Aussies defy brave Proteas

Injured skipper fails to save South Africa as Australia avoid whitewash

Last updated: 7th January 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Aussies defy brave Proteas

Smith: Defied injury to bat

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Third Test Match
Sydney - Day Five
Australia 445 (M J Clarke 138, M G Johnson 64) & 257-4 dec (S M Katich 61, R T Ponting 53) v South Africa 327 (M V Boucher 89, H M Amla 51, P M Siddle 5-59) & 272 (H M Amla 59, A B de Villiers 56).
Australia beat South Africa by 103 runs.

Australia restored some pride as they prevented South Africa sealing a series whitewash in Sydney with a dramatic finish.

Having lost the first two Tests of the three-match series, Ricky Ponting's side bounced back to secure a 103-run victory with less than two overs left - and retain their hold of the top spot in the world rankings.

Not even the gutsy innings from injured skipper Graeme Smith could spare the Proteas, who were left chasing 376 for victory.

Smith, who suffered a broken hand in the first innings and was struggling with a troublesome elbow injury, defied the pain to come out as the final man - however it was all in vain as his side were dismissed for 272 with just 10 balls remaining.

The tourists had started the day on 67-1 and confident that they could chase down the total, particularly after their first Test heroics - when they scored 414 to win.

However as soon as Neil McKenzie departed for addition of just five runs to the overnight score, South Africa had their backs against the wall.

McKenzie became Doug Bollinger's second Test victim as he was caught in the gully by Mike Hussey.

Jacques Kallis quickly followed for just four, although it took numerous replays before he was finally given out caught and bowled by Andrew McDonald.

And when Hashim Amla was caught by Simon Katich at short leg off Nathan Hauritz for 59, South Africa were left fighting to save the draw.

Resistance

But the afternoon session saw three more South Africans return to the pavilion, with JP Duminy, Mark Boucher and AB de Villiers all dismissed.

Mitchell Johnson removed the dangerous Duminy for 16, trapping him leg before, while Boucher could only add four before he hit on the pads in front of his stumps by a full toss from Peter Siddle.

De Villiers had offered some dogged resistance but his three-hour vigil came to an end on 56 when he played on a delivery from Siddle.

Paul Harris departed quickly after tea when he was trapped leg before by Siddle, however Dale Steyn and Makhaya Ntini threatened to frustrate the hosts.

The duo shared a half-century stand for the ninth-wicket as they looked to steer the tourists to safety.

Australia thought they had won the match when Steyn was dismissed leg before by McDonald for 28 - however Smith, who had not been expected to play any part after damaging his hand in the first innings, emerged from the changing rooms in a desperate bid to save the match.

And the Proteas captain almost succeeded as he and Ntini stood defiant for nearly seven overs.

However with the finish line in sight, Johnson bowled Smith with just 10 balls of the match left to seal the win.