CRICKET NEWS: IN WHAT may have been his final Test appearance, Matthew Hayden was out for 23 at the MCG as Australia's batsmen fell short in their second innings to leave South Africa a target of 183 to inflict a first home series defeat in 16 years on the hosts.
Hayden was caught off the bowling of the South African paceman Dale Steyn, who took his second five-wicket haul of the game before dismissing suggestions that nerves might effect his side's chances of victory in the second Test.
After bowling Australia out for 247, South Africa captain Graeme Smith and his opening partner Neil McKenzie put on 30 for the first wicket, leaving them 153 runs from victory with all second-innings wickets standing.
Although South Africa have had a record of struggling to beat Australia, Steyn said: "Many of the guys that are on this tour have never lost to Australia apart from a couple of senior players. So there's a fresh group of players out here who are not really worried about the history. "We're more worried about the way we play cricket and what we've come to achieve on this tour."
Steyn reaped the reward of his good bowling but also some indifferent batting by Australia.
Only two batsmen could avoid blame for their dismissals, Michael Hussey and Andrew Symonds.
Hussey, in his first form slump in his international career, fell to a brutal bouncer from Morne Morkel, the ball coming off his helmet to give Hashim Amla a dolly catch, and Symonds edged a full-pitched ball from Steyn to Jacques Kallis at second slip.
Australia's captain, Ricky Ponting, said his side would have to be at their very best to avoid defeat. "We've got to get out there and give it our best shot for as long as it takes and hopefully hand us some chances and have some luck and we'll see what happens.
"We've all got to dig as deep as we can," he said.
Meanwhile, Ireland batman Eoin Morgan has been named as part of the 14-man England Lions squad to tour New Zealand, writes Emmet Riordan.
The squad are scheduled to play two four-day matches, two one-day games and a Twenty20 fixture against New Zealand A.
Last week Morgan was included in Ireland coach Phil Simmons' preliminary squad for the World Cup qualifiers in April. Despite his involvement with the England Lions, the 22-year-old Middlesex batsman remains eligible to play for Ireland.
