An optimistic Australia are eying the second new-ball with desperation as they aim to bowl their way back into the first Test against South Africa following a deflating start to the heavyweight series at the Gabba.
The world No.1-ranked Proteas will resume at 2-255 on Saturday morning with Hashim Amla (90 not out) and Jacques Kallis (84 not out) both on the cusp of centuries after dominating the disappointing local attack.
Apart from one major scare each, the classy pair have largely been untroubled in a 136-run third wicket stand on a soft Brisbane wicket that failed to deliver the pace for which it’s renowned.
Play was brought to a premature halt on Friday afternoon when Australian skipper Michael Clarke elected to take the new ball two overs late under gloomy skies.
While umpires Asad Rauf and Billy Bowden were happy for part-timers Mike Hussey and Rob Quiney to bowl with the old ball, the officials called it quits when the front-line quicks line up to bowl.
Tearaway James Pattinson, the only paceman to have some day one success with the early scalp of Proteas captain Graeme Smith, felt the hosts could still restrict South Africa to below 400 if they made the most of the new ball.
Helping them is the fact the tourists will be without No.7 JP Duminy for the rest of the match after he ruptured his achilles tendon while running on the slippery surface after play, potentially exposing the tail earlier.
“We need to take some wickets with the new ball,” Pattinson stressed. “Maybe get one or two wickets early on and bring AB (de Villiers) in and then (Jacques) Rudolph.
“If we can get them in with the new ball we have a pretty big chance. We just have to keep being positive and going hard, and the big thing is to try and build that … pressure with dot balls.”
Australia were largely too short and loose for much of the opening day, consistently allowing the Proteas top-order to rotate the strike.
South African opener Alviro Petersen, who set the tone with an important 64, ominously declared the tourists weren’t satisfied with just a solid platform and wanted to go on with the job in amassing a big total.
“It’s a good start for us,” Petersen said. “It’s important that we start again, make sure that we put today behind us.
“Hopefully we can get a decent first-innings total and put some pressure on.”
Duminy’s series-ending injury robs South Africa of their primary slow bowling option after they dropped leg-spinner Imran Tahir in favour of a four-prong pace attack.