Kallis's bad luck 'part of game'

Melbourne - The Australian press on Friday focused on "lucky" Andy Bichel's dismissal of Jacques Kallis on Thursday in the second cricket test.

Most agreed that the decision was unfortunate for Kallis.

The Courier Mail in Brisbane even thought the incident worthy of a leading article, sympathising with the South African but lauding the uncertainty of the game.

"In a sense, this is precisely why cricket administrators should resist the urgings of critics who claim the game should make use of any and every technological breakthrough to eliminate umpiring errors," the editorial said.

"The charm of cricket is that luck evens out in the end," it added, referring to Bichel's bad luck in not getting Kallis's wicket twice before in the innings on the first day when catches were dropped.

Bichel, a Queenslander, has played only four tests in the last 12 months, each time stepping in for an injured bowler.

The last time he played at the MCG, it was in place of Brett Lee, who was hurt at the time. Bichel ended up taking five wickets against the West Indies.

On Thursday he finished up with three, took a catch and ran out Claude Henderson.

"There's no doubt I enjoyed that today (but) I enjoy every game of cricket I play, whether it's for Queensland or Australia or whoever," said Bichel.

"My motto is you have to play every game as if it's your last."

Bichel's bowling and fielding have put Australia in a strong position and Greg Baum of the Melbourne Age believes South Africa will now lose the test.

"South Africa are in danger of a rare second successive defeat, which also would end their cherished dream of stealing Australia's test championship," wrote Baum on Friday.

"Really, it could only have been a dream. South Africa will think themselves unlucky, never more than in a poor and dispiriting decision against Jacques Kallis.

"But, as in Adelaide, nothing in their yeoman cricket looked likely to provide the instant and inspired tug that would take the game irrevocably out of Australia's hands."

Baum's description of South Africa's bowlers won't raise any hopes at home either.

"Donald looked uncomfortable and unthreatening... Shaun Pollock and Nantie Hayward were astray to begin, and poor Lance Klusener, who in the morning made another duck, was not trusted to bowl at all."

Mark Stevens, writing in The Australian, called the decision by Nicholls "crazy".

He said South Africa's total of 277 "hardly looks enough on a pitch that promises to deliver plenty of runs in the next two days".

Following Lance Klusener's first-ball duck (after Kallis's controversial dismissal), Stevens said the South African all-rounder known as "Zulu" could be rechristened "Zombie" as his bad patch with the bat continues.

It was Klusener's third duck in a row.

Former South African great Barry Richards, commenting on the Kallis controversy, said it was time for cricket to start recruiting younger umpires.

"I think it is time for cricket to think about fostering umpires in the 30 to 40-year age group who may have been ex-players," Richards said.

"Umpires like Dickie Bird may have been great for the game but I think those days are gone."