PERTH, 21 December 2005 — Jacques Rudolph defied Australia’s attack with an unbeaten century to help South Africa salvage a draw in the opening cricket Test at the WACA Ground here yesterday.
Rudolph batted throughout the day, gluing the Proteas’ second innings together with a masterful 102 not out from 283 balls in 431 minutes.
At the close of play South Africa had reached 287-5, still 204 runs short of the 491 they had needed for victory but good enough to keep their hopes alive in the three-Test series.
It was a remarkable achievement from the 24-year-old Rudolph who was called into the side to replace the injured Jacques Kallis.
In the end he virtually mirrored Kallis’ brilliant 1999 innings when the all-rounder batted for more than eight hours to score his first Test century against Australia and stave off what had seemed certain defeat during the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne. Kallis had called on his teammates to stand up and be counted to earn a draw after Australia prepared to come into the final day in a strong position.
Rudolph, playing in his 29th Test and fighting to keep his place in the side, clearly responded and together with middle order batsman Justin Kemp, who scratched out an uncharacteristically slow 55, the pair frustrated the Australians for 213 minutes.
“Before I came out here I was told I was probably coming over as a reserve batter but it’s about taking opportunities,” Rudolph said.
“Obviously when I got into the 90s the hundred became a goal but the first priority for us was getting through the 90 overs.
“It was more of a relief getting through the day than actually getting a hundred.” Captain Graeme Smith said the innings was just reward for Rudolph, whose form had been erratic before arriving in Australia.
“This is massive for him. Life’s all about opportunities and he’s had a really tough last year being up and down,” Smith said.
“But through performances he’s worked his way back into the squad. He’s got his opportunity in a Test match in tough circumstances and he’s come through it with flying colors.” Only three South African wickets fell all day, starting with Herschelle Gibbs for 33 and Ashwell Prince for eight in the morning session and Kemp, late in the day. The hosts, red-hot favorites to win the match at the start of play yesterday, were left to ponder if they had left their declaration too late.
Captain Ricky Ponting called their second innings to a close as soon as Test newcomer Brad Hodge had brought up his double century just before tea on the fourth day. Although the decision saw Hodge reach a major Test milestone, it came after the Australians had built up a monumental lead of 491 runs.
Following the declaration they could take just two wickets in the remaining session and lost a further six overs when bad light stopped play.
Ponting has previously criticized West Indies captain Brian Lara for playing for milestones.
But while the Australians had cause to ponder, the South Africans had reason to celebrate an old-fashioned innings built on concentration and willpower. They were also left to contemplate what might have been had Hodge been dismissed in the second innings when dropped on 13. Or more tantalizingly, had they justly been given an earlier crack at the Australian middle order after catching Ponting out early in his innings only to see the delivery wrongfully ruled a no-ball. The Australian skipper denied he had waited too long to declare or that Hodge’s double century had been the motivation.
Ponting said the Australians had assumed 127 overs would be enough to bowl out South Africa but the wicket had stayed flat and gave no help to the pace bowlers.
The two teams will now head to Melbourne in preparation for the Boxing Day Test, which starts on Dec. 26. South African selectors were facing a headache about who they should drop with Kallis expected to return to the side along with the likely inclusion of spinner Nicky Boje to add variety to their attack. Rudolph, with his fifth Test century, will clearly be hard to overlook.
