376 DELIVERIES, 14 FOURS
AUSTRALIA V SOUTH AFRICA, 2ND TEST, ADELAIDE, 2012
Australia 550 (Clarke 230, Hussey 103; Morkel 5-146) & 267-8dec drew with South Africa 388 (Smith 122, du Plessis 78) & 248-8 (du Plessis 110*)
OPPOSITION ATTACK: Ben Hilfenhaus, Peter Siddle, Michael Clarke, Nathan Lyon
Given his opportunity by an injury to JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis was, by the end of his Test debut, the one inflicting the pain. Australia lost one bowler, James Pattinson, early on and, by the end of an epic Test, two more, Ben Hilfenhaus and Peter Siddle, who bowled more then 100 overs between them in a fruitless attempt to dislodge du Plessis. They both missed the next Test.
Having been dominated all match in the harsh South Australian sun, the world’s No.1 ranked Test side began the final day on 77-4, chasing a notional 430. But they lost only one wicket in the first two sessions, by which time du Plessis had 94. Twice he was given out lbw to the spin of Michael Clarke but both decisions were overturned on review. He spent 41 balls in the nineties and was dropped by the keeper Matthew Wade on 94. He put on 99 with a hamstrung Jacques Kallis, batting at eight, and by the time Morne Morkel had blocked out the last ball from Siddle, du Plessis had been in for 14 minutes short of eight hours.
