Tue, Mar 10, 2009 page20

• Hughes hits century, makes history

  • AFP
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  Phil Hughes became the youngest player in Test history to hit two centuries in a match as Australia pressed home their advantage on the third day of the second Test against South Africa at Kingsmead on Sunday.

  Australia were 292 for three in their second innings at the close, an overall lead of 506. Hughes was unbeaten on 136.

  Hughes, at 20 years and 98 days, was 169 days younger than George Headley was when he made 114 and 112 for the West Indies against England at Georgetown in 1929-1930.

  “It’s very exciting,” Hughes said. “I didn’t actually know about that record until I walked into the sheds and a couple of the guys congratulated me.”

  The left-handed opening batsman was more circumspect than in the first innings when he reached his century with two successive sixes off left-arm spinner Paul Harris. After hurrying to his half-century in 78 balls, he needed another 169 deliveries to advance to his ton. He was particularly watchful against Harris, who bowled a defensive line into the rough outside his off stump.

  He spent 24 balls in the 90s, before cutting a short ball from Morne Morkel to the third man boundary.

  It was another day of dominance for Australia, who needed only three balls to take South Africa’s last two first innings wickets before piling on the runs.

  Peter Siddle had Dale Steyn caught behind off the second ball of the morning and trapped Makhaya Ntini leg before wicket with his next delivery. It left J.P. Duminy stranded on 73 not out. South Africa captain Graeme Smith, who suffered a broken bone in his right hand on Saturday and had to retire hurt, did not resume his innings.

  Wicketkeeper Mark Boucher led the South Africans onto the field for the second innings.

  Hughes and Simon Katich (30) put on 55 for first wicket, before Australia captain Ricky Ponting joined Hughes in a 164-run stand for the second wicket.

  Ponting looked in superb form as he made 81 off 106 balls and it was a surprise when he pulled a short ball from Morkel straight to Neil McKenzie at deep midwicket.

  ■ WEST INDIES V ENGLAND

  AFP, PORT OF SPAIN

  England’s bid for a series-leveling victory ran into trouble when the West Indies avoided following on in the fifth and final Test on Sunday.

  England had a chance to put the West Indies under pressure when skipper Chris Gayle hobbled away with a hamstring injury immediately after reaching his 10th Test century.

  But left-handers Brendan Nash (70 not out) and Shivnarine Chanderpaul (52 not out) each hit half-centuries and shared an unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 146 to carry the West Indies to 349 for four, replying to England’s first innings total of 546 for six declared, when stumps were drawn on the third day at the Queen’s Park Oval.

  England looked in control when Gayle limped away after reaching his second century of the series, and Monty Panesar removed Lendl Simmons for 24, as the West Indies wobbled at 203 for four.

  But England were stonewalled when Nash joined Chanderpaul and they batted 1 hour, 15 minutes before tea and then the entire evening period to steady the ship.

  Matt Prior conceded four byes off Panesar to take the West Indies over the follow-on threshold and carry the count of byes in the innings to 30, boosting the total number of extras to a huge 61.

  Before lunch, England prised out Ramnaresh Sarwan before he did too much damage. Test newcomer Amjad Khan collected the prized scalp for his first Test wicket when he had Sarwan leg before wicket for 14 in his first over of the day, the batsman playing across the line of a well-pitched delivery that straightened on him.

  It was a fortunate break for England, after slip fielder Paul Collingwood had dropped Sarwan on 12 in the previous over off Panesar.

  Stuart Broad had earlier scalped Daren Powell for a duck when the West Indies night-watchman fended an awkwardly lifting delivery and was caught at gully.

  In the previous over from Swann, Gayle had reached his half-century from 76 balls, when he drove the off-spinner to long-off for a single.

  England found Gayle difficult to dislodge, but the West Indies captain pulled up with a strained hamstring after taking the run that took him to his second century of the series.

  England had a chance to remove Nash, but captain Andrew Strauss failed to hold on to a sharp bat-pad offer off Panesar.

  After tea, Nash and Chanderpaul settled into their groove and batted the West Indies out of danger.
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