However, the afternoon session brought no wickets to Australia, as Jacques Rudolph and Justin Kemp scored 50 runs in a session lasting 28 overs. Rudolph, Kallis' replacement, bought up his half-century during this time, his 50 coming off 150 deliveries, and South Africa were four for 190 at tea, with only about thirty overs until the close of play. Australia needed a wicket every five overs, but instead, they only got one in the whole session; the 112-run partnership between Rudolph and Kemp was broken late in the final session, Ricky Ponting and Shane Warne combining to dismiss Kemp for 55 (166 balls, 213 minutes). With only a handful of overs remaining, Rudolph brought up a century, his 102 coming from 283 balls and 431 minutes. Rudolph and Mark Boucher batted out the remaining overs, and Australia and South Africa would go into Melbourne's Boxing Day Test with the series level at 0–0. The "Melbourne Herald Sun" claimed in their post-match report that the Australian captain Ponting "was dealing with one of the biggest blunders of his career", after Australia failed to win the match, and that Terry Alderman accused Ponting of "a lack of imagination".