Australia’s players react for dismissing South Africa’s batsman JP Duminy (2nd R) for 29 runs during the final day of the first Test match at Wanderers stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Monday.SD-Agencies
FIERY fast bowling from Mitchell Johnson and Peter Siddle led Australia to a 162-run win over South Africa on the fifth and final day of the first Test in Johannesburg on Monday.
The home team, chasing an improbable victory target of 454, was bowled out for 291 as Johnson (4-112) and Siddle (3-46) put Australia 1-0 up in a three-match series that will determine which of the two teams tops the world rankings.
Man of the match Johnson, who also snapped up four wickets in the first innings and scored 96 not out with the bat, said he started the day wearily.
“I felt a bit flat this morning and the legs were heavy but seeing how Siddle and (Ben) Hilfenhaus bowled really encouraged me,” the tall left-armer said.
“It’s right up there with my best Test. We’ll celebrate tonight but then it’s time to look forward to the next Test (in Durban starting Friday).”
South Africa began the day on 178 for two but lost batsmen at regular intervals after Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis batted through the first hour to extend their partnership to 76.
Amla fell for 57 when he hit paceman Siddle to Phillip Hughes at mid-wicket.
First-innings centurion AB de Villiers was next to go, trapped leg before for three by Andrew McDonald.
Kallis went for 45 in the third over with the second new ball, playing a ball from Johnson on to his stumps.
JP Duminy and Mark Boucher held Australia up with a stand of 39 for the sixth wicket before the former was removed for 29, edging Siddle high to Ricky Ponting at second slip.
Hughes took another catch at mid-wicket to dismiss Morne Morkel for two off Johnson.
In another cricket Test, Alastair Cook scored his first century in 16 Tests as England drew the fourth Test with West Indies, making 279 for two on the final day at the Kensington Oval in Barbados.
The result means West Indies will head into the final Test in Port of Spain, Trinidad, 1-0 up and knowing they cannot be beaten in the series — the first time they have avoided defeat in a Test series against England since 1998.
A flat, placid batting wicket resulted in first innings totals of 600 for England and 749 for West Indies and with little sign of deterioration on the final day, the game petered out into a draw.
Until last week there had never been a Test featuring scores of over 600 and 700 and there have now been two after Pakistan and Sri Lanka produced a similar result in Karachi — and those drawn Tests will re-open the debate on whether wickets are now overly friendly for batsmen.
(SD-Agencies)