ADELAIDE — South Africa's pacemen routed Australia's batsmen with five late wickets to leave the host reeling at 111-5 at the close of day three Saturday and buoy the tourists' hopes of pulling off an unlikely victory in the second Test. Dismissed for 388 at tea to trail Australia's massive first innings total by 162 runs, Rory Kleinveldt took three wickets in a withering pace assault, with fellow quicks Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel taking a wicket each as the Adelaide Oval wicket bared its teeth late in the day. First innings hero Michael Clarke and Mike Hussey survived a nervous few overs as shadows crept across the ground, with the host stuttering to a still-precarious 273-run lead. Clarke was on nine, with Hussey on five after a pulsating day in baking heat. David Warner and Ed Cowan pushed the lead to 239. Kleinveldt removed Warner for 41, the pugnacious opener miscuing a swipe off his pads to produce a simple catch to Du Plessis at extra cover. The two-Test paceman Kleinveldt then had Rob Quiney feathering an edge to wicketkeeper AB de Villiers in the same over, the Australian No. 3 slumping to his second duck of the Test following a nine in his sole innings in Brisbane. Quiney made it a third in quick succession by bowling Cowan through the gate, before Dale Steyn had Ricky Ponting out for 16. Nightwatchman Peter Siddle strode out to the crease to meet Clarke but headed back quickly, managing just one run, after nicking De Villiers off Morkel. The powerhouse display brought South Africa back into the match and the tourists will be mindful of history at Adelaide Oval, where the greatest successful run chase was by England in 1901-02 when it mowed down 315 for victory. South Africa was earlier buoyed by fighting half-centuries from an injured Jacques Kallis and debutant Faf du Plessis before the tourists were dismissed at tea, still 162 runs behind. — Reuters
