The Wisden Bulletin
by Steven Lynch in Melbourne
Wednesday, December 26, 2001

Close South Africa 89 for 3 (Kallis 22*, McKenzie 14*)
scorecard

Only 40 overs were possible on a frustrating day for the large crowd of 61,796 on Boxing Day at the MCG. Heavy showers dogged Australia's "Most Liveable City" all day, but relented occasionally to allow four brief spells of play.

Australia had the better of it when they did make it out to the middle, claiming three important wickets after putting South Africa in. It might have been more – the team that caught everything in the first Test shelled a couple today. But on the credit side Matthew Hayden did grab an astonishing one-hander in the gully to dismiss Boeta Dippenaar. It's becoming a habit for the beleaguered Boeta – Ricky Ponting clung on to a similar screamer at Adelaide.

South Africa's openers survived the 11 overs possible before lunch, but in two brief bursts of play afterwards – one of 14 balls and one of 10 – Glenn McGrath broke through. He probed outside off, Herschelle Gibbs poked apologetically, and the edge flew straight to Ponting at third slip (24 for 1).

Almost immediately rain intervened again. The teams took an early tea, and it wasn't until 4.10 that the patient crowd had some more entertainment. Almost immediately Gary Kirsten padded up to one from Brett Lee that looked on course to flatten his middle stump, but umpire Eddie Nicholls shook his head. But in the next over McGrath came round the wicket, dug one in, and an old Kirsten curse resurfaced as he inside-edged it into his stumps (36 for 2).

Jacques Kallis dug in with Dippenaar, who looked awestruck at Adelaide but mellower in Melbourne. Dippenaar went for his shots, shelling a wide one from Brett Lee over point for four. But in attempting a repeat he rifled the ball a few inches off the ground past gully, where Hayden telescoped his right arm backwards to capture that amazing catch (59 for 3). It was equal to, or maybe even better than, Ponting's spectacular grab in the same area which accounted for Dippenaar in the first Test.

Ponting had a chance to match it next over. Kallis (5) thick-edged Andy Bichel low to third slip. Ponting stretched out his right hand but couldn't hold on. Shortly afterwards there was more disappointment for Bichel. Kallis (11) top-edged a hook, but Lee couldn't hold on to the skyer. He was skirting round the long-leg boundary, and was distracted by the rope. The ball actually missed Lee's hands altogether and thumped into his chest.

At the other end Neil McKenzie was playing in the same correct, composed manner as in the first Test. He swivelled to flip-pull Lee for an easy four, shortly after guiding another boundary more edgily through the slips.

What turned out to be the last over of the day was the first foray for Shane Warne. His entrance was trumpeted by a roar from the big crowd. They were silenced by the fifth ball, which Kallis launched over mid-off for six.

Earlier, rain overnight and on Christmas Day had gingered up the pitch enough to persuade Steve Waugh to put South Africa in when he won the toss. Asked whether this was a much-discussed committee decision, Waugh side-mouthed "No, it's a decision I made about five minutes ago."

South Africa included Allan Donald in place of Makhaya Ntini. Donald has taken only one wicket on the tour, and tiptoed gingerly through the recent four-day game against NSW. But Shaun Pollock said that Donald's foot problems weren't structural, and that he might be able to get through the match with a painkilling injection. It's a gamble. As expected, Australia brought in Bichel for the injured Jason Gillespie. Brad Williams, the uncapped Western Australia fast bowler, had to carry the drinks.

After today's bad weather there will be an extra hour's play on each pf the remaining days. Play will start at 10.30am each day, and continue until 6.30pm.

Teams
Australia 1 Justin Langer, 2 Matthew Hayden, 3 Ricky Ponting, 4 Mark Waugh, 5 Steve Waugh (capt), 6 Damien Martyn, 7 Adam Gilchrist (wk), 8 Shane Warne, 9 Brett Lee, 10 Andy Bichel, 11 Glenn McGrath.

South Africa 1 Gary Kirsten, 2 Herschelle Gibbs, 3 Boeta Dippenaar, 4 Jacques Kallis, 5 Neil McKenzie, 6 Mark Boucher (wk), 7 Lance Klusener, 8 Shaun Pollock (capt), 9 Claude Henderson, 10 Allan Donald, 11 Nantie Hayward.

Steven Lynch will be writing live match reports for Wisden.com throughout the Melbourne and Sydney Tests, with Ian Healy, the record-breaking Australian wicketkeeper, providing his authoritative Session by Session comments.

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