Cricket/Test News: South Africa paceman Andre Nel admits he thrived in the hostile atmosphere created by the Melbourne crowd during the second Test against Australia yesterday.

The partisan crowd tried to make life difficult for Nel and South Africa on the opening day, but he had the last laugh on the 70,000-strong attendance by sparking a late Australia collapse.

Australia, after winning the toss, looked in total control as they reached 154 for one, with Ricky Ponting and Matthew Hayden well set at the crease.

But inspired by a devastating spell by Nel, South Africa wrestled the initiative by reducing their hosts to 239 for eight by stumps. Nel finished with figures of four for 58 after claiming the wickets of Andrew Symonds (nought), Adam Gilchrist (two), Shane Warne (nine) and, most crucially, Ponting (117) in a 25-ball spell.

"I was trying to get Ponting out, a lot quicker and earlier than that," the fiery fast bowler admitted. "When the crowd starts talking to me, or people start putting me down, I just want to prove them wrong and I really fire up."

Australia First Innings

P Jaques c Rudolph b Pollock 2

M Hayden c Smith b Pollock 65

R Ponting c Gibbs b Nel 117

B Hodge c Smith b Pollock 7

M Hussey not out 23

A Symonds c Boucher b Nel 0

A Gilchrist c Gibbs b Nel 2

S Warne c Boje by Nel 9

B Lee lbw b Ntini 4

Extras: (2b 3lb 2w 3nb) 10

Total: (for 8 wickets, 89 1 overs) ... 239

Fall of wickets: 2-1, 154-2, 176-3, 207-4, 207-5, 213-6, 227-7, 239-8

To bat: S MacGill, G McGrath

Bowling (to date): S Pollock 20-5-46-3 (1nb), M Ntini 12.1-2-34-1, J Kallis 18.5-3-59-0, (2w), A Nel 22-5-58-4 (2nb), N Boje 16.1-3-37-0.