Cricket: Bemused S Africa given warning
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Your support makes all the difference.South Africa 169; Australia 20-1
SHANE WARNE continued on his bemusing way yesterday to the tune of 7 for 56 in South Africa's first-innings total of 169 on the first day of the second Test against Australia. The visitors were all out after tea on a traditional Sydney turner but their strike bowler, Allan Donald, managed an early wicket, leaving the hosts 20 for 1 at the close.
Warne produced all his wares, including the flipper, which Daryll Cullinan failed to read and was bowled without offering a shot. Before this series began, the touring side's manager, Mike Procter, said Warne and his partner, Tim May, were 'no world-beaters', but they appear, at least, to have South Africa's measure so far.
The 24-year-old dumbfounding blond now has taken 91 wickets in 22 Tests, including 34 on last year's tour of England, followed by 18 against New Zealand. His performance yesterday was just short of his best Test figures of 7 for 52 against the West Indies in Melbourne in the 1992-93 season.
Only the lonely opener Gary Kirsten displayed any resistance, making 67 before a rush of blood saw him stumped by Ian Healy.
Warne's magic spell began after lunch on a hard, dry wicket showing only a tinge of green. After Hansie Cronje was caught in the covers by Mark Waugh off Craig McDermott for 41 to have South Africa 91 for 2, heads began to spin. Warne sent back Cullinan for nine, Jonty Rhodes for four, then Kirsten, David Richardson for four, Pat Symcox for seven, the captain Kepler Wessels, who had won the toss, for three, and Craig Matthews for a duck.
'I think I have bowled better for maybe less results,' the leg spinner said. 'Sometimes that's the way it happens. Sometimes you bowl really well and don't take wickets. Sometimes you don't bowl so well and do get the results. Hopefully we can extract some more turn in their second innings.'
Warne said the first Test in Melbourne, which was drawn when rain intervened for much of the match, did go on long enough to give Australia 'a few ideas' about the South Africans. 'We've had a chat about it and worked out a few things,' he said.
Kirsten, the top scorer, said Warne 'bowled really well. We never really got any partnerships, except for the second wicket. That was the problem in the end.
'I don't think he bowled any different than in Melbourne. I think it may have taken a little bit more turn here. He's got that flipper. That's his trump card really.'
After Warne left the field to a standing ovation from a crowd of 32,681 - the best for 11 years - the Australian innings began with the two in-form openers, Mark Taylor and Michael Slater. Donald struck to send back Taylor for seven, caught behind, leaving Slater on five and David Boon on seven.
(First day; South Africa won toss)
SOUTH AFRICA - First Innings
A C Hudson lbw b McGrath. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0
G Kirsten st Healy b Warne. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
W J Cronje c Waugh b McDermott. . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
D J Cullinan b Warne. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
J N Rhodes lbw b Warne. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
* K C Wessels c and b Warne. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
D J Richardson c Taylor b Warne. . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
P L Symcox b Warne. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
C R Matthews c Taylor b Warne. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0
P S de Villiers c Waugh b McDermott. . . . . . . . . . .18
A A Donald not out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0
Extras (1b 4lb 11nb). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Fall: 1-1 2-91 3-110 4-133 5-134 6-141 7-142 8-142 9-152.
Bowling: McDermott 18.1-2-42-2 (nb7); McGrath 19-5-32-1 (nb2); Warne 27-8-56-7 (nb1); May 10-1-34-0 (nb1).
AUSTRALIA - First Innings
M J Slater not out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
M A Taylor c Richardson b Donald. . . . . . . . . . . . .7
D C Boon not out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Extras (nb1). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Total (for 1). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Fall: 1-10.
To bat: M E Waugh, * A R Border, D R Martyn, I A Healy, S K Warne, T B A May, C J McDermott, G D McGrath.
Bowling: Donald 6-2-10-1 (nb1); De Villiers 3-1-9-0; Matthews 3-2-1-0.
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