SA v Oz - Day 3 as it happened

 OZ 288/3. SA 206, OZ 397

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Commentary by Sport24's Herman Mostert and Garrin Lambley

BATSMEN IN : Shaun Marsh 44*, Michael Clarke 17*

BATSMEN OUT : Chris Rogers 1, David Warner 115, Alex Doolan 89

                        ***RECAP OF ALL THE DRAMA FROM DAY 1 - AND DAY 2***

18:09 - PICTURE

Proteas skipper Graeme Smith has lots to ponder... (Gallo Images)

18:02 - A healthy run-rate of 4.17 per over illustrates how easily South Africa's bowlers were dominated today.

Peterson's 87 runs (4.57 per over) conceded in 19 overs sticks out like a sore thumb, especially for a bowler expected to perform a holding role at times.

Dale Steyn, 1/60 in 13 at 4.61, was also too expensive, as was Ryan McLaren (0/47 in 11 overs at 4.27).

We at Sport24 reckon Australia will aim for a lead of about 550 before declaring. It would take a mammoth fourth innings fight from South Africa if they are to save this Test. But they have done it before, so lets not write them off completely...

Join us again at 10:30 tomorrow for some more INTERACTIVE SCORING...

18:00 - Marsh gets a single off the last ball and that's STUMPS ON DAY 3: Australia 288/3, a lead of 479 runs.

17:57 - Peterson to bowl the final over of the day.

17:47 - As if things couldn't get worse for hosts... AB de Villiers has AGAIN hurt his hand. He'll battle on for now...

17:45 - TWEET

Hindustan Times is reporting that IPL 2014 coming to SA. Latter half might return to India after the elections - Sport24 chief writer Rob Houwing

17:43 - Bryden also believes the Proteas have "a lot more character than England" and expects them to put up a much better fight in the second innings and in the rest of the series. He doesn't expect them to capitulate the way England did when they crumbled to a 5-0 defeat in the recent Ashes series.

17:40 - TWEET

Alviro Petersen (100 v Ind 2010) is the only player in Test history to hit a century on debut on Valentines Day. Doolan missed today #SAvAus - Cricket Record

17:37 - Radio2000 commentator Colin Bryden uses the words "mental disintegration" for what's currently happening to the Proteas.

Someway, somehow, in Tests here in South Africa the Aussies always have the edge on us. No wonder South Africa's last home series win against them was in 1970.

17:36 - Bright sunshine now late in the day at SuperSport Park. But the sun isn't shining on South Africa as Marsh sweeps Peterson for another four.

17:33 - Some excitement as Steyn bowls a bouncer that jumps up and surprises Marsh. But he edges it for four. #noluckforsouthafricatoday

17:28 - PICTURE

Proteas fan shouting some advice.... but does Graeme Smith hear him? (Getty Images)

17:22 - Steyn is back on now.

17:21 - Australian skipper Clarke knows he already has enough of a lead (442) but will likely bat out the day - and maybe a little bit tomorrow morning - to give his bowlers about two full days to go for the win.

17:20 - Clarke smacks Peterson down the ground for four to bring up Australia's 250.

17:14 - Skipper Michael Clarke is next in...

17:13 - WICKET! Duminy gets Doolan for 89 after he edges it to 'keeper De Villiers who shows good reflexes to take the catch...

Australia 243/3, a lead of 434 runs.

17:10 - NEGATIVE BOWLING

Peterson is called for three wides in a row. It's not that wide, but umpire Richard Illingworth deems it to be negative bowling...

17:04 - Herschelle Gibbs, speaking on Radio2000, says McLaren could be the one replaced by Wayne Parnell for the second Test. That's if the selector opt for the left-handed seamer...

17:00 - Jeepers, McLaren is bowling some average stuff here. He is all over the show, no consistent line and length...

16:55 - Shaun Marsh taking Peterson apart now... six and a four...

16:49 - TWEET

I don't think the c word is appropriate for the Proteas this test. They've been comprehensively outplayed. Just disappointed at lack of fight - Brenden Nel

16:48 - DRINKS BREAK

Australia 213/2. They lead by 404 runs.

16:45 - PICTURE

Proteas, and Ryan McLaren, heads down, as seen in this picture from the Sport24 HQ... (Picture: Herman Mostert)

16:40 - Ryan McLaren back on. All the talk has been how he's no Jacques Kallis, but South Africa surely need him to be like Kallis now and strike a few hot blows in succession...

16:34 - Some nice aggression from Steyn as he hits Marsh on his upper chest area... South Africa needed more of that in this game...

16:32 - TWEET

Remember when they said Warner was a T20 basher, a slogger who would never make it in Tests? - Alternative Cricket

16:30 - Shaun Marsh is next in.

16:29 - WICKET! Warner is out for 115, caught at first slip by Smith off the bowling of Peterson. He gave South Africa five chances, and they only got him on the fifth occasion. Australia 206/2.

16:27 - Wayne Parnell is on the field, with Vernon Philander off - no confirmation on why he's off...

16:25 - PICTURE

200 partnership between Alex Doolan and David Warner (Gallo Images).

16:23 - Australian 200 up, coming in the 46th over, also the 200 partnership.

16:22 - Australian run-rate a very healthy 4.37 per over...

16:20 - Doolan smacks Peterson onto the grass embankment as he goes into the 70s. No resistance from the Proteas at present. They look like they have no more ideas...

16:13 - Robbie P can't weave any magic. Instead, he gets smacked around. Steyn now also on for his third spell.

16:10 - TWEET

Peterson back into the attack to try and force the declaration - Antoinette Muller

16:09 - Robbie P now back on. Can he defy the odds and weave some magic?

16:05 - 374

The Australian lead is this much by 16:05 on Day 3!

16:01 - Run out chance but Philander misses the stumps with Warner way short of his ground... another chance, the fourth, given to Warner!

15:58 - Former Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds, speaking on Radio2000, says he can't understand the review system of when the ball clips the stumps and the decision is then given not out. "If it's hitting the stumps, it's hitting," says Symonds. I tend to agree with him...

15:57 - Replays show the ball is clipping leg stump, so the decision stays with the umpire and it's not out. NO REVIEWS left for South Africa.

15:56 - Looks like it's missing leg stump...

15:56 - Massive lbw appeal by Morkel on Doolan. Umpire Aleem Dar says no, SA review it...

15:53 - Morkel and Philander banging it in short at the moment, but the Aussies are handling it quite well.... It may become an issue a bit later as light starts to fail.

15:44 - The highest fourth innings score chased to win at SuperSport Park was 251/8 achieved by England against South Africa in 2000. So the Aussies may just as well declare now, right?

15:42 - Warner might as well have a real go here to try and get Australia's lead up to 500 by the end of the day...

15:41 - PICTURE

Ton up for Warner - FOX SPORTS Cricket

15:37 - Next ball Warner drives Morkel for four to get his CENTURY, off 118 balls. It's his sixth Test century.

15:36 - It looks good, but pitched outside of leg stump... no luck for South Africa. The decision stands.

15:35 - Massive lbw appeal by Morkel after trapping Warner. Given not out by Aleem Dar, SA review it...

15:34 - Morkel to bowl the second over of the final session. Warner cuts him for four straight away to close in on a century... Also brings up the 150 for the Aussies.

15:33 - HALF-CENTURY up for debutant Doolan. Coming off 91 balls.

15:30 - Welcome back for the final session. Vernon Philander bowling...

15:11 - TEA TIME on Day 3

Australia in complete control at 146/1, with a lead of 337 runs.

Join us in about 20 minutes for the day's final session.

15:08 - Temperatures for Saturday and Sunday are 27 Degrees Celsius and 28 Degrees Celsius respectively, with no rain predicted. Surely no avoiding defeat for the hosts?

Although some clouds are gathering at present...

15:02 - Australia lead by 320 runs with a minimum of 40 overs remaining in the day. At the current rate, they could end up with a lead of close to 500 by the end of the day, leaving them with two days to bowl South Africa out...

14:55 - Off-spinner JP Duminy now into the attack. Please bring us a wicket, "Koppe".

14:50 - PICTURE

If you drop David Warner THREE times he WILL punish you... (Getty Images)

14:46 - Warner goes down town and smacks McLaren four six! Aussie run-rate now 4.17 per over...

14:43 - Warner late-cuts Steyn over the slips to the boundary to bring up Australia's 100. He has also now reached 2000 runs in Test cricket. Also the hundred partnership...

14:40 - Dale Steyn back on now. Some fire needed...

14:35 -  Everything going Warner's way as he edges McLaren through gully for four... And next ball he plays and misses...

14:33 - Another bit of sloppiness in the field as a wayward throw leads to two runs worth of overthrows. The Proteas seem to be mentally fatigued here...

14:27 - BUTTER FINGERS PROTEAS

And another dropped catch. Third chance for Warner. Graeme Smith puts him down at second slip as bowler McLaren looks on in despair... And Biff had too grabs at it... sigh...

14:25 - Robbie P way too expensive...

14:24 - Now that he's no longer an England player, Kevin Pietersen seems to have a lot of time on his hands. he just tweeted: Just seen my travel for next week.. HORRIBLE! Spain, Netherlands, London & LA all in the week..HELP!

14:20 - The wind has picked up quite a bit here at SuperSport Park. A bit of rain coming?

14:19 - Doolan also getting into the swing of things, he pulls McLaren to the fence...

14:18 - Ryan McLaren now toiling hard after a drinks break...

14:15 - UNDER-20 WORLD CUP RESULT

SA Under-19s (198/9) beat the West Indies Under-19s (104) by 94 runs in Dubai.

An interesting fact from that game is that 17-year-old Tagenarine Chanderpaul, son of current West Indies star Shivnarine, opened the batting for the Windies. He was run out for 0 without facing a ball... The two have already played a first class match together.

14:10 - Robin Peterson now into the attack.

14:07 - Herschelle Gibbs, talking on Radio2000, says there's enough in this wicket and that South Africa's bowlers just aren't "hitting their lines enough". He says it's the type of wicket that "you're just never in on".

14:04 - HALF-CENTURY for Warner, off just 63 balls. We did give him two chances though...

14:01 - TWEET

Michael Holding saying what most already know. Morne Morkel has a ridiculous obsession with wanting to bowl short. #SAvsAus - Ryan Vrede

13:53 - Former Proteas batsman Herschelle Gibbs, doing commentary for Radio2000, fears Australia could get a lead of in excess of 500... and that's would be game, set and match...

13:53 - McLaren now into the attack...

13:44 - PICTURE

Might not be safe to run a caption comp for this pic of Morkel after Warner was dropped for the second time. #SAvAUS - FOX SPORTS Cricket

13:43 - Warner smacks Morkel for four to bring up Australia's 50. You pay when you drop catches... Also the 50 partnership - off 77 balls.

13:42 - Dale Steyn is now back on the field. Still no confirmation as to why he went off...

13:35 - TWEET

South Africa have caught the English "can't bat, can't bowl, can't field" disease. Is Kevin Pietersen in the country. #EscapeGoat - Antoinette Muller

13:31 - Morkel now on in place of Steyn. Warner edges it and it is dropped at second slip by Alviro Petersen. Chances going a begging thick and fast here! Two chances in two balls offered by Warner...

13:29 - Next ball Philander appeals for a caught behind. The Proteas want to appeal but it's turned down by the umpire, who says they've taken too long. He did SA a favour there. It wasn't out!

Philander thinks the batsman is out whenever he beats the bat...

13:29 - Elgar is on for Steyn. Lets hope Steyn is OK.

13:28 - Oh dear, 12th man Dean Elgar drops Warner in the deep. Big let-off...

13:27 - PICTURE

A little Valentines loving from the Aussies! - Sportingbet SA

13:20 - FANS SHARE THEIR VIEWS

Anything other 400 runs to chase will be impossible. Hence they have to remove Aus for around 200. Possible? Me thinks not - Allan Snyman

Cedric from Port Elizabeth agrees with Herschelle Gibbs that Wayne Parnell must play in the next Test. "He'll bring variety to our attack."

13:18 - Philander loudly appealing for an lbw against Doolan. But that's way down leg. Vernon seems to appeal for everything that hits the pads!

13:16 - Philander to bowl the second over after lunch.

13:14 - Wow what a start for Warner. Three fours against Steyn in the first over.

13:12 - And another four by Warner... great cover drive.

13:12 - First ball back and Warner drives Steyn for four...

13:11 - Steyn to start proceedings...

13:10 - Welcome back for the afternoon session. Let's hope it is a better one for the Proteas. Unless they rip through the Aussie batting line-up - like at Newlands two years ago when they dismissed the visitors for 46 - they will be heavily up against it...

12:48 - TWEET

Parnell def needs to play next test...a left arm quick is so valuable and we need that extra variety against this lot.. - Herschelle Gibbs

What do you think? Do you agree with Gibbs that Wayne Parnell should play in the next Test? Send us your views by e-mailing us: news@sport24.co.za

12:34 - JOIN US IN 40

See you in 40 minutes for more thrilling action from Centurion!

12:33 - LUNCH

At that's lunch at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Day 3 of the first Test between SA and Australia.

Australia dominated the session, taking the last four SA wickets for 66 runs, before moving their overall lead to 209 with nine wickets in hand

12:29 - Ryan McLaren gets the over before lunch...

12:28 - PICTURE

And here's proof (via Twitter)

12:27 - STEYN TIES AUSTRALIAN GREAT

With the wicket of Chris Rogers, Dale Steyn equaled Australia's Dennis Lillee's wicket tally in exactly the same number of Tests. Both have 355 wickets in 70 matches.

Click HERE for the all-time leading Test wicket-taker list

12:19 - PICTURE

The SA media contingent working hard at SuperSport Park (via Instagram)

12:18 - TWEET

Not a lot of swing in the wicket, SA would do well to take a leaf out of Johnson’s book. Hit the deck hard. #SAvAUS - Kevin McCullum

12:15 - 15 MINUTES UNTIL LUNCH

SA will look to strike for a second - and third/fourth/fifth - time before the interval

12:10 - What score do you think the Proteas would - ideally - like to chase for victory?

Send your scores to mysport@sport24.co.za - and we'll hit the publish button!

12:07 - THE STEYN REMOVER STRIKES!

Not to be outdone by Mitchell Johnson, Steyn bowls Chris Rogers for a single!

12:06 - WICKET!

11:53 - Johnson finishes with 17.1-1-68-7

11:53 - PICTURE

Destroyer-in-chief (AP)

11:52 - SA all out for 206. They trial by a massive 191 runs.

The pressure will be squarely on the Proteas' attack who will come out to bowl in 10 minutes

11:51 - Morne Morkel doesn't trouble the scorers and becomes Mitchell Johnson's SEVENTH wicket!

11:51 - WICKET - AND ALL OUT!

11:47 - TWEET

He may not have got his century, but that was one of AB de Villiers' best knocks. Ends as he tries to slap Johnson over deep mid-off, caught - Ken Borland

11:44 - OH DEAR

AB goes for a well-played 91. Caught at mid-off off the bowling of Johnson - who takes his sixth wicket of the innings

11:44 - WICKET!

11:40 - FOLLOW-ON AVOIDED

A single by Steyn sees SA avoid the follow-on...

11:40 - Johnson back into the attack, seeking his sixth wicket on the innings...

Johnson to Steyn is a mouth-watering prospect!

11:39 - One run required to avoid the follow-on. Assuming Michael Clarke would've enforced it of course...

11:34 - Sensing the end could be nigh, AB strides down the pitch and clobbers Lyon over mid-on for SIX!

11:32 - Drinks taken as Dale Steyn makes his way to the crease

11:30 - Another awful decision by the on-field umpire sees Australia appeal his verdict - and the fourth umpire confirms Philander is plumb in front!

Gone-ski!

11:30 - WICKET!

11:28 - Only eight more runs to avoid the follow-on...

11:24 - SIGN SPOTTED

Spotted in the crowd: If a girl watches cricket with you on Valentine's Day, she's a keeper!

11:20 - RAIN ON THE WAY?

From a spectator at SuperSport Park... "I'm at the ground. stiff breeze from the hennops river end, the temperature is dropping, rain not far off."

11:13 - Change of bowling as Nathan Lyon comes into the attack- and is greeted by AB dancing down the track and hammering him through the covers for four!

11:05 - EMPTY SEATS

Still no confirmation regarding the crowd attendance on both Day 1 and 2 (Cricinfo you disappoint me!)

Grass banks and seats looking very empty today as well...

11:05 - PICTURE

SA's last hope? (Getty Images)

10:59 - Peter Siddle and Ryan Harris doing a good job of displaying the gulf in class between them and their team-mate Mitchell Johnson.

Cash in Proteas, cash in!

10:58 - AB has 43% of the Proteas' total runs...

10:56 - AB ON FIRE!

Good old AB continues his rich vein of form as he cuts Ryan Harris to the boundary, who, somewhat surprisingly, has replaced Johnson in the attack.

Michael Clarke feeling sorry for the Proteas?

10:48 - 150 UP

The Proteas claw their way to 150 - still 47 runs adrift of avoiding the follow-on...

10:47 - COME ON AB

It's all down to AB de Villiers now. Who incidentally has his 11th half-century in as many Tests - equalling the world record.

10:36 - That didn't take long!

Too quick, too accurate, too hostile, too good... Johnson bags his fifth!

10:36 - WICKET!

10:32 - COLUMN

Antoinette Muller also penned THIS column for Sport24...

10:31 - TWEET

The ball is red, the sky is blue, when Mitchell Johnson's bowling, nobody has a clue what to do. #VDayPoems - Antoinette Muller

10:28 - AND WE'RE UNDER WAY!

Mitchell Johnson comes steaming in to Robin Peterson - who ducks under the first delivery of the day

10:15 - BOOKIES BACKING AUSTRALIA

For those wanting to wager a few bob on the Test, bookmakers have Australia on offer at 9/20, SA at 11/2 and the draw at 7/2

10:13 - HD Ackerman now adds his 5c worth, with the seemingly "I'm everywhere" Mark Nicholas looking on...

10:13 - Kepler Wessels out in the middle showing the Proteas tail how to bat this morning...

10:06 - TWEET

Not going to lie I'm nervous for what Mitchell Johnson has in store for the Proteas today... - Cindy Poluta

10:04 - PICTURE

The Australian team looking relaxed in their "huddle" (Twitter)

10:04 - WEATHER LOOKS PEACHY

Sunny skies at SuperSport Park currently, with a small chance of rain around 17:00

9:53 - PICTURE

A sight the Proteas WON'T want to see much more of in the remainder of the series (Getty Images)

9:38 - SA TAIL MUST WAG

The Proteas face a nerve-jangling first session of the middle day of the first Test against Australia at SuperSport Park here on Friday, writes Sport24 chief writer Rob Houwing.

Click HERE to read Rob's full article

9:35 - No doubt that the Proteas are up against it. It will take a magnificent fightback effort from the tail if the South Africans are to fight their way back into it.

AB de Villiers has to stay there and hope that all of Robin Peterson, Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel can stay with him as long as possible.

Day 3 will start at 10:27

TEAMS

South Africa:

Graeme Smith, Alviro Petersen, Hashim Amla, Faf du Plessis, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Ryan McLaren, Robin Peterson, Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel

Australia:

David Warner, Chris Rogers, Alex Doolan, Shaun Marsh, Michael Clarke, Steven Smith, Brad Haddin, Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle, Ryan Harris, Nathan Lyon

UMPIRES

Richard Illingworth (England) and Aleem Dar (Pakistan)
TV umpire: Ian Gould (England)
Match referee: Roshan Mahanama (Sri Lanka)

Welcome to Sport24's LIVE scoring and interactive commentary on Day 1 of the first Test between South Africa and Australia at Centurion in Pretoria.