Hayden fails again
Matthew Hayden again failed with the bat before Australia recovered to 89 for one at lunch on day one of the second Test with South Africa in Melbourne.
Opening batsman Hayden, who has thrived at the Melbourne Cricket Ground recently with six centuries in his last seven Tests, was out for eight in the seventh over.
But Simon Katich (50) and captain Ricky Ponting (27) led the revival with an unbeaten stand of 68 as Australia aimed to make a good start in their bid to level the series following the six-wicket loss in the first Test in Perth.
Speculation has been rife that this could be Hayden's final Test and Ponting won the toss and elected to bat, giving the 37-year-old opener an ideal opportunity to add to his prolific performances at the MCG.
Since starting the year in brilliant fashion with back-to-back centuries in Sydney and Adelaide, Hayden has compiled only 290 runs at an average of 22.3.
However, his position in the Australia side became even more precarious when he succumbed to Makhaya Ntini.
The Queenslander was tempted into a loose drive which JP Duminy claimed with a simple catch at backward point.
Katich moved on to 17 before he was bowled off a dead ball from Dale Steyn. However, he reached his second half-century of the series shortly before the interval.
Ponting was dropped at third slip by Neil McKenzie in the final over before lunch as Steyn was again denied and Australia survived.
South Africa all-rounder Jacques Kallis left the field after the 19th over due to a left knee strain.
