Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers shared an unbeaten century partnership as South Africa regained the initiative on the third day of the second and final Test against Australia at the Wanderers Stadium on Saturday.


Hashim Amla slugs it out at the Wanderers. Pic/AFP

South Africa were 229 for three when bad light ended play, an overall lead of 199. Amla was on 89 and De Villiers 70. Their fourth wicket stand was worth 139. It was yet another turnaround in a series in which there have been some remarkable changes of fortune.

At lunch Australia would have thought they were in a good position to push for a series-levelling win after 18-year-old fast bowler Pat Cummins struck twice as South Africa lost three wickets. The host nation were 94 for three at lunch.

"There is a bit of disappointment in the dressing room," admitted Australian all-rounder Shane Watson.
"After having South Africa three down we couldn't get that one more wicket. In this series one wicket has often led to a couple more and we might have been able to get through. But Amla and De Villiers batted very well."

Watson admitted that Australia were in a situation where they had to work their way through the South African batting if they were to have a chance of squaring the series following an eight-wicket defeat in the first Test in Cape Town. "We have to bowl them out," he said.

Cummins was Australia's leading bowler, taking two for 46 in 17 overs. He dismissed opening batsman Jacques Rudolph and then had Jacques Kallis.