Aussies win with two days to spare
Saturday, 18, Mar 2006 09:51
Australia have sealed a seven-wicket win over South Africa in the first Test in Cape Town.
The Baggy Greens polished off their hosts with two days to spare as they bowled South Africa out for 197 in their second innings before knocking off the required 95 runs for victory for the loss of three wickets.
Beginning the day on 70-3, the home side added just five runs to the overnight total before Jacques Kallis became Stuart Clark's first victim of the day as he edged one behind to Adam Gilchrist for 36.
Ashwell Prince (27) followed the all-rounder back to the pavilion soon after as the same combination struck again to leave the Proteas on 92-5.
South African wicketkeeper Mark Boucher didn't make much impact on the scorecard either as he was out for just two, with Justin Langer holding onto the catch off the bowling of Michael Kasprowicz.
Jacques Rudolph and Andrew Hall combined to put on 50 for the seventh wicket but this was about as much resistance as the South African batting line-up managed.
Rudolph eventually fell to Shane Warne for 41, while Hall was unbeaten at the end on 34.
Clark removed Nicky Boje and Andre Nel from the South African tail to finish with match figures of 9-89, falling just short of becoming only the third Australian bowler to take ten wickets on debut.
In the runchase, Makhaya Ntini did his best to delay Australia's victory as he took three wickets.
Matthew Hayden was the first to go, edging him to Herschelle Gibbs in the gully for 32, before Justin Langer dragged on three balls later when on 34.
Ricky Ponting was trapped lbw for just one but Damien Martyn (9) and Mike Hussey (14) saw the visitors home.