Cricket: Australians fined for sledging: Warne and Hughes reprimanded in first Test against South Africa

South Africa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .251 and 335-5

Australia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .248

SHANE WARNE and Merv Hughes were both reprimanded and fined 1,000 Rand ( pounds 193) yesterday after being reported by the umpires for 'sledging' South African batsmen during the third day of the first Test in Johannesburg, a day when South Africa began to take the upper hand in the match.

After a first-innings lead of just three runs, South Africa had frustrated the Australian bowlers in their second innings with the openers, Gary Kirsten and Andrew Hudson, establishing a partnership of 76. Hughes was reported by David Shepard and Barry Lambson, the umpires, for words aimed at Gary Kirsten, both while bowling to him and also when he took the catch to remove him for 35.

When Warne then bowled Hudson round his legs for 60 with his third ball of the day, he ran behind the batsman, pointing towards the dressing- room and shouting at him, causing him to check his stride. Shepard summoned Allan Border, the Australian captain, after the Warne incident and Border spoke to Warne at the end of the over.

Australian frustration was by no means alleviated with the departure of South Africa's two openers. In came Hansie Cronje and Kepler Wessels who shared a 135-run partnership, the former continuing a remarkably successful run against the Australians and going on to score 122. Wessels, however, looked the more assured of the two and Cronje offered a difficult chance to Michael Slater at mid-on when he was on 35. Wessels was caught off Warne by Border at silly- point for 50, but once Cronje had passed his half-century he began to open up and his next 50 runs took just 62 balls. Cronje added another four fours before slashing a ball from Hughes to Steve Waugh in the gully.

South Africa finished the day on 335 with five wickets down, but action against Warne and Hughes continued long after play had finished. Shepard and Lambson had lodged complaints with Donald Carr, the match referee, and Carr in turn had requested footage from South African television. Eventually the fines - 10 per cent of the players' match fees - were announced by Ali Bacher, managing director of South Africa's United Cricket Board, who said the action had been confirmed with the Australian management.

Pakistan overcame New Zealand and a hostile Auckland crowd yesterday to go 2-0 up in the five-match one-day series, but victory in a low- scoring match only arrived after police reinforcements had been brought in to ring the boundary. The police arrived early in New Zealand's innings when Ata-ur-Rehman, the pace bowler, was hit on the head by a missile flung from the crowd.

New Zealand were chasing 146, a total which Danny Morrison in particular had limited the tourists to, with only Aamir Sohail (48) and Wasim Akram (33) showing any form with the bat. New Zealand's batsmen struggled even more, and only the captain, Ken Rutherford (37), made a game of it before they were all out, 36 runs short of their target.

ONE-DAY INTERNATIONAL (Auckland): Pakistan 146; New Zealand 110 (Wasim Akram 4-23). Pakistan won by 36 runs.

JOHANNESBURG SCOREBOARD

(Second and third day:)

South Africa won toss)

SOUTH AFRICA - First innings 251 (J N Rhodes 69).

AUSTRALIA - First innings

(Overnight: 34 for 0)

M J Slater c Hudson b De Villiers. . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

M L Hayden c Richardson b Donald. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

D C Boon c De Villiers b Donald. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

M E Waugh run out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42

* A R Border run out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

S R Waugh not out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45

I A Healy b Matthews. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

M G Hughes c G Kirsten b McMillan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

S K Warne lbw b Matthews. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

C J McDermott lbw b Donald. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

T B A May b De Villiers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Extras (b1 lb1 nb1). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Total. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .248

Fall: 1-35 2-56 3-70 4-136 5-142 6-169 7-176 8-201 9-245.

Bowling: Donald 19-0-86-3; De Villiers 19.3-1-74-2; McMillan 14-3-46-1; Matthews 15-4-40-2.

SOUTH AFRICA - Second innings

A C Hudson b Warne. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60

G Kirsten c Hughes b May. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35

W J Cronje c S Waugh b Hughes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122

* K C Wessels c Border b Warne. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50

P N Kirsten not out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32

J N Rhodes c Healy b S Waugh. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

F S De Villiers not out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Extras (lb11 lb2 nb5). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Total (for 5, 109 overs). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .335

Fall: 1-76 2-123 3-258 4-289 5-324.

To bat: B M McMillan, D J Richardson, C R Matthews, A A Donald.

Bowling: McDermott 26-0-96-0 (nb 4); Hughes 25-5-86-1; May 23-7-67-1; S Waugh 10-3-28-1 (nb 1); M Waugh 6-2-14-0; Warne 19-5-31-2.