Jacques Rudolph's unbeaten century from an entire day at the crease saved South Africa in the first cricket Test, enabling the Proteas to draw with Australia after being set a world-record run chase of 491 runs to win.
Rudolph, who resumed at 18 not out yesterday morning, survived all three sessions to post 102 and turn what looked like a certain loss into a morale-boosting draw ahead of the second Test on Monday in Melbourne and the third starting Jan. 2 in Sydney.
At stumps yesterday, South Africa was 287 for five wickets, losing just three wickets on the final day. Australia scored 258 and 528-8 declared in its innings, including Brad Hodge's 203 not out, while South Africa scored 296 in its first innings.
"I think it was a very strong performance," South African captain Graeme Smith said. "The top six we had is very young in terms of age and games and to go up against some of the best bowlers in the world and to play the way we did today showed a lot of character."
Australia seemed set for victory with South Africa resuming yesterday at 85-2. But after the loss of Herschelle Gibbs (33) and Ashwell Prince (eight) in the first session, Rudolph and Justin Kemp held firm on a lifeless WACA pitch.
Kemp gave strong support to Rudolph as the pair shared a partnership of 112 runs for the fifth wicket in 3 1-2 hours.
Kemp, who faced 166 balls and hit nine fours, became Shane Warne's third wicket of the innings when he was caught at silly point by Australian captain Ricky Ponting for 55 with 12.2 overs remaining.
Rudolph, who was given his chance after star allrounder Jacques Kallis was ruled out of the Test with an elbow injury, reached his fifth Test century after facing 268 balls in 413 minutes by driving Warne to cover for a boundary.
His new batting partner Mark Boucher was equally determined to stay at the crease and the wicketkeeper finished unbeaten on 13.
Rudolph's resistance lasted seven hours and 11 minutes with 13 boundaries.
Kemp could have been run out on 26 in the last over before tea but Glenn McGrath missed with his throw at the stumps from mid-on with Kemp stranded mid-pitch after being turned back by non-striker Rudolph.
Leg-spinner Warne was expected to be Australia's hope on a wicket offering slow turn. He bowled a marathon 47 overs in the second innings, taking 3-83 including the wicket of Prince LBW at 138-4 after Brett Lee removed Gibbs caught at slip 29 runs earlier.
India vs. Sri Lanka
India was eyeing a victory in the third and final cricket Test against Sri Lanka yesterday, having bolstered its massive lead to a never-achieved target.
India overcame a top-order slide in its second innings to score 287 for nine before the draw of stumps on the third day, putting it 479 runs ahead after adding the first-innings lead of 192.
India had scored 398 in its first innings, while Sri Lanka was bundled out for 206.
Sri Lanka was facing a daunting task to avert defeat its second defeat in the series -- after losing the previous Test in New Delhi by 188 runs -- as it confronts a victory target that has never been achieved in 128 years of Test cricket.
The highest target successfully chased in Test cricket was 418 by the West Indies against Australia in St. John's two years ago. Sri Lanka's best victory chase was the 326 it compiled against Zimbabwe in Colombo in 1998.
RSS