Aussies in charge in Sydney

Siddle blast puts tourists under pressure in final Test

Last updated: 5th January 2009

Aussies in charge in Sydney

Siddle: Test best 5-59

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Third Test Match
Sydney
Australia 445 (M J Clarke 138, M G Johnson 64) & 33-0 v South Africa 327 (M V Boucher 89, H M Amla 51, P M Siddle 5-59)

Australia bossed the third day's play in the final Test to claim a 151-run lead with all second innings wickets intact against South Africa.

Seamer Peter Siddle bagged five for 59 including four wickets in 22 balls after tea to have the Proteas all out for 327, with injured opener Graeme Smith unable to return to the crease, before the Aussies reached 33-0 at stumps.

Replying to Australia's 445, the tourists were toiling at 195 for five before a partnership of 115 between Mark Boucher and Morne Morkel gave South Africa some respectability.

But Siddle skittled both and also removed Dale Steyn and Paul Harris cheaply to give the Aussies the upper hand as they bid to start 2009 on the right note.

Resuming on 125 for one the tourists were effectively five down before lunch with Smith out with a broken hand.

McDonald off the mark

Mitchell Johnson dismissed Jacques Kallis (37), caught low down at first slip by Matthew Hayden, and then ran out AB de Villiers (11) with a brilliant piece of fielding from mid on.

Andrew McDonald claimed his first Test victim when he had Hashim Amla (51) trapped lbw moments after the batsman had reached a dogged half century.

JP Duminy and Boucher guided South Africa to lunch at 176-4 but the former had made just 11 before Johnson picked up his second wicket of the day soon after the resumption courtesy of another successful lbw appeal.

But wicketkeeper Boucher found an ally in Morkel, who rode his luck as he played and missed a number of deliveries, while Boucher nudged one ball from Nathan Hauritz onto his stumps only for the bails to somehow remain in place.

But after tea things swung back into Australia's favour thanks to Siddle, who broke the partnership with the score on 308 when he scattered Morkel's stumps with the all-rounder 10 short of his half century.

Harris made just two before he was trapped lbw, while Steyn added six before Siddle found a way through his weak defence.

Boucher appeared determined to reach his century for a sixth time in Tests, adding a further 11 runs with last man Makhaya Ntini at the other end, before swinging once too often having made 89 to give Siddle his first five wicket haul at the highest level.

Aussie openers Matthew Hayden and Simon Katich then survived an edgy six overs before the close to give the hosts a healthy lead as they look to save face after losing the first two Tests.