Warne takes six as Aussies clinch series

Durban, March 28:

Shane Warne took six wickets and Australia defeated South Africa by 112 runs to take an unbeatable 2-0 lead in their three-match Test series on Tuesday.

Warne, who took 6-86, finished off the South African innings. Regular captain Ricky Ponting missed the day’s play with food poisoning.

Warne dismissed tailenders Andre Nel and Makhaya Ntini for a duck, after the Australian legspinner started the day by taking the wickets of South Africa’s top three batsmen.

He added the wicket of Jacques Rudolph in the afternoon session, getting a ball to loop up off the batsman’s pad and onto his gloves for Justin Langer to take an easy catch dismissing the South African for 36.

Australia set South Africa 410 to win after declaring its second innings at 307/4 before tea on the fourth day. Ponting made 103 and 116, while Matthew Hayden contributed 102 in Australia’s second innings.

South Africa’s opener started the day well, with Smith and A.B. de Villiers putting on 91 runs for the first wicket, before Warne was brought into the attack.

He stemmed the flow of runs and drew De Villiers out of his crease for Gilchrist to make a smart stumping and send the opener away for 46. Smith followed soon after, caught by Langer at leg slip for 40.

Jacques Kallis was out lbw to Warne for seven, and Herschelle Gibbs got a delivery from Stuart Clark that lifted spitefully off a length and took the edge for Warne to take the catch and dismiss him for 17.

Ashwell Prince resisted for 37 balls for his seven runs, but a ball from Clark hit his glove and he was easily caught by Hussey at midwicket.

The third test starts Friday at Johannesburg.

SCOREBOARD

AUSTRALIA —1st Innings: 369

SOUTH AFRICA —1st Innings: 267

AUSTRALIA —2nd Innings: 307/4 (dec)

SOUTH AFRICA — 2nd Innings (overnight 29/0)

A Villiers st Gilchrist b Warne 46

G Smith c Langer b Warne 40

H Gibbs c Warne b Clark 17

J Kallis lbw b Warne 7

A Prince c Hussey b Clark 7

J Rudolph c Langer b Warne 36

M Boucher not out 51

S Pollock b Lee 4

N Boje c Clarke b Kasprowicz 48

A Nel c Hayden b Warne 14

M Ntini lbw b Warne 0

Extras: 27 (b5, lb8, nb14)

Total: 297

FoW: 1-91, 2-98, 3-122, 4-122, 5-146, 6-170, 7-181, 8-253, 9-292

Australia bowling: Lee 22-6-65-1, Clark 21-6-46-2, Symonds 8-0-32-0, Warne 35.5-9-86-6, Kasprowicz 12-2-51-1, Hussey 1-0-4-0