SPORT lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll lllllllllllllllllllllllllll WA burst puts brakes on Tigers Maxwell can’t save woeful Vics Bulls dig in to defy Redbacks IT TOOK just seven overs for Western to VICTORIA lost 6-9 in the worst ever start to a SOUTH Australia are being made to work hard steal the momentum away from Tasmania during the Sheffield Shield innings, before succumbing to a despite being in a dominant position in their Sheffield second session of their Sheffield Shield clash at the humiliating defeat against NSW on day three of their Shield clash against at . At WACA Ground yesterday. The took 4-17 in clash at the SCG. The Bushrangers limped their way stumps on day three Queensland are 2-170 in their that time to leave the Tigers at 6-218 in their second past 27, the lowest total in the history of Australian second innings, still requiring another 301 runs for an innings at tea on day three to hold an overall lead of domestic first-class , but still crashed to an improbable win. The hosts, rolled for just 135 in their 187 runs. (4) and innings and 48-run loss, despite (127) first innings, made a solid start to their second with (1) are the batsmen at the break. Michael smashing a stunning 89-ball hundred. Victoria were openers and adding 118 Hogan has been the best of the WA bowlers. rolled for 186 yesterday. before the first fell. Sharma Seven of skittles limp NZ

CRICKET By DANIEL GILHOOLY the best in Wellington ANOTHER lost toss and lethal from have left New Zea- land in serious danger of squandering their 1-0 lead in the two-Test series : B U P for Mitch against India. The tourists yesterday CRICKET enjoyed the best day of a S W E N T N By CARLY ADNO DAY 3 SCORECARD miserable tour, clamping v Australia control of the second Test looked 1st Test at Centurion in Wellington. every bit the best bowler in Australia 1st innings 397 Sharma with the world as he skittled Sth Africa 1st innings 206 venom and bounce in tak- through South Africa’s bat- Australia 2nd Innings ing career-best figures of ting line-up, claiming seven 6-51 on the opening day as C ROGERS b Steyn . . 1 : E T A D in the innings. the Black Caps capitulated D WARNER not out . . 12 South Africa were bowled for 192 on a green Basin A DOOLAN not out . . 3 out for 206 in the first session Reserve pitch. Sundries (2b) . . . . 2 of day three at Centurion, ONE wicket for . . 18 India zipped to 2-100 off

4 1 0 2 - B E F - 5 1 trailing Australia by 191 runs. 28 overs in response on a Fall: 1 (Rogers). The Proteas own premier surface which should flat- Bowling: V Philander paceman struck ten out over coming days. 3-1-4-0, D Steyn 3-2-9-1, R early in Australia’s second in- First Test centurion Shi- McLaren 1-0-3-0. nings, getting to khar Dhawan survived time: 30 mins. chop the ball on to his stumps some early scares to be 71 Overs: 7. with his first . not out with nightwatch- Umpires: (PAK), Rogers has failed in both in- man Sharma 3 not out. (ENG). nings of the first Test, manag- Opener Murali Vijay (2) : E G A P Match Referee: Roshan Ma- ing scores of one and four. gloved an early Tim South- hanama (SRI). Steyn bowled with far more ee delivery behind while Third : aggression — perhaps taking (19) (ENG). a leaf out of Johnson’s book — was trapped lbw by Trent 2 4 Lunch on Day 3. as Australia went to lunch at Boult in fading light after 1-18 with (12 sharing the day’s biggest

: R O L O C not out) and (3 at mid-off, falling nine runs stand of 87 with Dhawan. not out) at the crease. South short of a century. The most decisive mo- Africa’s biggest fault of the South Africa resumed on ment of the day was the first innings was not forcing 6-140 in Pretoria and failed to toss, where Indian Australia’s batsmen to play add to their score before Ro- MS Dhoni ensured he will the ball, but both Steyn and bin Peterson (10) was undone end the tour with a perfect

C responded by a Johnson . seven-from-seven against by bowling a far more threat- After successfully blocking counterpart Brendon M ening line and length. out his first over, Peterson McCullum. This was the

Y Earlier, Johnson (7-68) fell to the first ball of John- most important of the lot. landed the knockout blow 45 son’s second when he gloved a A New Zealand batting K minutes before lunch, dis- high one to Michael Clarke. line-up missing expectant missing the ever-impressive Vernon Philander (15) and father Ross Taylor never AB de Villiers. de Villiers formed a decent looked comfortable again- South Africa’s best bats- partnership, adding 49 runs st the height and aggress- man by a country mile, de Vil- before Philander was given ion of Sharma on a pitch liers stood alone, adding 91 out leg before wicket to Lyon almost custom-made for runs to the Proteas modest to- after the umpire’s initial de- the lanky 55-Test veteran. tal of 206. cision was overturned on re- Kane Williamson’s The 29-year-old refused to view by Australia. streaky 47 provided some be intimidated by Johnson, The biggest cheer came support for lively lower- routinely hitting him to the when South Africa success- innings cameos from all- ropes. He seemed able to cre- fully managed to avoid the fol- rounders Corey Anderson ate time and space for him- low on, a clear indication of (24 off 43) and James Nee- self, using Johnson’s pace to the home team’s perilous situ- sham (33 off 35), and pace- get the ball to the boundary. ation in the first Test. man Southee (32 off 32). Johnson responded by JP Duminy was South Af- Indian paceman Mo- bowling a slower ball and de rica’s second highest con- Mitchell Johnson celebrates after dismissing , one of his seven wickets in the hammed Shami (4-70) hel- Villiers failed to clear Warner tributor with just 25 runs. South Africa first innings Picture: MORNE DE KLERK ped wrap up the innings. Aldam aims to make most of historic finals clash against WA

IMPARJA CUP ‘‘It has been a very good ‘‘ officials and Brandon King (19) both runs on the board. ‘‘I played a day,’’ he said. ‘‘It has been a By DOUG BOOTH achievement,’’ Aldam said. have been talking us up so, if reaching double figures. few of our younger squad pretty demanding week.’’ ‘‘If you had said before the we play to our strengths, you But only one other player, members to give them the ex- Aldam singled out several THE NT will play Western tournament that we would never know what will happen Hayden Page (20 not out), perience,’’ he said. players for special praise on Australia for a place in the win three matches I would in T20.’’ made an impact as the NT’s ‘‘We were 20-30 runs short their contributions in the tour- Imparja Cup final at the TIO have taken it.’’ The Territorians make innings closed at 88 for the of giving ourselves a chance.’’ nament. ‘‘McAdam has been Traeger Park this morning. But Aldam knows the NT their way to the finals for the loss of eight wickets. Aldam said scoring more the linchpin for us. He can It is the first time in the needs to be at their best and first time, despite a heavy The NT had no answer to the runs in today’s semi-final score at a quick rate,’’ he said. modern era of the compe- then some to defeat WA. nine-wicket defeat to Queens- powerful hitting of Queens- against a WA side who fin- ‘‘King has just got better tition that the NT have rea- ‘‘It is going to be extremely land yesterday. After win- land, who passed the total hav- ished top after the round-robin and better and is developing ched the final four. hard,’’ he said. ning the toss and electing to ing faced just 10.2 overs. matches was imperative. into a nice cricketer while Coach Greg Aldam is ‘‘We have everything to bat, the NT made a positive Coach Aldam admitted they ‘‘There was always a little Page is proving to be a handy understandably delighted. gain and nothing to lose. start with Adam McAdam (21) simply did not have enough bit of mental fatigue there to- late middle-order batsman.’’

42 NT NEWS. Saturday, February 15, 2014. www.ntnews.com.au