South Africans chase big target in Sydney
January 6th, 2009 - 6:19 pm ICT by ANI Sydney, Jan.6 (ANI): Chasing 376 to win on a difficult SCG pitch, South Africa reached 62 for one at the end of play on day four of the third Test against Australia.
Hashim Amla was batting 30, while acting captain Neil McKenzie was batting on 25. The Proteas need a further 314 runs to achieve a third remarkable victory against Ricky Ponting’’s No.1-ranked Australian side.
Only five wickets have fallen on day four despite the large cracks in the pitch. Australia resumed on 0-33 and declared at 4-257, 50 minutes after tea.
Forced to find a replacement after skipper Graeme Smith fractured his left hand in South Africa’’s first innings, the Proteas sent No.8 batsman Morne Morkel to open with McKenzie.
Morkel made a second-ball duck, caught at mid-on as debutant Doug Bollinger claimed his first Test wicket before his adoring home crowd of 19,061 fans.
Australia trailing two zero in the three-match series, need a victory in the dead-rubber match to avoid a whitewash and to maintain top ranking in the Test championship.
South Africa must post the sixth-highest successful fourth-innings run chase in Test history to win. The highest successful fourth-innings effort at the SCG is Australia’’s 2-288 against the Proteas three years ago.
Opener Simon Katich top-scored for Australia with 61. (ANI)
- Hayden may have played his last Test knock at the SCG - Jan 06, 2009
- Younus Khan moves up on rankings ladder - Dec 13, 2011
- Ponting's declaration sets up an intriguing finish in Sydney - Jan 06, 2009
- Tendulkar moves to second spot in Test rankings - Dec 21, 2010
- Australia win a thriller against South Africa - Nov 21, 2011
- If Oz wins, mental strength of young side will be sky high: Neilsen - Mar 02, 2009
- Tendulkar rises to fourth in Test rankings, Siddle in top 10 - Dec 30, 2011
- Zaheer snaps 250 wickets, Pathan hits maiden 50 against Proteas (Match highlights) - Jan 19, 2011
- Dravid rises in ICC rankings, Tendulkar drops to 4th - Jul 26, 2011
- India, South Africa will have plenty to prove (Preview) - Mar 11, 2011
- Australia reach 349/4 in first innings at tea - Jan 04, 2012
- Gambhir helps India secure a draw in third Test, India level series (Roundup) - Jan 07, 2011
- South Africa in pursuit of history (Preview) - Jan 02, 2009
- De Villiers, Clarke top-ranked Test batsmen; no Indian in top 10 - Mar 30, 2012
- India rise to second spot in Test rankings - Nov 22, 2011
Tags: batsman, bollinger, captain neil, graeme smith, hashim amla, home crowd, neil mckenzie, proteas, remarkable victory, ricky ponting, scg, simon katich, south africans, target, test championship, test history, test wicket, third test, whitewash, wickets
