Australia just ahead; exciting fifth day ahead!

The pitch at Sydney is known to throw up interesting matches, and if the score at the end of the fourth day’s play is anything to go by, another one looks definitely on cards. Right from the first session of the second day, when Michael Clarke forged together a mammoth stand with Mitchell Johnson, the games has slowly, but steadily drifted away from the visitors. As things currently stand, one would have had no doubts about an Australian win had it not been for the wafer-thin bowling attack that they possess, yet, on an up and down pitch, where the cracks are wide enough to allow the ball to be swallowed by the earth, it may not be easy chasing.

It must be remembered that the South African skipper, Graeme Smith, has already been a victim of these craters on the wicket, as one of them had reared up in an ugly manner off a Johnson off-cutter and hit the batsman flush on his finger. Smith was never to be seen again.

South Africa had almost pulled off another coup on the third day of this test match, as they recovered from an effective loss of six wickets – Smith was in a plaster – for 193 to get to 308/6. Australia’s 445 had, all of a sudden, looked rather near, and for the third time in the series it seemed that the visitors had achieved the impossible. Peter Siddle had then got into action and got rid of the last four men for a paltry twenty something as the South Africans conceded a lead of 118 runs. Such is the wicket, that this lead could very well be decisive in deciding the match-result.

Surprisingly though, the second time around, the Aussies did not look to be in too much trouble as they rattled up 257/4 at almost four runs per over. Matthew Hayden played an attractive cameo of 39, but one is almost certain that his career is on the verge of meeting its end, as he failed to get to his half century yet again. Simon Katich’s purple form continued, and Ponting scored his third fifty in four innings, but the most surprising aspect of the whole thing was the skipper’s declaration after been only 375 runs ahead. Under normal circumstances, this would have sounded a lot, but neither are the circumstances normal, nor is the bowling line-up in a very sound shape. However, the one huge parameter in the hosts’ favour is Smith’s absence.

A part of this advantage was already used up by the Aussies when the South Africans – rather puzzlingly – opened their inning with Morne Morkel. The experiment lasted all of two deliveries before Doug Bollinger was the proud owner of his first test wicket. Neil McKenzie has failed to get his feet moving so far in the series, but he survived the 85 deliveries he faced without too much difficulty. The runs were a little difficult come by, but McKenzie, in the company of Hashim Amla ensured that the final day of the test series has the potential to be a cracker of a match-up.

And as a gentle reminder, at stake is the number one position for both the teams!