Warner takes over as SA’s chief tormentor

PRETORIA, South Africa: Australia’s David Warner took over from Mitchell Johnson as South Africa’s tormentor-in-chief as he blitzed a quickfire 93 not out to extend his team’s significant lead on the third day of the first Test on Friday.

Australia were in a commanding position at 147 for one wicket at tea after Warner and debutant Alex Doolan (48 not out) shared a 146-run partnership to extend their lead to 338.

Warner’s contribution with the bat, ably supported by Doolan, followed a seven-wicket haul for Johnson as South Africa were bowled out for 206 in their first innings before lunch.

It was a typically cavalier innings by Warner who punished the bowlers but was dropped three times. It piled on the agony for the top-ranked Test side, whose ordinary bowling was matched by uncharacteristically sloppy fielding and came after Johnson scythed his way through the batting order as he took three more wickets to end with a figures of 7 for 68.

Only AB de Villiers provided any resistance with a defiant 91 that helped South Africa avoid the follow-on after starting the day 140 for six, still 257 runs adrift. De Villiers and Vernon Philander compiled a 49-run partnership before the latter was adjudged lbw to Nathan Lyon.

South Africa’s hopes of batting on to lunch ended as De Villiers was out nine runs short of a century trying to blast a slower ball from Johnson back over the bowler’s head to be taken by Warner at mid-off.

Score Board

South Africa won toss

Australia 1st innings 397 all-out (S Marsh 148, S Smith 100; Steyn 4-78)

South Africa 1st innings 206 all-out (J Duminy 25; Johnson 7-68)

Australia 2nd innings

C J L Rogers b Steyn 1

D A Warner c Smith b Peterson 115

A J Doolan c de Villiers b Duminy 89

S E Marsh not out 35

*M J Clarke not out 14

Extras (b 3, lb 13, w 5) 21

Total (3 wickets; 63.2 overs) 275

To bat: S P D Smith, †B J Haddin, M G Johnson, P M Siddle, R J Harris, N M Lyon

Fall: 1-1, 2-206, 3-243

Bowling: Philander 11-2-28-0; Steyn 12.2-2-59-1; McLaren 11-0-47-0 (1w); Morkel 9-1-34-0; Peterson 16-0-79-1 (4w); Duminy 4-0-12-1

Umpires: Aleem Dar (Pakistan) and R K Illingworth (England). TV umpire: I J Gould (England). Match referee: R S Mahanama (Sri Lanka)