Consolation win for Australia amidst drama by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Scorecard:	Australia v South Africa
Event:	South Africa in Australia 2008/09

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DateLine: 7th January 2009

 

Australia won the final game and they just hung on to their number one spot in the ranking. How much longer they can hang on to that spot? That will be the question on everybody's mind. A South African win would have given them the No. 1 Test ranking and they would be the first team to whitewash Australia 3-0 at home but those odds were blown out enormously thanks to timely breakthroughs from the Australian attack. On a surface with so many cracks that the bounce was becoming unpredictable, batting was not easy. It was an amazing finish to what has been a fantastically competitive series between South Africa and Australia.

 

South Africa needed longer contributions from Amla and his top-order colleagues Neil McKenzie and Jacques Kallis, who all fell in the first session. McKenzie's disappointing tour with the bat continued when he chased a wide one from Doug Bollinger and slashed to Hussey at gully. The breakthrough came in the fifth over of the morning and it was the ideal boost for Australia's inexperienced attack, which was under pressure to perform on a wearing pitch and earn a consolation win. Amla has looked impressive all summer and again he peppered the offside with some beautifully timed boundaries, only to fall in the fifties for the third time in five innings. Amla had 59 when he tried to work a Hauritz offbreak through the on-side and he ball came off the face of the bat onto his thigh pad straight to Simon Katich at short leg. The loss of the well-set Hashim Amla was a major blow for South Africa after he posted his third half-century of the series.

 

Kallis was the victim of a brilliant but slightly controversial return catch from McDonald, who again was accurate and restrictive. Kallis tried to work McDonald to leg and his leading edge popped up towards the middle of the pitch, where McDonald hurled himself to his right to grab the ball one-handed close to the turf. McDonald immediately reported that he wasn't certain if the catch was clean, although it certainly looked good live, and Billy Bowden and Asoka de Silva consulted the third umpire. The replays were inconclusive and the umpires finally ruled the decision in favour of the bowler. Kallis' 10,000 Test run celebration will have to wait for the return series.

 

There was no such doubt about the lbw call that ended JP Duminy's innings on 16. Duminy, who had been dropped by Brad Haddin on 15, was caught back in his crease to a quick ball from Mitchell Johnson that struck him in line with off stump. It left South Africa at 166 for 5 and ended a steady 56-run partnership from de Villiers and Duminy, the heroes in Perth, that had shortened the odds of a draw following Australia's three strikes before lunch. Peter Siddle with his speed and lift removed Mark Boucher, who was terribly unlucky to be given lbw to a full toss that would have comfortably slid past leg stump having been delivered from wide of the crease and then had de Villiers driving away from his body to be cleaned up. Paul Harris went lbw to Peter Siddle and at that stage it looked like it was all going to get over very early.

 

Just when Australia thought they had it covered, the tail wagged and wagged vigorously. Steyn and Ntini added 50 runs for the ninth wicket in around 18 overs. Both showed heart and the will to fight it out. Steyn and Ntini survived a lot of near-misses and they hung on, more importantly the partnership ate into the crucial overs. They were troubled by Siddle's bounce, Bollinger's angle, Johnson's pace and Hauritz's spin but the pair held on gamely. McDonald was called into the attack and he almost broke through when he had Ntini chipping back to him lamely, but shockingly he dropped the catch. He made amends a couple of balls later when he trapped Steyn before the wicket. Then, out came Smith, who got a standing ovation and it is an ovation that will be remembered for many years to come because of his bravery, to face the music with his broken hand and injured elbow. He wasn't able to survive; he went down in the second last over of the game - this is the second match in a row at the SCG that has finished on day five with just a couple of overs remaining. Ntini remained 28 not out in a brave hand to try and save the game.