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Newlands Stadium, Cape Town 3rd Test Aus vs Sth Africa

South Africa have moved into the most commanding of positions in Cape Town, with their batsmen having displayed an absolute disregard for the talents of newcomers Bryce McGain and Andrew MacDonald.

At the close of day 2 McGain was staring down the barrel of owning one of the least desired of test records – the worst ever economy rate in a test innings. And while he was able to avoid that distinction by the end of the innings it will provide little joy having been taken for 149 runs from his 18 overs.

Unfortunately for McGain this may well end his chances of a trip to England later this year, and Australia will go back to the drawing board in their search for a tweaker.

Andrew MacDonald did not fare much better and at one stage was hit for four consecutive sixes by A.B DeVillers – only the third time in test cricket that has been achieved.

In the end the South Africans racked up their highest ever total against the Aussies and finished the third day in style by claiming the wickets of Phillip Hughes and Ricky Ponting, leaving the visitors needing a further 336 runs just to force the Proteas to square up for a second innings.

Of the bowlers Siddle was the standout, managing to concede just over two runs per over amidst the carnage going on around him. Johnson was the leading wicket taker with figures of 4-149.

The Australians will now turn to Katich to take his overnight score of 44 well past three figures, and Michael Hussey will be looking to remind people why he is such a vital cog in this Australian middle order. We are about to discover how much fight there really is in this Aussie outfit.

In Other News

IPL Looking At A Move To South Africa

With The Champions Trophy tournament having been shifted from the sub-continent to South Africa after the recent events in Pakistan, the IPL is now seriously considering a similar move.

Apparently IPL officials have been shopping around for security cars and it has also been noted that the IPL has made approaches to a South African security firm to negotiate the procurement of a fleet of armoured SUV’s and specially fitted buses.

While no announcement has officially been made, these preparations would seem to indicate that one may not be too far away. The preparations come amidst recent revelations that Sachin Tnedulkar & Sourav Ganguly were targets of a kidnapping plot organised by a Kashmari Separist organisation in 2007.

Tendulkar At His Sublime Best

Speaking of Tendulkar, the supreme batsmen of his generation was at it again in NZ, notching his 42nd test century with his 160 in India’s first innings against the Kiwi’s in Hamilton.

Tendulkar was his usual modest self, downplaying his innings claiming he was a little slow to get going.

“But once the new ball was taken I was timing it much better,” he said, while pointing out that “every hundred is not fluent”.

He was then straight back into the thick of the action taking a low catch at slip to dismiss opener Tim McIntosh. Tendulkar was adamant the catch had been taken and while the Kiwi’s disagreed they blamed only themselves for their poor showing so far in this test. They will resume play still requiring 166 runs to get past the Indians with 7 wickets in hand.

Crooksy