Clarke Left To Fight The Tide As Top Order Fails Hayden, Ponting And Hussey All Go Cheaply
Sun Herald
Sunday January 4, 2009
SAVOUR these next few days. On the evidence of yesterday, the No.1 Test ranking might soon be crossing the Indian Ocean - with no return voyage imminent.
Ricky Ponting's talk of regeneration in the new year was quickly swept aside on the first day, as South Africa's pacemen continued the domination that began in Perth more than a fortnight ago. The form woes of Matthew Hayden and Michael Hussey, and the reliance on Simon Katich and Michael Clarke were again brought to the fore on another commanding day for the Proteas, in which all five bowlers claimed wickets and Morne Morkel turned in his most menacing spell of the summer.Only Katich's brisk 47 and Clarke's unbeaten 73 spared Australia's blushes on a testing, seaming pitch. Approaching stumps, the hosts were perched at a precarious 6-267, boosted by the 75-run sixth-wicket partnership between Clarke and Brad Haddin.The weight of a potential series whitewash is weighing heavily upon the Australians. Cricket Australia chairman Jack Clarke took the unusual move of issuing a mid-match statement defending the besieged duo of Ponting and chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch from media criticism; however, his batting unit did little to dissuade the notion that Australia's unflinching loyalty to Hayden is hamstringing the side.Hayden turned in his longest and most prolific innings of the series - 31 from 78 balls - but, if anything, the veteran opener lost ground in his attempt to convince selectors of his worth. Having failed in his previous attempts to blast his way to form, Hayden adopted a more attritional approach to batting that, sadly, resulted only in delaying what now appears the inevitable.The unfamiliar grafting role eventually got the better of Hayden. With feet anchored to the crease, the left-hander dragged a wide Dale Steyn delivery onto his stumps to take his series tally to an uninspiring 78 runs at 15.60. Only a massive second innings effort, or a massive show of faith from Hilditch's panel, will ensure his international future from here - assuming, of course, he does not call time on his career.Hussey is further from the precipice than Hayden, but his form is similarly concerning. The middle-order mainstay was watchful throughout his 99-ball innings of 30, but fell with a hard-handed push to an angling Paul Harris delivery that was snaffled by Jacques Kallis at first slip.The fall of Hussey added greater pressure to a middle order already suffering from the quick-fire losses of Katich and Ponting. Katich was removed to a seaming, angled deliver from Kallis, while Ponting fell to a devilish delivery from Morkel - one which jagged sharply off the pitch and caught the inside edge - from his first delivery.The task again fell to Clarke to save Australia. The recently installed vice-captain leads all Australian batsmen this series - despite coming to the crease with the team total at 15, 88, 143, 49 and 109 this series - and did not disappoint in his most recent, challenging assignment.Employing the same watchful approach that has served him so well since his most recent Test recall, Clarke defied the South African bowlers all afternoon to prevent an Australian capitulation.It wasn't pretty, and occasionally it was painful - not least when struck a nasty blow to the groin by Kallis - but Clarke nonetheless held his nerve to post his first Test half-century at his home ground.The right-hander remained unbeaten at the crease with Mitchell Johnson (17), keeping Australian hopes alive.
© 2009 Sun Herald