Cape of no hope for SA

Seven seagulls strayed into Newlands Stadium soon after a squall ended play an hour before tea on the second day of the third Test between South Africa and Australia yesterday. By then, Table Mountain had disappeared behind a wall of cloud and rain.

The birds had as much chance of winning the match as did the Proteas, whose opportunity to claim their first home series against the Aussies in 44 years was as out of sight as Cape Town's famous sandstone landmark.

With Australia on 494/7, there is no way back into this match for the Proteas. The best they can hope for is not to be dismissed in a hurry on a pitch that could deteriorate more rapidly than usual. If they achieve that - twice - they will earn a share of the spoils in both the match and the rubber.

Not that the Proteas' dressing-room had given up hope of winning.

"As soon as you start thinking about a draw things go backwards," Kyle Abbott said yesterday.

Whether or not SA survive, Michael Clarke has already made this match his own.

Australia's captain resumed yesterday on 92 not out, took 25 deliveries to go from 99 to 100, and was undefeated on 161 when the rain ended play.

Clarke's innings already rivals Mitchell Johnson's 12/127 in the first Test as the signature performance of the series.

Clarke took guard in the sixth over after lunch on Friday. By the time he repaired to the dressing-room on the first evening, several icepacks soothed wounds inflicted by Morné Morkel.

"I've been hit plenty of times, but maybe not as many times in one spell," Clarke said yesterday.

"I had plenty of ice and plenty of treatment, and without the physio and the doc I wouldn't have got out there today."

Clarke needed nine balls to reach 99. Then he faced three consecutive maidens from a miserly Abbott in which he left the ball immaculately and SA fielded tigerishly.

Clarke clicked over to three figures with a drive through the covers for four off Philander.

It had been a century every inch as good as the 151 Clarke made in Australia's last Newlands Test - in November 2011.

In what became the second last over of the day JP Duminy removed Brad Haddin and Mitchell Johnson with consecutive deliveries to take four wickets in a Test for the first time.

Today, when the sun is expected to return, Duminy will get the chance of a hat-trick. More importantly, the Proteas will hope to have Dale Steyn back from the hamstring injury he sustained on Friday.

Scorecard

South Africa vs Australia

Third Test at Newlands

Australia first innings

C Rogers c G Smith b D Steyn 25

D Warner c AB De Villiers b JP Duminy 135

A Doolan c D Steyn b V Philander 20

M Clarke not out 161

S Smith b D Elgar 84

S Watson c H Amla b JP Duminy 40

B Haddin c H Amla b JP Duminy 13

M Johnson c AB De Villiers b JP Duminy 0

R Harris not out 4

Extras (6nb 6w) 12

Total (for 7 wickets after 127.4 overs) 494

Falls: 1/65 2/138 3/217 4/401 5/456 6/489 7/489

Bowling: D Steyn 10.1-0-44-1, V Philander 26.4-2-116-1 (1nb), M Morkel 23.5-2-94-0 (4nb, 2w), JP Duminy 17-0-73-4, K Abbott 28-11-68-0 (1nb), D Elgar 22-0-99-1.

• At stumps, day two.