Luck deserts Warner as Proteas keep grip

LUCK deserted Australia ralia in their desperate bid to sa a lvage t he second Test with Southouth Africa snaring the vital wicketcket of David Warner in unfortunate ate circumstances in Hobart yesterday. esterday.

Warner, who was s seeking redemption after his s reckless dismissal in the opening ning over of the first innings, s, lost his wicket while at the forefront orefront of Australia’s fightback. k.

At stumps on the third day the home side were 121 21 for two, still 120 runs behind d the Proteas, who have been in control of the Test since routing ting Australia for 85 on Saturday. rday.

Usman Khawaja a was unbeaten on 56, his ninth Test half-century, with skipper Steve Smith not out 18.

Warner flung his head ead back in despair (picctured, AFP) when a ball from Ky Kyle Abbott hit his hip and ricochetedr off an elbow onto his stumps when he was on 45.4 It gave thet Proteas a huge fillip afterafte Warner and Khawaja hadha recovered the innings withw a 79-run stand after the loss of Joe Burns in the first over. BurnsBurn lasted just four balls beforebe he was caught behind,behin tickling at one wide down the leg-side fromfro Abbott. “We’ve“done well withwi the bat, two unluckyun dismissals, but that happens in cricketcrick and the boys have shown some good fight,fight digging in even thoughthou the ball is nipping around a fair bit,” AustralianAust paceman Josh Hazlewood said.

“A really good partnership in the morning, a good first hour and that will go a long way to having a good day tomorrow.”

De Kock century

Khawaja played some lovely shots, prov iding great support for his captain Smith, who top scored with an unbeaten 48 in t he f irst innings batting shambles.

Australia face a mighty struggle to prevent South Africa, already 1-0 up, from claiming their third successive series in Australia, with only next week’s day-night third Test in Adelaide still to play.

South Africa earlier extended their first innings lead to 241 before they were all out for 326 with Quinton de Kock plundering a century and Hazlewood finishing with six for 89.

A f ter Su nday ’s second day was washed out, the Austra lians chased early wickets but de Kock and Bavuma batted Sout h A f r ica i nto a posit ion of strengt h wit h a centur y stand.

The swashbuckling wicketkeeper, likened to Australian Test great Adam Gilchrist, was bowled by Hazlewood just before lunch for 104 off 143 balls with 17 boundaries.

His stand of 144 with Bavuma was the highest by a visiting team in Hobart for the sixth wicket.

De Kock has scored 540 runs in 2016 in just nine Test innings and leads the year’s international averages with 80 having been unbeaten twice.

He became only the fourth South African to register 50 or more in five consecutive Tests after he swept spinner Nathan Lyon for four over wide mid-on.

Shortly after lunch, Tembo Bavuma was surprised by a rearing delivery to spoon an easy catch to Nathan Lyon at point and give Joe Mennie his first Test wicket for 74.

Vernon Philander was the last man out for 32 off 28 balls, caught behind off Hazlewood.