Cricket: South Africa gamble fails

SYDNEY - South Africa paid the price for making the brave decision to set Australia the challenge of scoring 287 to win on the last day of the thirs test in Sydney.

The Proteas declared 64 minutes before the scheduled lunch break on 6-194, an overall lead of 286, after scoring 100 runs in 86 minutes.

Australia, needing to score at a rate of 3.78 from the remaining 76 overs in the day's play to win the series 2-0, did so with ease for the loss of just two wickets.


Ricky Ponting scored his second century of the match to secure the victory.

Earlier, Legspinner Stuart MacGill claimed the wickets of Ashwell Prince (18), Jacques Rudolph (4) and Mark Boucher (11) in his opening four overs as South Africa lost 3-29 in the pursuit of quick runs.

First-innings century-maker Jacques Kallis made an unbeaten 50 in three hours for South Africa while Shaun Pollock hit two fours and a six in his 26 not out from 21 balls before the declaration.

However the rain which has interrupted play throughout the match could again be a factor today with thunderstorms predicted for this afternoon.

Australia leads the three-Test series 1-0 but Pollock says his side is determined to play attacking cricket and push for victory today, even if it means risking a 2-0 defeat.

History is against Australia winning the match. The highest successful fourth-innings run-chase in an SCG Test was Australia's 4-276 to beat England in March 1898.

Australia is facing a battle to control the behaviour of its players, with Glenn McGrath (obscene language) and Brett Lee (dissent) receiving official reprimands from match referee Chris Broad during the third test.

South African coach Mickey Arthur was last night cleared by Broad of making public criticism of a match official.

Arthur had told a press conference after day three that he was disappointed with three lbw decisions that went against his side.

Umpires Aleem Dar of Pakistan and Billy Bowden remained in the spotlight today with Dar making some puzzling leg-side wide calls against Australia leg-spinner Shane Warne.

- AAP