Clarke and Cowan give Australia a winning shot
SOUTH Africa can expect a fired-up Australian bowling attack on the fifth day of the first Test at the Gabba.
Skipper Michael Clarke says he is not prepared to let the final day drift along and will be going all out for a chance at an unlikely victory.
"I definitely think we can have a crack at winning," Clarke said yesterday as the Aussies finished the day with a 37-run advantage.
"I think the key is tomorrow morning to be nice and positive and see how we go leading up to lunch.
"Then we need to give ourselves a couple of sessions to bowl South Africa out."
Clarke said he would wait and see what the weather was like in Brisbane this morning before deciding on a possible declaration.
"Hopefully the sun's out and the wicket deteriorates a little bit more as well but it's worth a go," the Aussie skipper added.
"We're in a pretty good position now, so we will start pretty positive tomorrow and we will take it from there.
"The wicket's still pretty good for batting, so we will need to maximise our time to give us a chance to bowl South Africa out and we will need a lot of things to go our way as well."
Clarke and Ed Cowan put on a record fourth-wicket partnership for any Test team at the Gabba and Cowan said he used the one-year anniversary of the death of former coach and mentor Peter Roebuck as inspiration for his maiden Test ton.
"I had a conversation with my wife this morning on an earlier than normal walk as I couldn't sleep," he said.
"It was this day last year as well that started last season for me, having found out the news that he'd died.
"I was battling away a bit and that kick-started me, so I was well aware of the date and that was probably why I looked skywards upon getting 100.
"He was a coach and a mentor and some of his advice I valued very dearly."
