Australia vs South Africa Third Test: live cricket scores, updates (Day 3 - Perth)

By Suneer Chowdhary / Roar Guru

South Africa took command of the third and final Test at Perth against Australia as their lead swelled to 292 by close on the second day.

We’ll bring you the live scores and commentary of the action throughout the third Test match, with the day starting at 1:30 pm AEDT (10:30am local) on December 2.

With eight wickets still standing for South Africa, it looks like they could push their lead to over 400 if they bat out the first one hour or so.

Hashim Amla ended the day unbeaten on 99 from only 84 balls. His partnership with his captain Graeme Smith yielded 178 runs for the second wicket, punishing their hosts further after their first innings lead.

Smith was out to a fine catch, but Jacques Kallis was missed early and went on to finish the day 17 not-out.

The track showed no signs of treacherousness that had seen South Africa get bowled out for 225 on the first day before dismissing Australia for 163.

Dale Steyn was the obvious star of the bowling show, roaring back into form with a four-wicket haul after having little joy in this series earlier.

The Australian top-order fell away quickly raising comparisons with their performance at Cape Town last year but Matthew Wade’s timely half-century saved them the blushes.

Later, Robin Peterson ran through the lower-order to pick up three wickets and help South Africa achieve a lead of 62 runs.

A lot was expected out of the Australian new ball bowlers given how the batsmen have struggled when the ball has had a pronounced seam.

That they got only one wicket, of Petersen, by the time the shine had gone, was as much a testimony to how well the South Africans batted as it was to the pedestrian nature of the Australian bowling.

Michael Clarke seemingly missed Peter Siddle and co. in the third session on Saturday and will need Starc, Johnson and Hastings to deliver some early blows on the third day to redeem something from what seems to be a hopeless situation.

We will bring you the coverage throughout the game from the WACA in Perth and hope to receive your opinions as the action unfolds.

Keep updated by reviewing the comments below.

The Crowd Says:

2013-01-05T17:57:41+00:00

mathushan

Guest


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2012-12-02T17:08:56+00:00

Neuen

Roar Rookie


632 for victory. Track might be flat but its going to break up and Steyn is getting swing. If he gets the reverse going like in India it could spell big trouble.

2012-12-02T15:24:21+00:00

Lolly

Guest


He bowled far better than Starc for all Starc ended up getting the tail-enders and the six for. Shame he's such a nutter as he's really looked a test match bowler and player in this game. Quite superb fielding.

2012-12-02T15:21:35+00:00

Lolly

Guest


I remember that! I was charging around the loungeroom in best angry teenager mode when they got back to the match and found that the game was over!

AUTHOR

2012-12-02T10:05:37+00:00

Suneer Chowdhary

Roar Guru


Right then, Australia have passed the first hurdle, survived the small session without the loss of any wickets. Chasing 632 for a win, they have gathered 40 runs in the 13 overs with Warner being the obvious aggressor. Cowan, who had a duck in the first innings, gets to nine from 46 balls. As shown in the South African innings, it is still a flat track and the bowlers' only hope for now is for the track to deteriorate a little and get a little up and down. That, and obviously the fact that the Aussies will need long powers of concentration to come out of this one unscathed. Suneer Chowdhary here, signing off and will be back tomorrow with the fourth day's play!

AUTHOR

2012-12-02T10:00:17+00:00

Suneer Chowdhary

Roar Guru


The field has now come up - three slips, gully, short cover, leg gully for Cowan. Why wouldn't you have such and more attacking fields with 600 runs to play with is beyond me.

AUTHOR

2012-12-02T09:58:56+00:00

Suneer Chowdhary

Roar Guru


Nearing the end of the day's play now, with Australia having gotten themselves to 0/38.

AUTHOR

2012-12-02T09:54:45+00:00

Suneer Chowdhary

Roar Guru


Short of length and Warner whips it across his hips for a four! It was more of a short-arm jab and Warner gets it to in front of the deep square-leg fielder for a boundary.

AUTHOR

2012-12-02T09:53:02+00:00

Suneer Chowdhary

Roar Guru


Dale Steyn is back on to replace Vernon Philander. Australia smoothly moved on to 0/34 in 11 overs. About eight more minutes of play remaining here.

AUTHOR

2012-12-02T09:46:22+00:00

Suneer Chowdhary

Roar Guru


Ed Cowan's pulled away with the bowler just about to release the ball, for the second time this innings...much to the chagrin of the Saffers fielders. They let him know what they feel of this and an exasperated Cowan calls for a fly spray. 0/28 in 10.

2012-12-02T09:46:03+00:00

Red Kev

Guest


They were talking about "whispers" not an agreement unfortunately. But they (I think it was Barry Richards and Jim Maxwell) seemed fairly confident that it would be a good outcome.

AUTHOR

2012-12-02T09:39:58+00:00

Suneer Chowdhary

Roar Guru


Ouch, Morkel takes a tumble in his follow-through And unlike the other times when Morkel just tumbles on his follow-through, this is more serious than the others - he twisted his ankle after landing on the front crease and went down. It looked awfully painful but he is on his feet now.

AUTHOR

2012-12-02T09:37:25+00:00

Suneer Chowdhary

Roar Guru


Morne Morkel has come on to replace Steyn.

AUTHOR

2012-12-02T09:35:55+00:00

Suneer Chowdhary

Roar Guru


Philander wasn't happy with the ball and was showing it to the umpire but was told to continue. Only recently, in the second Test match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka, they had to change the ball almost every five overs because it kept going out of shape. At one stage, there was a danger that they might run out of balls! They use the Kookaburra balls there.

AUTHOR

2012-12-02T09:33:42+00:00

Suneer Chowdhary

Roar Guru


Things happening in a bit of a slow motion here; not too much swing and the batsmen have generally looked comfortable. 1/21 in the eighth

AUTHOR

2012-12-02T09:31:57+00:00

Suneer Chowdhary

Roar Guru


Alright that's interesting, because the two sides have never played in a five-match Test series since the Saffers came back in 1991-92. Hell they haven't featured even in a four-match series! I had heard of the canning of the previous deal because both boards wanted to host the series but Gerald Majola did not quite agree. But even with Majola out, will they still have a five-match series?

AUTHOR

2012-12-02T09:27:24+00:00

Suneer Chowdhary

Roar Guru


Plays and misses galore that over from Vernon, the sixth in the innings. Any of them could have taken the outside edge through to the keeper, but Cowan survives and gets a single off the last ball. 0/20 in six. Cowan's got himself four singles in this innings so far and is battling to survive here.

2012-12-02T09:25:35+00:00

Red Kev

Guest


They were talking on the radio about it, they wanted a 3 in Aus and 3 in SA series but it got hung up in which country the Boxing Day and New Years tests would be. Apparently next time it is likely to be 5 tests again with CA and the MCG to agree a compensation deal with South African board for missing out on holiday tests.

2012-12-02T09:22:37+00:00

Johnno

Guest


Phillander deserves a wicket wow is that good bowling.

AUTHOR

2012-12-02T09:18:38+00:00

Suneer Chowdhary

Roar Guru


After a decent over from Philander, Steyn now gets a chance against Cowan.

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