David Warner questions South Africa’s spirit

Warner directed his comments at wicket-keeper batsman AB de Villiers, who the Australians suspected was pushing the limits of the spirit of the game by scuffing up the ball in order to help South African fast bowlers attain reverse swing.

“We were actually questioning whether or not AB de Villiers would get the ball in his hand and with his glove wipe the rough side every ball,” Warner told Sky Sports Radio.

South Africa levelled the series in Port Elizabeth on the fourth day following a inspired bowling performance by Dale Steyn, who generated reverse swing after tea to return figures of four for 55. From 141 for one at tea, Australia were bowled out for 216 in 73.1 overs.

Warner said Australia’s 231 run loss was caused by the amount of reverse swing the South African fast bowlers were able to generate.

“I think it comes down to the umpires warning both teams not to throw the ball into the wicket which you generally try and do,” Warner said.

“They did it better than what we did, or more obvious than what we did. At the end of the day it comes down to who can do that the best and work on the ball,” Warner said.

“We worked on the ball a lot in England and we got the ball to reverse a lot there and we got the ball reversing a little at home and this time it just didn’t work for us because the outfield was probably a little bit moist under the ground and day one it was obviously quite hard to get it to go reverse as well. That’s what happens in the game. You have to try and work out how to do that. Sometimes that happens.”

Newlands, a fortress

Capetown: South Africa will head to their favourite ground with momentum in their favour when they take on Australia in the series-deciding third Test at Newlands, batsman Hashim Amla said on Tuesday.

The Proteas have suffered just one loss in Cape Town in 12 years, to Australia in 2006, a run of 16 matches at a venue where crowds are traditionally good and the wicket conducive to positive results.

“Newlands has been a happy ground for the Proteas over the last few years but Australia is a good team,” Amla said ahead of the match which starts on Saturday.

“There is a lot riding on the last game and fortunately we have momentum and that is what we are going to try and take into the match. Going into the last Test it will be important to assess the conditions as soon as we can.”

Australia’s last two visits to Cape Town, in 2009 and 2011, resulted in defeats by an innings and 20 runs, and eight wickets. Three years ago they were bowled out for 47 in their second innings.

South Africa’s thumping 231-run victory in the second Test following an equally decisive 281-run loss in the first game in Pretoria left the series on a knife-edge.

Amla, who scored an elegant hundred in the second innings in Port Elizabeth, said the squad felt they were now playing much better cricket.

“Players got hundreds and the bowlers bowled well, it’s a better situation to be in going in one-all, having won the second Test,” he said. Captain Graeme Smith spoke of his side’s character and resilience after the Port Elizabeth win and Amla said they had learnt how to get positive results from losing positions.

“Over the last few years we’ve had quite a few fightbacks. I say fight-backs to win the Test as well as fightbacks to hold on to the draw like the matches at the Wanderers (against India) and Adelaide (against Australia),” Amla said. — Reuters