Hughes hits ton against Victoria

Top score ... Cameron White hit 88 but lost his wicket to the first ball of day two. Source: George Salpigtidis / News Limited

Former Test opener Phil Hughes jumped to the top of the Sheffield Shield runscoring table with an unbeaten 127 for South Australia on day two of the clash with Victoria.

SHEF - Melbourne Cricket Ground

23 November 2012 - Day 2, Session 3

South Australia 1st Innings

P. Hughes	127	197	18	0	64.47
C. Ferguson	48	110	5	0	43.64

The Redbacks reached 2-244 at stumps at the MCG on Saturday in reply to Victoria's first innings of 346 as the visitors chipped away at the Bushrangers' formidable total on a pitch that was a little two-paced.

Hughes hit 18 fours from 197 deliveries and was in superb touch through the cover region, sharing an unbroken partnership of 127 with fellow Test hopeful Callum Ferguson (48 not out).

Ex-NSW star Hughes has scored 479 runs in five matches for his new team this season.

The 23-year-old ripped off his helmet and waved his bat to the dressing room to celebrate his first Shield hundred for the Redbacks, which came off 157 balls.

Hughes was dropped from the Test side in December 2011 but has been a consistent runscorer for the Redbacks this summer to keep his name in front of national selectors.

Ferguson has also scored over 400 runs this season.

Hughes added 80 for South Australia's first wicket with Sam Raphael (38) and Michael Klinger (18) fell at 2-117 in the third over after tea.

Earlier, Victoria posted a total of 346 thanks to some big hitting from No.8 John Hastings after resuming on 6-259.

Skipper Cameron White top-scored with 88, losing his wicket to Gary Putland (7-64) from the first delivery of the day.

Hastings, who had been on 14 overnight, smashed 80 off 98 balls including 11 fours and two sixes.

Left-arm swing bowler Putland sent down 36 overs, constantly beating the bat and claiming a five-wicket haul for the fifth time in just 15 first-class games.

The 26-year-old has taken 14 wickets at 20.85 in three Shield appearances this season.

Hughes said reaching his 20th first-class century was a special feeling, especially after missing out three times already this season with scores of 92, 95 and 83.

"I was delighted when I got to three figures, my first one for South Australia in this format so I'm really rapt about that,'' he said.

"I continue to work on my game and it's a really sweet moment.''

And he knows the only way to add to his 17 Tests is to score lots of runs.

"That's how you get your name put up there in front of selectors and I want to continue that,'' he said.

Hughes said he'd batted at No.3 during the winter in English domestic cricket.

"I'm not sure what position is my right position, to be fair. It could be one to six,'' he said.

"Batting at the top of the order, it can be quite difficult. If slots come up anywhere in any team, I feel like I'm ready.''

Victoria's new-ball attack included 20-year-old second-gamer Louis Cameron (0-43) as the Bushrangers struggled to get breakthroughs on a wicket that had flattened out on day two.

Earlier, Victoria posted a total of 346 thanks to some big hitting from No.8 John Hastings (80 off 98 balls) after resuming on 6-259.

Cameron White top-scored with 88, losing his wicket to Gary Putland (7-64) from the first delivery of the day.

Hastings said Hughes was looking very solid at the crease.

"He's pulling the ball well and I've never seen him pull like that before,'' Hastings said.

"He's got his game pretty well sorted out.''

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Jets come from behind against Heart

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Opener ... Richard Garcia (2nd L) celebrates his first-minute goal. Source: Salpigtidis George / News Limited

Newcastle Jets pinched a late 3-3 draw with Melbourne Heart in the most drama-charged of A-League games at AAMI Park on Saturday night.

The Jets fought back from both 2-0 and 3-2 down, eventually taking a share of the points with an 87th minute Ryan Griffiths penalty.

Referee Jarred Gillett had no hesitation awarding a late spot-kick when Newcastle winger James Virgili went to ground under a combined challenge from Simon Colosimo and Matt Thompson.

Griffiths made no mistake with his coolly-taken spot-kick.

The Heart had led 2-0 at halftime and dominated the opening 45 minutes after being gifted two goals in the first five minutes by the Jets.

		P	W	D	L	GD	Pts
1	Adelaide	8	6	1	1	7	19
2	Central Coast	7	4	2	1	7	14
3	Victory	8	4	1	3	-2	13
4	Newcastle	8	4	1	3	-2	13
5	Perth	8	3	2	3	1	11
6	Western Sydney	8	3	1	4	-2	10
7	Wellington	8	2	3	3	1	9
8	Heart	8	2	2	4	-1	8
9	Brisbane	7	2	1	4	1	7
10	Sydney	8	2	0	6	-10	6

With star striker Emile Heskey a virtually unused marquee at one end, the Jets flapped like a tent in the breeze at the other.

A goal after 33 seconds came from Heart's Richard Garcia when Scott Neville steered the ball into his path for the simplest of finishes.

Then Garcia completed the Jets' defensive implosion just a few minutes later when defender Connor Chapman brought him down in the box with a clumsy challenge.

Josip Tadic slotted home the penalty in the fifth minute, and the Heart spent the rest of the half playing champagne football.

Only goalkeeper Matthew Nash kept the Jets in the match, making three important saves - the pick a superb diving save from a Simon Colosimo header on 39 minutes.

The game turned around completely with the introduction of ex-Heart wide man Craig Goodwin on 55 minutes.

Within 45 seconds he had a goal, curling his leg around Heart defender Michael Marrone to make it 2-1.

Jets midfielder Ruben Zadkovich levelled things up in the 63rd minute with a long-range drive.

But the Heart seemed to regain the ascendancy when Garcia grabbed his second in the 72nd minute, finishing off a sweet move from Tadic and Thompson to make it 3-2.

After the match reached a late flashpoint when Heart defender Aziz Behich grabbed Virgili by the throat following a questionable challenge, Virgili then darted into the box and went to ground, forcing the spot-kick which levelled the scores.

Disappointed Heart coach John Aloisi admitted losing the lead twice and missing out on all three points was hard to take.

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And he believed the heat, with the temperature in the 30s during the match, took a toll on his players by the second half.

"The first half was working so well, the way we were playing we could have had a few more,'' Aloisi said.

"The second half ... we lost our shape. We lost our way and they started to play around us a lot.''

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Jets coach Gary van Egmond believes his men must defend better if they are to be championship threats.

"There's no way known we're going to be serious title challengers while we concede the amount of goals that we're conceding,'' he said.

"That's something we've definitely got to rectify.

"You come away against a team like Melbourne Heart, you score three goals and you still don't win the game. It's never going to be sustainable.''

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Relive the match, including highlights of all six goals, in our A-League Match Centre.

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Bumbling Faf nearly misses debut

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Nervous start ... Faf Du Plessis almost missed his Test match debut. Source: Rick Rycroft / AP

Bumbling South African Faf du Plessis almost didn't make his first Test innings.

The debutant feared being timed out by umpires after a comical exit from the Adelaide Oval dressing room on Saturday during the second Test against Australia.

"I had an absolute shocker going down the stairs,'' du Plessis said.

2nd Test - Adelaide Oval

22 November 2012 - Day 3, Session 3

Australia 2nd Innings

M. Clarke	9	25	1	0	36
M. Hussey	5	8	1	0	62.5
M. Morkel	9	2	24	1	2.67

His nerves were already frayed while waiting for minutes as a decision review confirmed he was in to bat.

Du Plessis started down the stairs from the changerooms, through the crowd.

"My boot clipped one of the stairs and my whole foot came out (of the boot),'' he said.

"I had to kneel in front of the whole crowd there while they were abusing me from both sides.

"And my shoelaces were tied and my pad was in the way, so I couldn't get my foot back in.''

Amid the abuse, du Plessis had a horror thought.

"I was thinking 'I'm going to get timed out here, I need to do something'.''

So he slipped his foot partly into the boot.

"I said 'I'm just going to have to run on with my boot like this. I will sort it out when I get there','' du Plessis said.

"Then my first step ... I almost tripped.''

That set off the crowd again, he said, likening them to an "abuse factory''.

After finally arriving at the pitch, du Plessis felt he had nothing to lose.

"When I got in, I said it can't go worse,'' he said.

He finished with an impressive 78, featuring 13 fours and a six. And when dismissed, the Adelaide crowd gave him a "much, much better'' reception.

"But in all honesty, I would have abused myself when I was tripping down the stairs.''

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Ten-man Victory defeats Wanderers

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Against the odds ... Archie Thompson celebrates his goal. Source:News Limited

A ten-man Melbourne Victory overcame a controversial first-half send-off to secure a gritty 2-0 win over Western Sydney at Parramatta Stadium.

The Victory, already without star playmaker Marcos Flores through suspension, looked in for a tough night after defender Sam Gallagher was shown a red card just 16 minutes into his first A-League game for the club.

But the Wanderers failed to make their numerical advantage count, with captain Michael Beauchamp having a night to forget.

The centre back's own goal just before halftime gave Melbourne the lead and he was at fault again as Archie Thompson doubled the visitors' advantage in the 60th minute.

It was a valuable win for Ange Postecoglou's side, given the circumstances, and they climbed into equal third on the table with a third win in four games.

The Victory looked unlucky to be reduced to 10 men in the first place.

Wanderers striker Dino Kresinger appeared to have fouled Gallagher from behind but play was allowed to continue.

Kresinger then broke on goal before being brought down by Gallagher just outside the box and referee Ben Williams produced a red card without hesitation.

Shinji Ono fired the resulting free kick just wide and Western Sydney tried hard to get on top before the break.

But the nearest they came was a close range header by Mark Bridge in the 22nd minute that was brilliantly tipped over the bar by Victory goalkeeper Nathan Coe.

Instead the home side went into halftime behind, after Beauchamp accidentally turned the ball into his own goal while trying to clear a dangerous Gui Finkler ball.

The Wanderers put Melbourne under some pressure early in the second half and were perhaps unfortunate not to get a penalty after Adam Traore appeared to hand-ball in the box.

But again they conceded against the run of play when Socceroos striker Thompson struck.

Beauchamp coughed up possession on the halfway line, allowing Marco Rojas to streak downfield and find Thompson with a deflected pass.

Although Coe was forced into action a couple of time as the Wanderers chased the game, the Victory held their lead well from then on.

Postecoglou praised his players for sticking to their natural game even after going down a man.

"It was a challenge today for sure,'' Postecoglou said.

"We've spoken about it in the last couple of weeks, we're playing some good football but I guess from our point of view if we're going to be contenders we need to show a little bit more character and resilience under difficult situations.

"I thought today we were tremendous in that area.''

Postecoglou said he had not seen the send-off but but been told Gallagher was clipped by Kresinger first.

"If that's the case it's disappointing, because it's a big decision,'' he said.

Wanderers coach Tony Popovic was pleased with his side's ball movement but felt his players tried to force things too much in attack.

He felt the send-off may have actually worked against the Wanderers.

"It's frustrating really because we started the game so well and it was almost as if it was the worst thing that happened to us,'' Popovic said.

"I felt the players seemed a little stressed and a little bit nervous having the extra player and we kind of forced things a little bit too often.''

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Kallis out and Pattinson in doubt

Doubts ... Jacques Kallis (L) is out and James Pattinson is very doubtful for the Perth Test. Source: AP

It looks likely that two of the key men in the Australia-South Africa series have been ruled out of the third and final Test at the WACA.

Australia's fiery quick James Pattinson is a major doubt after being rushed for scans on a side injury on day three of the second Test, while Proteas' star all-rounder Jacques Kallis may be playing his last Test in Australia after aggravating a hamstring injury during a gallant innings.

2nd Test - Adelaide Oval

22 November 2012 - Day 3, Session 3

Australia 2nd Innings

M. Clarke	9	25	1	0	36
M. Hussey	5	8	1	0	62.5
M. Morkel	9	2	24	1	2.67

Australia could be on the verge of securing the world No.1 Test ranking in Perth, but they might have to enter the crucial third Test without the 22-year-old.

It will be a nervous wait for results, but it would seem he's at least very long odds to contribute to Australia's bowling efforts in the fourth innings.

Backing up for another Test just three days later in Perth on Friday would be a big ask.

Pattinson's explosive pace would be keenly missed on the fast bowler's paradise that is the WACA.

The Victorian, complaining of pain along his left side, left Adelaide Oval during the opening session on Saturday.

It's the latest blow in his injury-plagued career.

The express quick missed most of last summer with a foot injury and suffered from stress fractures in his back as a teenager.

He's also been forced to miss matches in the past year due to abdominal and buttocks strains.

Meanwhile South Africa superstar Kallis will not be fit for the series-deciding third Test.

The 37-year-old defied his torn right hamstring, and Australia's bowlers, for nearly two hours in making 58 on Saturday's third day of the Adelaide Test.

Frequently grimacing in pain, Kallis will bat again in the second innings in what could be his last Test appearance in Australia.

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"It's unlikely he will respond in time to be fit to take his place for the Perth Test match because we have got a quick turnaround,'' South Africa's team doctor, Dr Mohammed Moosajee, told reporters.

"Selectors are considering who to send over as cover.''

Kallis, batting at number nine, was in great discomfort during his courageous knock.

The 37-year-old strolled between the wickets and leant on his bat for support numerous times during breaks in play.

His pain was never more obvious when ducking to avoid a series of short balls from Australia's fast bowlers, instinctively reaching with his hand for the torn muscle after ducking.

"We knew he was always able to bat, the challenge was what is going to happen,'' Dr Moosajee said.

"Safe to say that he probably aggravated his injury by running and batting.

"Every time he stretches forward or he ducks under a bouncer or takes off or stretches or lunges forward, he is straining that area particularly.''

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Log on to Foxsports.com.au to follow our live Test blog with Trent Hile on day four of the Adelaide Test.

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Kallis tore the hamstring while running in to bowl during Australia's first innings on Thursday.

The 157-Test veteran will become the second South African batsman ruled out of the Australian tour, after JP Duminy ruptured an Achilles tendon in a freak injury during the first Test in Brisbane.

Duminy will miss six months of cricket, having collapsed during a warm-down after the opening day of the Brisbane Test.

NSW tearaway Mitchell Starc shapes as favourite to replace Pattinson should he be ruled out.

Starc has carried the drinks for Australia at the Gabba and in Adelaide and his 2012 performances in shorter-form cricket have been excellent.

WA quick Nathan Coulter-Nile, rising NSW paceman Josh Hazlewood and Victorian allrounder John Hastings would come into contention for a call-up to the national squad if Pattinson is ruled out.peHowever, Starc would almost certainly be the man to play.

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Redknapp is new QPR manager

Appointed ... Former Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp has been given the QPR job. Source: AP

Queens Park Rangers confirmed on Saturday that Harry Redknapp has been appointed as their new manager, replacing the sacked Mark Hughes.

The former Tottenham boss will take up a two-and-a-half year deal at Loftus Road with QPR bottom of the Premier League ahead of their match against Manchester United later Saturday.

Redknapp, who will be in the stands at Old Trafford to watch his new side, told the club's official website: ''I'm delighted to be back in the managerial hot-seat at QPR.

''When I spoke to the shareholders and they told me about their plans I knew this was too good an opportunity to turn down.

''There's no doubt there's a lot of ability in the squad, but for one reason or another things haven't gone as well as everyone expected since the start of the season.

''I can't wait to get to work and get the results necessary to kick-start our season.''

Redknapp's appointment came just a day after the sacking of former Manchester United striker Hughes, who had been in charge only for 10 months.

He managed to stave off relegation for QPR on the final day of last season, but the club have struggled this year, failing to win any of their opening 12 league games and they are currently four points adrift at the bottom of the table.

QPR chairman Tony Fernandes said: ''Harry was our number one target, the unanimous choice of the board and we're delighted we've been able to attract him to the club.

''He has a proven track record in the Premier League and has all the characteristics we were looking for to get us out of the current situation we find ourselves in.

''His man-management skills are second to none and we are confident he is the right man to lead us away from the bottom of the table.''

Hughes is the second Premier League manager to lose his job this season, after Roberto Di Matteo was sacked by Chelsea last Wednesday.

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Phoenix rise from ashes

Phoenix flying ... Perth Glory and Wellington Phoenix play-out a 1-all draw. Source: Sean Middleton / AAP

A sublime goal from Wellington Phoenix leading goal-scorer Jeremy Brockie salvages a 1-1 draw against the Perth Glory.

The Glorys' main strike weapon, Shane Smeltz, broke the scoreless deadlock in the 62nd minute with a classic from the Kiwi.

But all credit goes to Brockie after he snatched an improbable away draw, turning his defender inside out and calmly slotting home the equaliser.  

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