SPORTS Sunday, March 11, 2018 21 De Villiers’ mastery puts S. Africa ahead Konta Port Elizabeth B de Villiers scored a stylish, unbeaten half-century as patient South Africa edged ahead of Australia on a slow on the Asecond day of the second Test, going to the close at 263 for seven at St George’s Park yesterday The home side have a narrow advantage of 20 runs with the knocked brilliant De Villiers on 74 from 81 balls and all-rounder Vernon Philander to resume on 14 in the search for what could be crucial first innings runs in an engrossing contest. Opener Dean Elgar (57 from 197 balls) and Hashim Amla (56 from 148 balls) had earlier put on 88 in 46.2 overs for the third wicket as South Africa crawled towards Australia’s first innings out of total of 243, including adding just 43 runs in 26 overs in the middle session of the day. But once De Villiers came to the wicket, he immediately started scoring all round the wicket, Indian injecting urgency into the South African innings and putting the pressure back on the Australian bowlers. The tourists continued to chip away at the other end though, Wells with the reverse-swinging ball collecting four quick after tea. Amla was bowled by an Results: excellent from Mitchell Starc (1-78) that cannoned into his Johanna Konta reacts Women’s singles second round: (Pic courtesy: Eurosport) off-stump, before Elgar edged Josh Wang Qiang bt Elise Mertens 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 Hazlewood (1-73) to wicketkeeper Kristina Mladenovic bt Samantha Stosur 7-5, 7-5 Tim Paine. California take the first set as the Brit Aryna Sabalenka bt 19-Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-4, 6-3 Mitchell Marsh (2-26), who had ohanna Konta’s poor 2018 struggled with her serve. Naomi Osaka bt Agnieszka Radwanska 6-3, 6-2 been ill on day one, looked full of form continued as she Konta had to dig deep in Petra Kvitova bt Yulia Putintseva 6-7 (4), 7-6 (3), 6-4 energy as he got two balls to tail Jwas knocked out of Indian the second set as well as she in late and remove home Wells by 18-year-old Marketa found herself a game and two Men’s singles first round: Faf du Plessis (9) and Theunis de Vondrousova 7-6, 6-4, while break points down. She dug Ernesto Escobedo bt Frances Tiafoe 7-5, 6-3 Bruyn (1) leg before wicket. Garbine Muguruza also made out well to get to 4-2 up, Marcos Baghdatis bt Yoshihito Nishioka 7-5, 3-6, 7-5 When spinner Nathan Lyon an early exit. but, following an injury time Joao Sousa bt Mikhail Youzhny 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (4) (1-29) bowled Quinton de Kock Konta, 26, was given a bye out for her opponent, she Gael Monfils bt Matthew Ebden 6-3, 6-3 (9), South Africa still trailed by 16 AB de in the first round but she appeared to lose her focus. runs with three wickets remaining, Villiers struggled early on against her The hugely talented but De Villiers continued to rides the opponent. Vondrousova took advantage win. that lasted two hours and play positive as he looked bounce She found herself 3-0 down and got to 5-4. Elsewhere, reigning 11 minutes, after winning supremely comfortable at the and in the first set but fought back Konta repeatedly had the WImbledon champion the opening set by 6-2 and crease. (Reuters) executes well to get to a position where chance to hold on her own Muguruza was sent home by going three games clear in a perfect she had four set points. service but she was eventually world no.100 Sachia Vickery the second set, before the punch (Pic However, she then cracked broken and Vondrousova of the USA. American fought back to beat BRIEF SCORE courtesy: as Vondrousova responded and goes through to the next Muguruza was defeated the Spaniard 6-2, 5-7, 1-6. AFP) Stumps South Africa 263 for 7 (De Villiers 74*, managed to win the tiebreak to round with her first top 15 in three sets, in a match (Eurosport) Elgar 57, Amla 56) lead Australia 243 by 20 runs Bairstow Rabada charged after ton helps clash with Smith Port Elizabeth breach of cricket’s code of outh Africa paceman conduct and could face a two- England SKagiso Rabada may miss Test ban. the rest of the four-Test series Rabada has contested the BRIEF SCORE against Australia following charge on the basis of an incident with their unintentional contact. win series England 229 for 3 (Bairstow 104, Hales 61) captain Steve Smith. The charge against beat New Zealand 223 (Santner 67, Nicholls 55, England batsman Jonny Bairstow plays a shot Rabada, 22, brushed Rabada was brought Woakes 3-32, Rashid 3-42) by seven wickets shoulders with Smith by on-field umpires, Christchurch as he combined with Alex Hales now is to score big hundreds innings rescued by an 84-run after celebrating his lbw Kumar Dharmasena onny Bairstow belted his (61) in a 155-run opening stand and contribute match-winning partnership between Mitchell dismissal during and , second successive century as in perfect batting conditions. scores,” said man-of-the- Santner (67) and Henry a five-wicket and Saturday JEngland completely outplayed The 28-year-old Bairstow hit match Bairstow, who also took Nicholls (55). haul in the evening’s New Zealand in a seven-wicket his ninth boundary before he a brilliant, diving one-handed England were helped by second Test hearing will be victory in their final one-day was bowled by Trent Boult for catch on the boundary. the absence of New Zealand in Port conducted by international at Hagley Oval 104. Joe Root (23 ) and New Zealand had been batsman Ross Taylor, who was Elizabeth. International yesterday to clinch the five- Ben Stokes, who hit a six to dismissed for 223 after England ruled out with a thigh injury H e Cricket match series 3-2. win the game and finish 26 not never allowed the hosts to that he aggravated when he has been Council Bairstow, who scored 138 in out, guided England to 229 for develop any momentum with scored an unbeaten 181 in charged match the fourth game in Dunedin, three in 32.4 overs. the bat. the five-wicket win in the with a referee Jeff smashed a 58-ball century with “It’s different from batting They slumped to 93 for six in fourth game on Wednesday. level Kagiso Rabada Crowe. eight boundaries and six sixes in the middle order but my job the 27th over and only had the (Reuters) two (BBC)