Sydney Test, Day 4, Tea
Saturday, January 5, 2002

Well, all nightmares avoided for Australia - they can breathe easy now.

They would have been a bit concerned at lunch, and they've had to work hard for wickets - Warne and MacGill will both be pretty tired. That won't do them any harm. If anything it will help them to be back in a situation where they have to really work for wickets.

You'd have to say South Africa haven't had a great deal of luck. Kallis was a bit unlucky, and Ontong's lbw - while it wasn't a bad decision - might have been a bit stiff.

Even though they look like losing 3-0, there are some good things for them out of this. Ontong looks like he can play. I was impressed with him in both innings, and he looks really promising.

Kirsten's knock was terrific - although he would have loved to bat right through the innings. He really worked hard through up-and-down periods.

It was important for South Africa to put up some sort of fight today. Not so much from within the team - they know they can play and will bounce back - but from the public perception.

With the Australians going to South Africa later this year it was important to demystify the Aussies - to show that with good, sensible, attacking batting you can take it right up to what is a very good bowling line-up.

Ian Healy made a record 395 dismissals in 119 Tests for Australia. His comments will be appearing exclusively on Wisden.com after each session in this series. He was talking to Tim Stoney.

More Ian Healy
Day 4, Lunch: Time is the key
Day 3, Close: A glimmer of hope

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