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Sydney: Peter Siddle's maiden five-wicket haul blighted South Africa's response as Australia tightened its grip on the proceedings on day three of the third and final Test on Monday. Peter Siddle's first five-wicket haul in Tests halted a familiar third-day fightback from South Africa, who, with the exception of Mark Boucher and Morne Morkel, finally showed signs of tiring at the end of a whirlwind series. Australia closed the day with an advantage of 151 and on a cracking surface it was a more than useful buffer with ten wickets in hand.
Resuming on 125 for one, South Africa folded for 327 runs, bulk of which came from the blades of Hashim Amla (51), Mark Boucher (89) and Morne Morkel (40) - the last two featuring in a spectacular 115-run sixth-wicket stand between.
Australia, in their second essay, were 33 for without loss at close of play, having stretched their overall lead to 151. Matthew Hayden hit three confident boundaries en route to a 23-ball 18 and had Simon Katich (9) at stumps. Injured Proteas captain Graeme Smith, who had retired hurt at 30 on Sunday, didn't bat and Neil McKenzie led the side in his absence.
For Australia, Siddle finished with 5-59 while Mitchell Johnson scalped two. With Smith ruled out for the match, lot depended on Jacques Kallis (37) but the seasoned South African let down the side and played a loose drive off Johnson to perish in the slips, having added just one run to his overnight score. Amla, however, went on to complete his fifty before double blows pegged back South Africa, reducing them to 166 for four.
A lazy AB de Villiers (11) was caught short of ground when Johnson threw down the stumps at the striker's end and five runs later, Andrew McDonald got his first Test victim in Amla when the ball came off one of those innumerable cracks on the pitch and trapped the right-hander leg before.
Reports by session
1st Session: Runs 51, Wkt 3, Ovr 28
2nd Session: Runs 75, Wkt 1, Ovr 27
3rd Session: Runs 109, Wkt 4, Ovr 32.5
Brief Score: Australia 445 and 33/0 (Hayden 18*, Katich 9*) lead South Africa 327 (Boucher 89, Amla 51, Siddle 5-59) by 151 runs.
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