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23-Nov-2012 08:20:00 GMT
Australia v South Africa, 2nd Test, Adelaide, 2nd day

Smith Hundred Steers South Africa

Adelaide: Graeme Smith struck a defiant century to guide South Africa to 217/2 at the close of the second day of the second Test after Aus scored 550 in their 1st innings.

With Australia's bowlers toiling fruitlessly on a flat wicket during the heat of the day, the South Africa captain nudged his team steadily forward but opener Alviro Petersen and Hashim Amla suffered brain-fades to lose their wickets.

Having raised his 26th Test century, the barrel-chested skipper was unbeaten on 111, with Jacques Rudolph on 25.

Resuming on 117-0, Petersen added 21 runs with Smith after tea but their partnership was broken by a poorly judged attempt at a single and a sprightly 37-year-old in Mike Hussey.

After driving spinner Nathan Lyon to mid-on, Petersen swerved to avoid Smith down the pitch and was a few centimetres short of safety when Hussey swooped and threw down the stumps with a direct hit.

Australia were convinced they had their second wicket four overs later when Smith was given out caught behind when on 78, but the decision was over-ruled after video review, leaving paceman James Pattinson biting his lip in frustration.

The reprieve was Smith's second in his innings after he survived a stumping chance on 46 when wicketkeeper Matthew Wade fumbled a Lyon delivery behind the stumps with the Proteas skipper well out of his crease.

Wade later made amends when Amla charged out of his crease against part-time leg-spinner David Warner, only to be beaten for flight and have the bails whipped off.

Smith marched resolutely forward and sliced Lyon to the fence to complete a morale-boosting and no-nonsense knock of 12 boundaries, in contrast to the fireworks of Australia captain Michael Clarke and David Warner on day one.

Amla's dismissal for 11 brought in Rudolph, taking Jacques Kallis's fourth spot in the order to relieve the burly all-rounder, who suffered a hamstring strain when bowling on the opening day.

Rudolph survived the last over from Lyon, and he and Smith strode off with South Africa still trailing by 333 runs.

Earlier, Australia were all out for 550 in their first innings before lunch on the second day of the second Test against South Africa at the Adelaide Oval on Friday.

Captain Michael Clarke was dismissed for 230 with Morne Morkel taking five wickets for 146.

In sharp contrast to their first-day battering of the Proteas bowling to amass 482 for five at 5.7 runs an over, the Australians lost their last five wickets for 68 on the second morning.

Clarke was finally out for the first time in the series, some 20 minutes into the second day when he was bowled by Morkel, while fast bowler James Pattinson hit out for a breezy 42 in a last-wicket stand with Nathan Lyon.

Brief scores
Australia
550 (Clarke 230, Warner 119, Hussey 103, Morkel 5-146)
South Africa 2 for 217 (Smith 111*, Petersen 54)
Status South Africa trail by 333 runs


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