Australia heading for crushing win over SA

CENTURION: Australia were heading for a crushing win over cricket´s top-ranked team as fast bowler Mitchell Johnson increased his wicket count to 10 so far to leave South Africa floundering and 349 runs behind in the first Test on Saturday.

Already with 7-68 from the first innings, Johnson needed just two overs to remove both South African openers in the second as the Proteas limped to 132-5 at tea on the fourth day, way off the intimidating target of 482.

Bowling fast and short, and too fast for the South Africans to handle, left-arm quick Johnson sent back Alviro Petersen and Graeme Smith inside four overs.

He had JP Duminy out just before tea to a second stunning reaction catch by Alex Doolan at short leg.For good measure, he struck Ryan McLaren a crunching blow on the helmet with a bouncer that drew blood from the South African allrounder.

Before that, Peter Siddle had Faf du Plessis lbw for 18 and Ryan Harris dismissed Hashim Amla caught at slip by Shaun Marsh for 35 as Australia rattled through South Africa´s top order for the second time in the match and then began bruising its lower order.Johnson´s destructive start to the series opener already had the Proteas all out for 206 in their first knock.

Sweeping aside South Africa´s No. 1 ranking, Australia and Johnson have had the home team on the ropes throughout the opening match and were closing in on a huge win at SuperSport Park to start the three-match series, where Australia is now far more than just a mere challenger to South Africa´s status as the top team in the world. Australia has been the best team by some way in this match.

Dominating with bat as well as ball, Australia had earlier declared its second innings on 290-4 in the third over of play for a lead of 481 after a power-packed century by David Warner and 89 by debutant Doolan.
Warner´s rapid hundred was the third Australian century of the game, and his double-century in tandem with Doolan the tourists´ second stand of over 200.

In comparison, AB de Villiers is the only South African to pass 50 with his 91 in the first innings. De Villiers was 39 not out in the second.

The red-hot Johnson reduced South Africa to 12-2 at one point after another blistering spell by the ferocious Australia fast bowler on Saturday.

McLaren came up smiling after some on-field attention to a cut near his ear and walked off at the tea break.

Johnson had forced Petersen (1) out to an edge behind to wicketkeeper Brad Haddin in the second over and removed South Africa captain Smith for 4 to a superb sharp catch by Doolan at short leg in the fourth over.

Du Plessis was hit low on the pads after a ball came off a crack and Amla also didn´t stay long enough to worry Australia.

Duminy fell for 10 just before the end of the session when he clipped a ball from Johnson away and Doolan managed to react quickly enough to take a brilliant catch.

That helped Johnson to match figures of 10-113 off 29 brutally hostile overs with South Africa´s tailenders now in his sights. It also put Australia close to victory, and becoming the first team to beat South Africa in a Test at Centurion in 14 years — and only the second ever.
South Africa has lost just once in 18 matches at SuperSport Park.

At the start of the day, Australia skipper Michael Clarke, who was batting at the time, called a halt to the Aussie second innings as soon as Shaun Marsh fell to Dale Steyn for 44 in the third over, setting South Africa an unlikely victory target of 482 that was made much more unlikely with Johnson´s near-unplayable form. (AP)