24-Dec-2008 15:16:00 GMT
South Africa in Australia, 2008/09Australia v South Africa At 2nd Test, Melbourne
Melbourne: It will be almost impossible for the Boxing Day Test to live up to the drama of South Africa's win in Perth. So unexpected was their brilliant chase of 414 that it left both teams in a state of shock. The squads have had a few days to digest the outcome and for Australia the distaste of losing forced at least one player to be spat out. But it will take more than just personnel alterations for Ricky Ponting's men to fight back in Melbourne. They face the challenge of turning a moderate attack into one capable of curbing South Africa's powerful batting line-up, while their own batsmen try to click back into gear.
Matthew Hayden has insisted he is not thinking about retirement yet but he will consider his future at the end of Australia's Test series against South Africa. Hayden, 37, had been keen to push on for the Ashes tour of England next year and while he has not written off the goal, his immediate focus is on the remaining two Tests against South Africa.
South Africa captain Graeme Smith has been cleared to play against Australia in the second Test at the MCG from December 26. Smith, one of the stars of the Proteas’ six-wicket win in Perth, has battled pain in his right elbow for some time and regularly undergoes painkilling injections, The Age reported.
Highlights of the match
|
Australia |
South Africa |
| Coach |
Mickey Arthur |
Tim Nielsen |
| ICC Ranking |
1 |
2 |
| Key Players |
Simon Katich, Michael Clarke, Brett Lee, Mitchell Johnson |
Graeme Smith, AB de Villiers, Dale Steyn, Makhaya Ntini |
| Drawing Broad |
Australia have won their past nine MCG Tests and have not lost there since 1998-99, when Dean Headley bowled England to a remarkable victory. |
Australia have not lost the first Test of a home summer since 1988-89, when West Indies went on to take the series 3-1. Jacques Kallis is 79 runs from becoming the first South African to score 10,000 Test runs. |
| Weather |
Partly cloudy. Winds northeast to northwesterly averaging up to 25 km/h tending southwesterly up to 30 km/h around midday. Chance of Rain. Partly Cloudy. Low: 17 °C . Wind light. Chance of precipitation 20%. |
| Pitch |
The MCG pitch is generally one of those surfaces that has something for everyone. It'll offer some early seam movement, a bit of swing and some turn later in the match. The wicket was similar to two he prepared for Sheffield Shield matches at the ground this season and they offered little help to for spinners. |
| Current Form |
DLWWL |
WLWWW |
| ODDS |
Australia 5/3, South Africa 3/2, Drawn 1/2 |
| Head to head |
Total 81, Australia 46, South Africa 16, Drawn 19 |
