Cricket: Ntini bags five as Australia dismissed

PERTH - Makhaya Ntini feasted on the pace and bounce of the WACA pitch here today to take five for 64 as South Africa shocked Australia by dismissing them for just 258 on the first day of the first test.

With star allrounder and world No 1-ranked batsman Jacques Kallis ruled out with an elbow injury, the tourists pounced in the second over of the day and continued to heap pressure on the Australians, whose poor shot selection contributed to their downfall.

Captain Ricky Ponting was the only batsman to pass the half-century mark with a sparkling 71. Australia's innings sagged badly in the middle order, slumping from 111 for one to 210 for seven.

Another lower-order rescue looked possible when Shane Warne hit a lusty 24 from 30 balls, adding 33 with Brett Lee.

But Nathan Bracken (10) and Glenn McGrath (0) fell in consecutive balls to Andre Nel to finish the 75.2-over innings with South Africa still to face 12 overs tonight.

Australia won the toss and batted but a fired-up Ntini gave the tourists the perfect start when Matthew Hayden skied a pull shot to gully without a run on the board in the second over.

Justin Langer made a patient 37 in 136 minutes before mis-hitting a pull-shot off Ntini in the fourth over after lunch, having shared a stand of 111 runs for the second wicket with Ponting.

Ponting, who was hit on the helmet by Ntini before he scored, was lbw to Shaun Pollock at 117 for three after hitting 12 fours off 107 balls.

The skipper's 71 gives the Tasmanian the lead in the race to be test cricket's highest runscorer for 2005, reaching 1363 runs and overtaking England opener Marcus Trescothick's tally of 1323 with Hayden third on 1158.

Ntini was unlucky when Brad Hodge was dropped on three by wicketkeeper Mark Boucher.

South African captain Graeme Smith had said before the match he had doubts about Australia's middle-order batting, with Hodge playing his third test, Mike Hussey in his fourth and No 6 Andrew Symonds in his fifth.

Seemingly a one-day specialist, Symonds failed again with 13, playing a woeful pull shot onto his stumps off Andre Nel for a career tally of 76 runs at 10.86 in five matches.

Hodge showed a more solid technique to score 41 and shared a 63-run stand for the fourth wicket with Hussey, who made 23.

Ntini claimed Hodge and Hussey, also to a mis-timed pull shot, in consecutive overs after tea as Australia collapsed to 185 for five.

Hussey's dismissal 180 triggered a tumble of wickets as Australia lost 78 for seven wickets.

Ntini, 28, had Gilchrist dropped at first slip but the dangerous wicketkeeper fell four balls later for six, caught at second slip when cramped up trying to cut.

With the vital scalp of Gilchrist, Ntini claimed his 10th five-wicket haul in his 60th test before a crowd of 18,147.

Kallis was replaced in the South African side by Jacques Rudolph, with Garnett Kruger named 12th man and Stuart Clark carrying the drinks for Australia.

- AAP