"It's not over until the Fat Man spins" read a cheeky banner at the Melbourne Cricket Ground yesterday, with obvious reference to Shane Warne's new figure and, of course, his match-winning ability.
Warne's sensitivity to the whole issue has not affected his form, and he is spinning the ball so much after only three days of this first Test, that even South Africa, renowned fighters of all causes that they are, have an almost impossible task to avoid defeat.
Whatever South Africa's target is - most likely between 250 and 300 - they have virtually no chance of reaching it. It is not just their coach Bob Woolmer who is shaking his head and saying he has not seen a wicket like it in this country, but also many Victorians. It is clearly under-watered, has turned from day one and is already in danger of breaking up. Pollock's wicket-taking delivery to Steve Waugh shortly before stumps clearly broke the crust of an uneven surface that is likely to be condemned as substandard for a Test match. There is little between these sides apart from Warne. His bowling over the weekend when he returned figures of 42-15-64-3 was outstanding, for despite maintaining attacking fields throughout, at no stage did any batsman look like combating him effectively.
He began by having Cronje taken at short leg from an insipid push, and could have had a hatfull of further wickets apart from those of Pollock and Klusener, both lbw to deliveries they completely misread.
South Africa could perhaps be criticised for failing to be more positive against both Warne and the off spin of Mark Waugh, as well as the seamers. But throughout this match, this pitch has been slow enough to deny batsmen the confidence to play their shots.
Coming down the wicket to spinners has clearly not been an option, although Ponting's exceptional speed on his feet enabled him to do so on several occasions. His audaciously-executed 105 ought to prove a match-winning innings. That South Africa used up nearly 107 overs in plodding to 186 all out was testimony not just to the pitch, but to the niggardliness of the Australian bowling. McGrath's lack of match practice deprived him of a little zip, but none of his accuracy, Kasprowicz again looked dangerous and Mark Waugh's often underrated off spin proved an ideal foil to Warne.
It was Waugh who claimed the wicket Australia most wanted - that of Kirsten after 257 balls of unflagging concentration. A complete lack of feet movement saw Alan Donald rip through Waugh's defences with an off-cutter. Donald's top-class opening spell, in which he also brought one back to have Elliott lbw before persuading Blewett to edge to second slip, has given South Africa a glimmer of hope. But Steve Waugh was twice missed off Symcox before he was out.
Scoreboard in Sports Round-Up
New Zealand will host the next women's World Cup in the year 2000. The International Women's Cricket Council (IWCC) awarded the next competition to the Kiwis and the 2004 World Cup to South Africa at their meeting in Calcutta yesterday.
Ireland, Australia, England, South Africa, New Zealand, India, Holland and Sri Lanka all qualified for the 2000 World Cup by reaching this year's quarter-finals.
