Hughes and Ponting take Australian lead past 400

Phil Hughes and Ricky Ponting took Australia’s lead beyond 400 as they shared a century partnership on the third day of the second Test against South Africa at Kingsmead here on Sunday.

Australia were 203 for one in their second innings at tea, an overall lead of 417.

Hughes followed up his first innings century with an unbeaten 86, while Australian captain Ponting was in superb form as he cracked 78 not out off 89 deliveries. Hughes, who faced 196 deliveries, hurried to his fifty off 78 balls but his scoring rate slowed, particularly against left-arm spinner Paul Harris.

The pair posted a century partnership off only 139 balls.

DURBAN, Sunday (AFP)

AUSTRALIA
1ST INNINGS 352
SOUTH AFRICA
1ST INNINGS

N. McKenzie  c Haddin b Johnson		 0
G. Smith retired hurt			 2
H. Amla lbw b Johnson			 0
J. Kallis c Ponting b McDonald		22
A. de Villiers lbw b Hilfenhaus		 3
J. Duminy not out			73
M. Boucher b Johnson			 1
P. Harris b McDonald			 4
M. Morkel b McDonald			 2
D. Steyn c Haddin b Siddle		 8
M. Ntini lbw b Siddle			 0

Extras (b10, lb12, nb1)			23
Total (57.3 overs)			138

Falls: 1-0 (McKenzie), 2-0 (Amla), 3-6 (De Villiers), 4-62 (Boucher), 5-104 (Harris), 6-104 (Kallis),
	 7-106 (Morkel), 8-138 (Steyn), 9-138 (Ntini).
Bowling: Johnson 16-5-37-3, Hilfenhaus 11-2-28-1 (1nb), McDonald 12-4-25-3, Siddle 13.3-6-20-2, North 4-3-6-0, Clarke 1-1-0-0.

AUSTRALIA
2ND INNINGS

P. Hughes not out			86
S. Katich c Harris b Kallis		30
R. Ponting not out			78

Extras (b6, lb1, nb1)			 9
Total (1 wkt, 55 overs)			203

Falls: 1-55 (Katich)
Bowling: Steyn 9-0-53-0, Ntini 11-1-38-0, Morkel 9-1-47-0 (2nb), Kallis 4-0-12-1, Harris 17-4-34-0, Duminy 5-1-12-0.