Steyn absence keep Australia in the hunt, reckons Smith
Steven Smith, the Australia captain, is bullish about his team's chances of victory in the first Test against South Africa despite the hosts staring down the barrel as they face a record chase.
South Africa are in a commanding position, reaching 390 for 6 at stumps on Day 3, leading by 388. To take a series lead, Australia will need to re-write the record books with their highest successful run chase at the WACA being 342 against India in 1977-78. Only four times in Test history has a team been successful chasing more than 400 runs.
However, one of those came at the WACA with South Africa memorably finishing at 414 for 4 to win the first Test in 2008. Adding some hope for Australia is that Dale Steyn, South African spearhead, will not bowl in the second innings after suffering a major shoulder injury that will sideline him for six months.
Speaking at the press conference after the day's play, Smith believed Australia could still win against the odds. "Anything is going to be chaseable in my mind," he said. "This wicket isn't the traditional WACA wicket. It's been pretty slow, the ball has gotten soft very quickly.
"The balls that have misbehaved have been quite wide, so it's still a good wicket. It's a lightning outfield. If you can get yourself in, it's a great place to bat," he added.
Smith believed Steyn's absence would prove significant and said Australia would have a different strategy with the bat in the second innings after being bogged down midway through their first dig by South Africa's probing attack. "It is certainly going to help us (that Steyn can't bowl), he is a quality bowler," he said. "Obviously we need the wickets but if we can keep them out there and tire their two fast bowlers down and be more positive against the spin, then there is no reason we can't chase down a total on that wicket."
Australia fought bravely but eventually wilted under Perth's oppressive heat and the virtuoso blades of JP Duminy and Dean Elgar, who combined for a record third-wicket partnership of 250. In the pivotal first session of the day, with the match delicately poised, Smith used his trio of pacemen for the duration as off-spinner Nathan Lyon was overlooked until after lunch.
"The ball was reversing and has been a big player for both sides in this game," Smith said of his decision to not use Lyon in the first session. "(Reverse swing is) very uncharacteristic for the WACA, first time I've ever seen the ball reverse at the WACA. When the ball is reversing it is a tough one... you want to bowl spin, but the way he (Lyon) holds it he softens that side down to stop the ball reversing. I had to try to use the quicks as long as possible."
Despite the harsh conditions, Smith said he believed the bowlers were inconsistent. "I thought we were too wide to Duminy at times as he scored a lot of his runs in the covers," the Australia captain said.
South Africa are in a commanding position, reaching 390 for 6 at stumps on Day 3, leading by 388. To take a series lead, Australia will need to re-write the record books with their highest successful run chase at the WACA being 342 against India in 1977-78. Only four times in Test history has a team been successful chasing more than 400 runs.
However, one of those came at the WACA with South Africa memorably finishing at 414 for 4 to win the first Test in 2008. Adding some hope for Australia is that Dale Steyn, South African spearhead, will not bowl in the second innings after suffering a major shoulder injury that will sideline him for six months.
Speaking at the press conference after the day's play, Smith believed Australia could still win against the odds. "Anything is going to be chaseable in my mind," he said. "This wicket isn't the traditional WACA wicket. It's been pretty slow, the ball has gotten soft very quickly.
"The balls that have misbehaved have been quite wide, so it's still a good wicket. It's a lightning outfield. If you can get yourself in, it's a great place to bat," he added.
Smith believed Steyn's absence would prove significant and said Australia would have a different strategy with the bat in the second innings after being bogged down midway through their first dig by South Africa's probing attack. "It is certainly going to help us (that Steyn can't bowl), he is a quality bowler," he said. "Obviously we need the wickets but if we can keep them out there and tire their two fast bowlers down and be more positive against the spin, then there is no reason we can't chase down a total on that wicket."
Australia fought bravely but eventually wilted under Perth's oppressive heat and the virtuoso blades of JP Duminy and Dean Elgar, who combined for a record third-wicket partnership of 250. In the pivotal first session of the day, with the match delicately poised, Smith used his trio of pacemen for the duration as off-spinner Nathan Lyon was overlooked until after lunch.
"The ball was reversing and has been a big player for both sides in this game," Smith said of his decision to not use Lyon in the first session. "(Reverse swing is) very uncharacteristic for the WACA, first time I've ever seen the ball reverse at the WACA. When the ball is reversing it is a tough one... you want to bowl spin, but the way he (Lyon) holds it he softens that side down to stop the ball reversing. I had to try to use the quicks as long as possible."
Despite the harsh conditions, Smith said he believed the bowlers were inconsistent. "I thought we were too wide to Duminy at times as he scored a lot of his runs in the covers," the Australia captain said.
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