Adelaide Test, Day 1, Close
Friday, December 14, 2001

After two sessions on the back foot, South Africa really ran the game after tea - but I think Justin Langer played into their hands. He made an error in losing the aggression he had showed earlier in the day.

Shaun Pollock clearly made a decision that they were just going to dry it up. Driving was difficult, the wicket was holding up just a fraction and, if you look back at the whole day, there were hardly any edges.

Pollock gave up on his slips and put them in front of the wicket - he only had two men on the leg side and his bowlers were good enough to keep it on, or just outside off stump. There were no easy runs along the ground.

I said at tea that if Claude Henderson could keep it tight that would be a huge plus for South Africa. And he did bowl well enough to let Pollock attack from the other end. His pace is pretty good - a lot of the batsmen had trouble getting to him - and he had his length right. He's a tall man, and he got the bounce and enough spin to really trouble the Australians.

I don't want to be too critical of Langer. Everything had been so natural before tea, but after that it looked like he knuckled down but got himself bogged down - at one stage he went for 65 balls scoring only eight or nine runs - he lost his mental aggression.

It's a difficult wicket to bat on, though. This morning was as good as it's going to be all match, so 272 is a pretty good score. If Australia can get another hundred or so it'll be very, very difficult for South Africa.

It's going to be a tight-scoring affair so a quick innings of 50 or 75 from a Pollock or a Gilchrist at the right time could turn the game.

I'm still backing the selection of pace. That third quick will be vital as the wicket deteriorates. Colin Miller would have been valuable here - much more so than Stuart MacGill, who was made 12th man. Miller would have provided a second spinning option, and his medium-pacers are just about right for this type of wicket as it wears.

Steve Waugh's body isn't up to it now but it's no surprise he's taken wickets here in the past. Look out for Ricky Ponting too. He bowls pretty straight and bangs it in. On this deck, which is holding up a bit, he might just be a useful bowler if his back holds up.

Ian Healy made a record 395 dismissals in 119 Tests for Australia. His comments will be appearing on Wisden.com at the end of every session in the series. He was talking to Tim Stoney.

More Ian Healy
A big toss for Steve Waugh
Langer cuts a dash

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