South Africa, Australia 1st Test
Australia tighten screws on South Africa

PERTH—Brad Hodge, Mike Hussey and Ricky Ponting scored half-centuries on Sunday to put Australia in command of the opening Test with South Africa. Hodge survived a dropped catch on 13 to score an unbeaten 91, Hussey got a let-off on 46 to end the day 54 not out.
Ponting got the benefit of two dubious umpiring decisions to make 53 and help Australia open a 272-run lead over the tourists with six second-innings wickets in hand. Australia, trailing by 38 on the first innings, started the day on 38 for one with the match all-square but were back in control at 310-4 at the close after an absorbing day’s cricket at the WACA.
The hosts lost nightwatchman Brett Lee for 32 an hour after the start then Justin Langer for 47 and Ponting between lunch and tea. Hodge and Hussey then batted through the extended last session with an unbroken fifth-wicket partnership of 126, helped by poor South African fielding.
Hodge, playing in just his third test, got off the mark first ball with a rare five that included four overthrows from Ashley Prince then got a second life on 13 when Justin Kemp dropped him at a wide second slip. Hodge needed 129 balls and almost three hours to reach his half-century but raised the tempo after passing fifty, chalking up nine boundaries to end the day in sight of his maiden test hundred.
Hussey was also unusually cautious at the start of his innings as the pitch flattened out and made fast-scoring almost impossible. He was dropped by AB de Villiers at mid-wicket in the last over of the day off Charl Langeveldt but immediately responded with two quick boundaries to pass his fifty.
Ponting also rode his luck to register his second half-century of the match following his 71 from the first innings. The Australian captain had a let off on four when he was brilliantly caught by Jacques Rudolph at square-leg only for West Indian umpire Billy Doctrove to call Langeveldt for a no ball. Television replays suggested the delivery was legitimate.
He also got the benefit of the doubt to a confident appeal from Langeveldt that struck him flush on the toe in front of the stumps when he was on 46. Ponting brought up his 50 in the next over, off 102 balls in 158 minutes, when he drove a full-toss from Rudolph to the boundary rope but departed four balls later when he feathered a catch off Makhaya Ntini to wicketkeeper Mark Boucher.
Australia’s only concern on an otherwise great day was an injury to Langer. The left-handed opener strained a hamstring when he was on 43 and had to bat with the aid of a runner after lunch. He scored another four runs before dragging an attempted cut from Shaun Pollock back on to his stumps but may be in doubt for the second test starting in Melbourne on Boxing Day.—Agencies