South Africa vs Australia: 2nd Test, Day 4 - As it happened...

Live updates from Day 4 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 won by 231 runs Over 73.4 || Score 216 A huge win for South Africa. Some statement from the highest-ranked team in the world. In Port Elizabeth, South Africa thrashed visiting Australia by 231 runs with a day to spare. Chris Rogers run out 107 (237b) Chris Rogers's run out was the decisive moment in South Africa's surge to win the match inside four days. After the opener's dismissal, part-timer Dean Elgar produced an excellent delivery to the last wicket of the match, albeit with little luck as the ball seemed to have nicked the bat first. Nathan Lyon lbw b Dean Elgar 0 (4b) With the win, they now labelled the Aussies 1-1 in the three-Tests series. The final and deciding Test starts on March 5 at Newlands, Cape Town. =================================================== Over 70 || Score 209/8 Dale Steyn is bowling with greater enthusiasm and the price is wickets. The South African bowler must be thinking of a five wicket haul. Its still possible with two wickets available to snap-up. Ryan Harris lbw b Dale Steyn 6 (29b) There's no reviews remaining. Both the sides have exhausted all that's available in the match, It's only formality now. From Australia's perspective, how well Chris Rodgers is batting in such a situation, with defeat written all over Port Elizabeth, is indeed appreciable. =================================================== Over 65 || Score 201/7 With five 15 minutes to play today, Australia need another 257 more runs to win the match, which is almost impossible with a whole day's play left and with only three wickets in hand. Amidst the wreckage, Chris Rogers has scored his fourth Test hundred. He took 192 balls to reach the hundred. =================================================== Over 60|| Score 199/7 Another wicket for the South Africans. Second one for Vernon Philander, both LBW. Good shout. Graeme Smith, desperate for a kill, asked for a review after the umpire turned-down their How's That. Mitchell Johnson lbw b Vernon Philander 6 (11b) =================================================== Over 55 || Score 176/6 Now, it has become Dale Steyn show. The South African paceman produced beauty of a delivery to remove Bradd Haddin for one. The ball moving both ways to befuddle the batsman before castling into the stumps. Reverse swing, probably, that's what it was. Bradd Haddin b Dale Steyn 1 (12b) These wickets have effectively reduced the superb innings of Chris Rogers to a mere footnote. The opener, on 90, is applying all his arts and sciences, and is well on course for a deserved century. =================================================== Over 50 || Score 161/5 Dale Steyn is back It has become one way traffic with South Africa stream rolling – two more wickets in the form of Michael Clarke and Steve Smith – both to the fiery pace of Dale Steyn. Michael Clarke c Faf du Plessis b Dale Steyn 1 (16b) Steve Smith lbw b Dale Steyn 0 (1b) Australia still need 283 runs with five wickets in hand. =================================================== Over 45 || Score 153/3 Tea break, it seems, has boosted the South African attack. In a space of six balls, they have removed two wickets – those of Alex Doolan and Shaun March. Doolan, who was not looking that great as compare to his past few innings, failed to negotiate a reverse swing from Morne Morkel. Proteas skipper, Graeme Smith took a good catch in the first slip. Alex Doolan c Graeme Smith b Morne Morkel 5 (43b) Then the batting hero of the first test, Shaun March wicket. A golden-duck, thanks to a straight bowl LBW from Vernon Philander. Shaun Marsh lbw b Vernon Philander 0 (1b) Suddenly, the match has become one-sided with the hosts going for kill. =================================================== Over 37 || Score 141/1 Tea Break This Test is still open. If that 100+ opening stand at a very good run-rate provided a platform to the Aussies chasing victory, part-timer JP Duminy's wicket of dangerous David Warner certainly helped South Africans return to the match, which was all theirs until this opening stand. Now the target is 307 with nine wickets. Everything to play for! =================================================== Over 35 || Score 136/1 The departure of David Warner somehow slowed down the scoring rate. In the last five overs, Australian could managed to score only 10 runs at a two run per over rate. Earlier it was hovering over four an over. Like a true Test batsman, new arrival Alex Doolan has so far faced 21 balls for his one run. In fact, he survived a huge appeal from the wicket-taker Duminy, only three balls after taking guard. While a settled Rogers is cruising along rather nicely on 61. For the South Africans, their main strike bowler -- Dale Steyn is still in operation without success. He has bowled 10 overs, conceding 39 with two maiden overs. =================================================== Over 30 || Score 126/1 Finally, a wicket for the South Africans. JP Duminy, who dropped David Warner off his own bowling earlier, removed the dangerous batsman in the 177th ball of the innings. The skittish ball hold its line, beating Warner defence for the umpire to adjudged leg before. Illingworth's nod was disputed by the Aussie batsman but the decision stood after the review. In his 124 minutes stay, Warner hit nine fours and on six. A good break for the hosts. Before his departure, Warner and his opening partner, Rogers have put up 126-run partnership with both the batsmen scoring their respective fifties. Rogers reached his fifty in style, with a boundary off Morne Morkel – by guiding the ball through the slip cordon. David Warner lbw b JP Duminy 66 (73b) =================================================== Over 25 || Score 102/0 100 up for the touring party, and will all the wickets intake. In between, the explosive David Warner reached his fifty. The Aussie opener, on 48, ran hard for three after playing a cover drive off Dale Steyn. David Warner 50 (61b 6x4 1x6) While his opening partner, Rogers still needs 2 more to fifty. Now, the target is 346 only with some 45 overs left in the day and a whole day tomorrow. =================================================== Over 20 || Score 77/0 In the last five overs, South African bowlers have cam-back strong, conceding only 11 runs. Specially, after Graeme Smith brought back Dale Steyn and the decision to support the face bowler with spin bowling from the other end, with JP Duminy seemed to have work – at least in checking the run-flow. =================================================== Over 15 || Score 66/0 The opening pair of David Warner and Chris Rogers has given a good start to Australia's fourth innings chase in Port Elizabeth. Innings run rate is well above four and the target is already under 400. On 32 from 44 balls, Warner is playing one gem of innings. Little early to pronounce such a verdict, though. But the way he is batting, it seems, he will batter the South African bowlers. And his company on the other end is in the good hands of Chris Rogers, playing well on his 30s, with the help of five hits to the boundary. =================================================== Over 10 || Score 37/0 Post-lunch, Australians have started the chase in a brisk pace. However, the question will be: Can they bat for the remainder of the match? If they do so, this seemingly large target can be achieved. =================================================== Over 5 || Score 21/0 Rogers and Warner have started the innings for the tourists and have scored 21 runs in the first five overs. So, the match is still alive as anyone can win it. Though, at the moment South Africa has an upper hand in the match, a couple of good partnerships can change the course of the game. =================================================== South Africa, 2nd Innings Over 64 || Score 270/5 South Africa declared. It's a shocking declaring from skipper Graeme Smith as he set the target of 448 runs in front of the visitors. Though it's a mammoth target, but can't be impossible to achieve, especially at a time when there is so much time left in the Test. =================================================== Over 60 || Score 245/5 It's once again spinner Lyon for Australia who has provided his team the first breakthrough of the day. In the 58th over, Lyon got his first wicket of the innings when Q de Kock, who was trying to score swiftly and in doing so, gave a straight catch to Clarke. JP Duminy has come to the middle, after the fall of fifth South African wicket, to join Amla. Now the lead has gone past 400 runs. Australia is in deep trouble. The home side has started scoring runs at a rapid pace now. Q de Kock c Clarke b Lyon 34 (92m 58b) =================================================== Over 53 || Score 216/4 Here comes the 21st Test hundred for Hashim Amla. And he completed his ton in style by placing Harris for a four through point region in the 52nd over. What a player he is. He used 139 balls to reach the mark, studded with fourteen fours. Meanwhile, South Africa have crossed the mark of 200 runs in their second innings. The home side now has a lead of 393 runs and they still have six wickets in hand. =================================================== Over 49 || Score 195/4 Ryan Harris has started the bowling proceedings of the day for the visitors along with Mitchell Johnson. In the second ball of the day, Q de Kock has been dropped off Harris at slips by Smith. Though it was quite high, Australia have to convert such half-chances if they really want to make a comeback in this match. Now all the eyes are at Amla who is just seven runs shy of his hundred. =================================================== After facing a shameful defeat in the first Test against the visitors, South Africa have come back really hard. In the on-going second Test, the home side has dominated the proceedings on the first three days and are in a commanding position at the moment. On day four, South African batsmen will try to add 150-200 more runs to give the tourists a target of around 500. Amla is still at the crease and need just seven runs to score his yet another Test hundred. ============================================================== Port Elizabeth: South Africa moved into a strong position on the third day of the second Test against Australia at St George`s Park on Saturday but lost one of their four specialist bowlers. Australia were bowled out for 246 in their first innings, giving South Africa a lead of 177, which they stretched to 369 by the close of play, reaching 192 for four. Hashim Amla returned to form with a sparkling innings of 93 not out. But South Africa will be without left-arm fast-medium bowler Wayne Parnell when they attempt to bowl out Australia a second time. Parnell, who on Friday took two wickets with his first three deliveries of the match, pulled up with a groin injury after bowling three balls in his ninth over.