Aussies are Ashes favourites

CAPE TOWN – Australia will start as favourites for the Ashes series against England later this year, according to South African captain Jacques Kallis.

Speaking after his team completed victory by an innings and 20 runs on the fourth day of the third Test at Newlands Sunday, Kallis said Australia’s strong pace bowling attack should thrive in English conditions.
‘They will probably go in as favourites but it should be another good series,’ said Kallis, who missed the closing stages of his team’s win because of a right groin injury suffered while bowling.
Kallis will undergo a scan and said he hoped to be fit in time for a five-match one-day series against Australia starting on April 3.
South Africa’s win, which came despite an 86-ball century by Australian fast bowler Mitchell Johnson, meant that the two teams finished level on three Test wins each over the summer.
South Africa won 2-1 in a series in Australia and Australia won by the same margin in South Africa.
‘It is probably a fair reflection of how the summer has gone,’ said Kallis.
Australia captain Ricky Ponting said the two series had provided highly entertaining cricket which had been an advertisement for the Test game.
‘Our cricket in the first two Test matches was as good as we have played in a long time but this match showed that if you’re not quite there mentally results can go against you.’
Ponting said he looked forward to the Ashes series.
‘Bringing along a new generation of Australian players we’ve played some really good cricket. The Ashes series will be another opportunity for them,’ he said.
Johnson and Andrew McDonald (68) shared an Australian record seventh wicket stand of 163 to delay South Africa’s victory.
Left-arm spinner Paul Harris took six for 127 and fast bowler Dale Steyn three for 96.
South Africa were on course for a crushing victory when Australia lost their sixth wicket at 218, still 224 short of avoiding an innings defeat.
But McDonald and Johnson, who was named man of the series, went for their shots and thrashed a tiring bowling attack.
They put on 163 in 122 minutes off 161 balls to break the Australian seventh wicket record against South Africa of 160 by Richie Benaud and Graham McKenzie in 1963/64.
The stand was ended when McDonald was caught at silly mid-off off Harris. Johnson was on 95.
Peter Siddle was out first ball, also caught at silly mid-off and Johnson admitted that he had thought about the first Test in Johannesburg when he was 96 not out.
He didn’t have to wonder for long. He faced Steyn, who placed eight fielders on the boundary in an invitation to Johnson to take a single and expose new batsman Bryce McGain.
But Johnson pulled the second ball for six to raise a maiden Test century.
In the same over Johnson called for a suicidal second run and McGain was run out at the bowler’s end.
Johnson finished with 123 not out scored off 103 balls with 11 fours and five sixes.
Only 40 runs were scored during the morning for the loss of Simon Katich’s wicket but three wickets fell between lunch and tea before McDonald and Johnson came together.
– Nampa-AFP