The Wisden Bulletin
by Steven Lynch in Melbourne
Thursday, December 27, 2001

Close Australia (126 for 0; Langer 67*, Hayden 55*) are 151 behind South Africa (277; McKenzie 67, Lee 3-77, Bichel 3-44)
scorecard

Openers Justin Langer and Matthew Hayden shot out of the blocks to ensure that it was Australia's day in the second match of the Test Championship decider series at Melbourne. Earlier South Africa were bowled out for 277, with Andy Bichel starring with the ball and in the field, so almost half that total has been knocked off already.

Langer and Hayden piled on 126 before rain – which mercifully held off for most of the day – brought the curtain down eight overs early. It was the fourth time these two left-handers have put on over 100 in eight starts since they were thrown together in the last Test of the 2001 Ashes series at the Oval. They matched each other clunking cover-drive for punishing pull, and reached their respective half-centuries in successive overs.

In all Langer punched six fours, the pick of them a calm short-arm pull to midwicket off Jacques Kallis. Hayden, all muscular aggression, powered eight boundaries, including a searing straight-drive off Shaun Pollock which teased Nantie Hayward into his second fruitless swan-dive on the boundary.

The bowlers looked bereft of ideas. Allan Donald showed no obvious signs of injury – but no obvious inspiration either. Even the normally parsimonious Pollock was caned for more than four an over. It could be a long day for them tomorrow.

Earlier South Africa were bowled out for 277, a total which is already beginning to look puny. Two wickets in two balls from Bichel spoiled their morning. First he dug one in at Kallis, and made an impassioned solitary appeal as the ball whooshed through to Adam Gilchrist. He wasn't interested, and tossed the ball to first slip, but umpire Eddie Nicholls must have heard whatever Bichel did, and raised the fatal finger (131 for 4). Kallis, who had a few uncomfortable moments against the bouncing ball, had made 38.

If Lance Klusener wanted any proof that cricket's gods had abandoned him it came first ball, which he clunked back towards Bichel, who stuck out his left hand and grabbed it (131 for 5). Four successive zeroes for Zulu, and Mark Waugh's old nickname of "Audi" (after four ducks in Sri Lanka) might be switching dressing-rooms to poor Klusener's peg. He will be desperate to dodge "Olympic Rings" in the second innings.

Mark Boucher was the first to go after lunch. After skipping to a bright 43, with six fours, he blasted a widish one from Mark Waugh to mid-off, where Bichel held on to another tracer-bullet catch (198 for 6). He had to go off for repairs to his hand, giving 12th man Brad Williams a brief spell of the big time.

A wicket for offspin persuaded Steve Waugh to delay the new ball, but eventually Brett Lee took it in the 88th over. And in his next over Lee straightened one up to Neil McKenzie and trapped him lbw (220 for 7). It was the end of another composed innings from McKenzie, who made 67, studded with eight fine fours.

From the fifth ball of the same over Pollock called for a quick strike-saving single, and Bichel's deadeye shy from cover found Claude Henderson inches short of the crease (225 for 8). Then Donald edged backwards and flashed Lee eye-high to Ricky Ponting at third slip (233 for 9). It looked all over, but Pollock hit out judiciously, and tried to protect Hayward from the strike.

Actually, after a hesitant start when he was hit on the shoulder (and collected four leg-byes), Nantie backed up his captain well. He savoured a rare boundary when he ballooned one back over McGrath's head. His smile suggested he had read McGrath's recent newspaper article, in which he suggested that Pollock might as well declare when Hayward came in.

They put on 44 precious runs, and Hayward's 14 was his highest Test score. But the fun couldn't last, and eventually Hayward edged that man Bichel straight to Mark Waugh at second slip.

Bichel is in danger of becoming an MCG specialist – he took a Test-best 5 for 60 here exactly a year ago against West Indies, and was promptly dropped. This is his first Test since. With three wickets, two fine catches and a run-out here, the selectors will find it hard to leave him out again in a hurry.

Teams
Australia 1 Justin Langer, 2 Matthew Hayden, 3 Ricky Ponting, 4 Mark Waugh, 5 Steve Waugh (capt), 6 Damien Martyn, 7 Adam Gilchrist (wk), 8 Shane Warne, 9 Brett Lee, 10 Andy Bichel, 11 Glenn McGrath.

South Africa 1 Gary Kirsten, 2 Herschelle Gibbs, 3 Boeta Dippenaar, 4 Jacques Kallis, 5 Neil McKenzie, 6 Lance Klusener, 7 Mark Boucher (wk), 8 Shaun Pollock, 9 Claude Henderson, 10 Allan Donald, 11 Nantie Hayward.

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