Tuesday, March 10, 2009

AUSTRALIA VS SOUTHAFRICA 2nd TEST:Australia beat SA in second Test, clinch series

Australia clinched the Test series against South Africa when they won the second Test by 175 runs at Kingsmead here on Tuesday.South Africa were bowled out for 370 in their second innings with 37.4 overs to spare on the final day.The series win enabled Australia to bounce back after losing a home series against the same opponents earlier in the season.The victory was virtually sealed when the tourists dismissed overnight batsmen Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers inside the first hour.South Africa lost another two wickets before lunch. Although Mark Boucher and Morne Morkel resisted for 79 minutes after the break, the end came quickly after Boucher gave a return catch to part-time spinner Marcus North.A win for Australia would clinch the three-match series after they won the first Test in Johannesburg by 162 runs. Kallis and De Villiers made their third wicket stand worth 187 before Kallis was caught at second slip off Mitchell Johnson in the sixth over of the day for 93.

Kallis added just five runs after being dropped by Michael Clarke at point off Ben Hilfenhaus in the previous over. Three overs later De Villiers was caught behind in Peter Siddle's first over of the day for 84.With no chance of chasing down a target of 546, Duminy and Boucher resisted for an hour until Duminy was caught behind for 17, gloving a vicious lifter from Hilfenhaus.Paul Harris was caught at deep midwicket off occasional left-arm spinner Simon Katich, who went on to take two more wickets and finish with figures of three for 45.Australia took the new ball which was due when South Africa resumed at 244 for two at the start of the day.

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