ender is flirting with danger. Warner Out. Philander strikes for South Africa. Warner went for a drive but only managed to get an outside edge and Smith has done no mistake at first slip. Warner got out after scoring 70 runs off 78 balls. DA Warner c Smith b Philander 70 (78b) =================================================== The home side has dominated the first two days of the 2nd Test. The third day is quite crucial for both the teams. If, on one end, South Africa will try to maintain their dominance on the third day as well, on the other, the visitors will try to reach near the score of 423 scored by SF in their first innings. Australia are still trailing by 311 runs and they have six wickets in hands. Good thing from Aussies point of view is that the man in form, David Warner, is still at the crease and playing on 65. So it would be a crucial day of the Test, which might decide the fate of the match. ============================================================== Port Elizabeth: AB de Villiers and JP Duminy hit centuries and Wayne Parnell took two wickets with his first three balls as South Africa put Australia under pressure on the second day of the second Test at St George`s Park today. Australia were 112 for four in Port Elizabeth at the close in reply to South Africa`s first innings total of 423. De Villiers (116) and Duminy (123) posted a sixth wicket partnership of 149 as Australia conceded a total of 400 or more for the first time in 13 Test matches. De Villiers continued his prolific run-scoring form as he notched his 19th Test century, while Duminy ended a string of low scores to record his third Test hundred. It was De Villiers` sixth century during a record sequence of 12 Test matches in which he has scored a half-century or better and never been dismissed for under double figures.