S Africa, Australia captains bullish about test chances

CAPE TOWN, Mar 17 (Reuters) South Africa's Andre Nel and Australia's Matthew Hayden both believe their teams have a realistic chance of winning the first test in Cape Town.

South Africa were 33 runs behind on 70 for three in their second innings at stumps on the second day today. Australia were dismissed for 308 in reply to a first innings of 205.

The visitors had resumed on 63 for one and South Africa fought back well to restrict the Australians' lead to 103, although they wasted four chances to take wickets.

''We bowled well as a team but the ball went into gaps and we dropped catches,'' Nel, who took two for 45, told a news conference.

''But if we can get a lead of 200 and bowl as well as we did today we should have a chance.'' Nel said the wickets South Africa lost early in their second innings were not fatal blows. ''It was unfortunate but we can still get a decent lead,'' he said.

Nel had mixed feelings about the support the South Africans received from the Newlands crowd.

''Our crowds are much quieter than those in Australia, and sometimes they almost seem to be against us,'' he said. ''The crowds in Australia get you fired up and I actually miss them.'' Hayden, who scored 94, was satisfied Australia were handily placed to push for victory.

''We would have liked to score more runs, no question,'' he told a news conference. ''But it's a difficult wicket to bat on and we're in a solid position.

''We have taken three important wickets and we are in a good position. We don't want to chase 300 but it's hard to know what a good target would be.'' Hayden said the pitch, which has seen 23 wickets fall in two days, was not conducive to fluent run-scoring.

''This morning was as hard batting as we've had to do in a test match for a long time,'' Hayden said.

''Every time I felt I had the ball covered, I would nick it.'' REUTERS SHR KP2340