On the first day of the final test, Warner's bat proved to be more eloquent than, if just as belligerent as, his tongue. His century in double quick time finally gave him significant first innings runs after more than a year of being largely a second inning specialist. It also gave Australia the ascendency in The Decider, as this test is being called.
Clarke started the good day for the Aussies by winning the toss, giving his team the first use of what was a good batting surface. Warner and Rogers then set about their task like it was a short format game, racing to a fifty partnership inside ten overs. While Doolan was struggling, Warner's run a ball fifty meant that the run rate stayed high. However the most interesting passage of the day came after Doolan's dismissal. First Steyn broke down with a hamstring twinge. He was off the field for the rest of the day. The South Africans were going to see how he pulled up this morning before working out what his involvement in the rest of the match would be- though the time he has been off the field should mean that he cannot bowl until well after lunch today at the earliest (however Morkel seemed to bypass this rule in Centurion, so who knows). If he is ruled out of the rest of the match, that significantly weakens the South African attack, his importance to which the last test was evidence. Following Steyn's departure Morkel finished his over and then continued with a hostile spell of bowling the likes of which I have not seen since the Windies were in the last days of their world dominance. Seriously, if you haven't seen it, look at the highlight reel at cricket.com.au. I realise he was imitating Johnson, but at his height he found bounce and accuracy to really worry one of the world's best batsmen for a prolonged period. Clarke ended that five over spell battered and bruised. But importantly, still there. That was the main difference between Morkel on the one hand, and Johnson and the
Windies on the other: Morkel hurt his prey in every way but the one that counted- his wicket. Clarke showed the kind of mettle that the English had lacked for much of the Ashes, and found a way through. In fact, in spite of his "weakness" to the short ball, Clarke needs to be knocked over early by a vicious spell- while his back is still stiff, or it helps him focus and he often scores big. The last time an attack really took it up to him in anything like this way was England at Adelaide: Clarke got 148. He starts day two on 92. Smith is with him on 50, and given his recent conversion rate, will seriously be looking for three figures again.
While Australia are clearly on top at the moment, the Saffers are not out of it yet. They need a calamitous batting collapse or two to help them, but Australia are just the team to do it. Look no further than their last test innings (90 runs between the last 9 partnerships) or their last effort on this ground (don't mention the number 47). The first hour or so of day two will be very important. If Clarke and Smith can survive, then the Proteas will struggle to get into the match. If the Aussies get another couple of hundred, then the South Africans will be looking for a draw. The Aussies however will be hoping that their bowlers will use the scoreboard pressure like they have most of the summer, and take wickets. In this they might be helped by a pitch that has reportedly been a bit up and down already (I did not see enough of this myself to comment), and had at least one ball that spun on the first day, if a it slowly.
*edit: Morkel was injured in Centurion, not PE.
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