Mark Boucher

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Rob Houwing - Sport24 Chief Writer

Durban – The Proteas’ chances of staying in the series hung by a thread at lunch on the final day of the second Test against ruthless Australia at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead here on Tuesday.

The really key development in the first session, after South Africa had resumed on a still hopeful 244 for two in pursuit of 546, was that both tidily embedded overnight batsmen, Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers, had been cheaply removed on a morning of combined discipline, thrust and aggression by the Aussie bowlers.

At the interval the Proteas, 1-0 down in the three-match series from Johannesburg, were precariously placed at 307 for six with their long-time problematic tail already well exposed..

Only adding to woes, left-arm spinner Paul Harris, a limited yet resilient character at the crease, was guilty of a rash heave at part-time spinner Simon Katich in the last over before lunch, being caught for five, while Mark Boucher, the only serious batting hope of a miracle stonewalling survival left, had eight not out from a laboured 46 balls.

At this stage it hardly seemed worth injured captain Graeme Smith even contemplating taking to the crease, because the Baggy Greens looked like getting the job done with plenty of time to spare.

Kallis was first to go in the sixth over of the day with the new ball, fending a Mitchell Johnson delivery to Ricky Ponting at second slip after being uncharacteristically dropped by Michael Clarke at backward point just an over before.

The batsman had moved from his overnight 84 to 93, achieved off 175 balls. His third-wicket defiance with AB de Villiers had been worth 187 runs in 57 overs – admirable stuff despite the gloomy situation.

Three overs later De Villiers followed Kallis to the pavilion, faint-edging a beautifully pitched ball from the ever-impressive Peter Siddle to wicketkeeper Brad Haddin. He had scored 84 off 199 balls.

Further trouble followed when JP Duminy gloved a near-snorter from Ben Hilfenhaus behind, falling for 17.

Australia had their tails up and were all set to retain the ICC mace … it just seemed a question of time on another blue-sky day at Kingsmead.