Player of the Match
Player of the Match
  • BATSMEN
    R
    B
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    4s
    6s
    SR
    13.3 and the mighty Dale is back. Rogers plays a loose shot, driving in front of his body, the ball pitching well short of a driving length. It might even have held its line a touch outside off. A healthy edge is taken, and Smith takes a sharp catch at first slip 65/1
    57.4 Duminy gets a wicket again. He has been breaking partnerships all through the last fortnight A nice little offbreak, which pitches just outside off, turns away, takes the edge from the Warner push, and AB nearly drops it. Luckily for him, it hits the thigh softly, and he gets a second grab at it. And he takes it. Warner is not sure he has edged it, thinks of a review, but Clarke tells him not to. What a lovely innings this has been, and is given a fitting ovation by the full house. There was a puff of dust as the ball turned away 217/3
    31.3 lazy pull, and Doolan is gone. Doolan's weight transfer onto either foot hasn't been great, and when you go to pull with your weight only half-back you cannot afford to pick balls that are not short enough. This one isn't short enough, and takes the top edge to wide mid-on where Steyn takes the catch 138/2
    not out
    161
    301
    430
    17
    0
    53.48
    84
    155
    214
    9
    3
    54.19
    107.5 oh played on. Smith misses out on a ton, and this is one of the filthiest balls that will get you a Test wicket. A long hop, a wide one at that, but it stays low, doesn't quite come on, and takes the bottom edge onto the stumps 401/4
    118.4 Watson's whacking is over. No it is not. This is a no-ball, I think. Or maybe not. They are still checking it. He is given. Watson tries to go over long-off, mis-hits it, is caught at long-off. Replays show Duminy might have just that smidgeon behind the line 456/5
    126.5 he is caught by Amla's arm pit. Haddin wants to clear mid-off, but has got too close to the ball, hitting it flat towards mid-off. Amla fumbles it, but the ball is stuck in his armpit. First stand of less than 50 489/6
    126.6 wide down leg, they ask for a stumping. He is actually asking for a catch down leg, and they have reviewed it. This is down leg, Johnson looks to flick it, seems he has missed it, but Duminy is adamant they review this. Smith is not on the field, but AB listens to Duminy and goes for it. There is a smidgeon on the inside edge as the ball passes the bat. There is a register on the snicko too. And he is gone. Duminy on a hat-trick 489/7
    not out
    4
    3
    6
    1
    0
    133.33
    Extras
    12 (nb 6, w 6)
    TOTAL
    494/7d (127.4 Overs, RR: 3.86, 572 minutes)
    Fall of wickets: 1-65 (Chris Rogers, 13.3 ov), 2-138 (Alex Doolan, 31.3 ov), 3-217 (David Warner, 57.4 ov), 4-401 (Steven Smith, 107.5 ov), 5-456 (Shane Watson, 118.4 ov), 6-489 (Brad Haddin, 126.5 ov), 7-489 (Mitchell Johnson, 126.6 ov)
    BowlingOMRWEconWDNB
    DW Steyn10.104414.3200
    VD Philander26.4211614.3501
    M Morkel23.529403.9424
    JP Duminy1707344.2900
    KJ Abbott28116802.4201
    D Elgar2209914.5000
  • BATSMEN
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    4s
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    4.5 big wicket. Smith is gone Harris has been relentless today. Accuracy gets him. On a length, middle and off, Smith has to play at it. This one seams a touch, though, and takes the edge. If you make the batsmen play so much, chances are you will take the edge at some time 7/1
    21.2 he is gone. Johnson has manufactured a wicket. He did rough Petersen up in the previous over. This is the one aimed at the rib, but it also a bit down leg. Petersen could have tried getting under or inside it, but he decides to play at it. He has moved inside the line, and the hands are pushing at it away from the body. He gloves it, and doesn't wait for the umpire to raise his finger 95/3
    11.4 what a stunner from Haddin. This is c Haddin b Pattinson. Conjured by Haddin, bowled by Pattinson. Absolute peach of a delivery, and a beaut by Haddin. Short of a length, at high pace, seams back in from around off. Elgar gets an inside edge on the punch, and Haddin changes direction and flies to his right to take this screamer. I am interested in watching for replays of this catch. As Haddin came down with the dive, his glove faced downwards. Did he ground it? I need more replays. Says Daniel Brettig: "I saw it, his glove is closed around the ball, and it is the glove that touches ground." 42/2
    38
    52
    76
    6
    0
    73.07
    28.1 Harris produces a beauty. And you needed the best to get rid of Amla. There is some late tail back in. Could this be reverse? I think it is. The scuffed-up side is not too scuffed-up, but there is a clear rough side and a shiny side to this. This one pitches on a length outside off, Amla plays the drive, but it moves back in late, and beats the inside edge to castle him. Top bowling Ryano 121/4
    35.4 definitely too early then, Mel Bourne. AB makes a mistake. Happens when it is reversing at such high pace. AB plays away from the body as Johnson pitches this full and outside off. Just the hands go as the feet are stuck. The edge is taken. Clarke snares it at second slip 133/5
    67.2 Faf's vigil ends. Johnson has produced the magic. They check a no-ball, but Australia need not be nervous. He is fine with his front foot. On a length, outside off, goes away with the shine, du Plessis plays the rare loose shot, driving away from the body, gets a thick edge, which Warner grabs low at gully. Huge huge wicket with 54 still to avoid the follow-on, and Steyn not sure to bat 241/7
    38.6 Ryano strikes again. Just when you thought he had lost a bit of his accuracy. Pitches one up outside off, asking him to drive, Duminy plays the loose drive, the ball swings away, and takes the edge for a regulation catch for Haddin 146/6
    not out
    37
    107
    194
    1
    0
    34.57
    3
    25
    29
    0
    0
    12.00
    73.6 Watson strikes even as Australia await the new ball. This is a perfect delivery. This is short of a length, lands just outside off, but doesn't go with the angle, which Abbott has covered perfectly. Top of off has been hit. Timbaaaah 249/8
    81.3 it takes Johnson three deliveries with the new ball. Steyn's courageous effort comes to an end. Dug in short again, this time there is no width available, so Steyn fends at it while backing away. Gets a thick edge to first slip. Steyn walks off to a big ovation 279/9
    82.5 and Watson takes another good first-slip catch. Australia have taken a 207-run lead. Warner and Rogers run off. So no follow-on. A touch too ambitious from Morkel as he tries to punch this shortish delivery, gets a healthy edge that Watson takes to his left at first slip 287/10
    Extras
    20 (b 8, lb 3, nb 3, w 6)
    TOTAL
    287 all out (82.5 Overs, RR: 3.46, 389 minutes)
    Fall of wickets: 1-7 (Graeme Smith, 4.5 ov), 2-42 (Dean Elgar, 11.4 ov), 3-95 (Alviro Petersen, 21.2 ov), 4-121 (Hashim Amla, 28.1 ov), 5-133 (AB de Villiers, 35.4 ov), 6-146 (Jean-Paul Duminy, 38.6 ov), 7-241 (Faf du Plessis, 67.2 ov), 8-249 (Kyle Abbott, 73.6 ov), 9-279 (Dale Steyn, 81.3 ov), 10-287 (Morne Morkel, 82.5 ov)
    BowlingOMRWEconWDNB
    RJ Harris2296332.8601
    MG Johnson1954242.2100
    JL Pattinson18.547724.0822
    SR Watson913413.7700
    NM Lyon1215304.4100
    SPD Smith20703.5000
  • BATSMEN
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    20.2 digs this short, Rogers looks to pull, gloves it to fine leg. Steyn might just have given South Africa a wicket with that throw. Actually this is AB's wicket too. Rogers is taking it easy because AB has to move away from the stumps, towards the throw, to collect it. AB, though, with his back to the stumps, has judged this is going to be a direct hit, and lets it go. Rogers caught ambling 123/1
    56.3 Abbott gets another. His grind has at least got him wickets. Warner looks to smash this over midwicket, gets a healthy edge, ABD takes it. Ends with 543 runs for the series. Third-highest for an Australian in three-Test series 290/5
    44.6 Doolan finally ends his painstaking stay. Morkel bowls a bouncer, Doolan pulls, gets a top edge, and it flies to long leg. The bigger news is, Shane Watson has been promoted 188/2
    50.6 lovely catch by Duminy at point, and I see Clarke wear a helmet. No declaration yet. Wide ball, Watson goes after it, thinks he has hit it over point, but Duminy times his leap to perfection, and takes the catch. Good on Watto. Two selfless innings that will hit his average, but he has tried to do what the team has needed 245/3
    52.2 golden duck for Clarke. Does he now wish he had declared earlier? Looks to drive a length ball over mid-off, gets only the outside half of the bat, is caught at mid-off 257/4
    not out
    36
    20
    29
    5
    0
    180.00
    not out
    3
    3
    6
    0
    0
    100.00
    Extras
    18 (b 3, lb 12, nb 3)
    TOTAL
    303/5d (58 Overs, RR: 5.22, 252 minutes)
    Fall of wickets: 1-123 (Chris Rogers, 20.2 ov), 2-188 (Alex Doolan, 44.6 ov), 3-245 (Shane Watson, 50.6 ov), 4-257 (Michael Clarke, 52.2 ov), 5-290 (David Warner, 56.3 ov)
    BowlingOMRWEconWDNB
    M Morkel1316715.1501
    KJ Abbott1426134.3500
    VD Philander604207.0002
    JP Duminy1937604.0000
    DW Steyn312408.0000
    D Elgar301806.0000
  • BATSMEN
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    4s
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    2.1 Has Harris struck right away? Yes, he has. Smith tells Petersen to not review this. Petersen scored a fifty mainly by moving across the line in the first innings, but this time it has done him in. This is plumb. Moves across, the ball seams back in, beats his inside edge by a long way, and traps him dead in front. A typical Harris wicket. His 100th 12/1
    3.1 He walks off the last time. Johnson has had his number all series. Dug in short, into the body, Smith is in position to either leave it or keep it down. Gets an inside edge into the body, short leg takes a simple catch. Everybody in the stadium stands up to say goodbye to the Iron Man. Australia also abort their celebrations and applaud him off the field. Smith turns back to raise his bat to all of them. Can the rest of the team now give their captain a special farewell gift? A hard-fought draw 12/2
    5.6 two stumps out of the ground. Timber all over. Slightly short of a length, quick quick. Elgar is caught on the back foot after that bouncer. That ball just holds its line after pitching off. He is not forward to cover it. Beaten on the outside edge. Johnson is on absolute fire here 15/3
    41
    109
    148
    4
    0
    37.61
    36.4 Pattinson has got a decision from Dharmasena, but Amla has reviewed it. This has moved back in from a length, moved back in more than what Amla has budgeted for, and beats the inside edge. The only question here is, whether it has hit him in line. And the replays show the impact on the pad is just on line. Pattinson has got Australia a huge wicket. This is excellent perseverance from Pattinson 68/4
    84.2 Too good from Harris. That channel is superb, no matter how good you are. If you keep bowling on a length just outside off, you will make the batsmen play the angle. And when you get it to seam, you will take the edge at some time. He has taken it now. Finally AB's fifty streak ends. The first time in 13 Tests that he has not scored a fifty. But he has faced 228 balls. More valuable than 50 runs easily. And it has ended to some top bowling from a top bowler 136/6
    66.1 and Pattinson strikes with his first ball back. A bit of predetermined leave does it for Abbott. He has defended well for 88 deliveries, but this time he thinks, "Okay let's leave the first ball alone." It pitches on a length and outside off, but tails back in - reverse swing it is - to hit the top of off. Is this the spark Australia needed? Meanwhile, Abbott can be proud of his resistance 95/5
    102.1 Smith gets it first ball. The likeliest of spinners to get a wicket. Faf has reviewed it. Lovely legspin bowling. This is drifting and dipping. For a change Faf has pushed down the wrong line. This one pitches on leg, doesn't turn as much as Faf expects it to, and hits him dead in front. Huge huge wicket. Australia huge favourites. Faf has played a big hand too. Second time today that the first ball of a new spell has got a wicket 173/7
    119.1 soft dismissal. How gutted will Duminy be. This is a length ball, on the pads, and he plays a shot that comes naturally to him, the clip behind square, and he has found leg slip. That man Johnson again. Australia pull back South Africa again. Just when their hopes begin to turn to expectations. Well played, Duminy, though. Lasted 99 balls 246/8
    not out
    51
    105
    155
    6
    1
    48.57
    134.1 Oh Ryan Harris you beauty. With knees that need surgery. He produces a yorker. The Aussie spirit lives on. Another injured man walks off. Steyn has played 44 balls. Harris gets an outswing yorker, this is just outside off, Steyn looks to dig it out, gets an inside edge. Off bail of off. That terrible sound for Steyn. How terrific for Harris. The bail almost didn't come off. Not for the first time has a bowling change produced a wicket first ball 265/9
    134.3 Bad knees. No matter. Harris does it one last time. Australia celebrate. This is sensational bowling. Now he can get the surgery in peace. What an absolute beaut Harris is. Bowls this full and fast, beats the inside edge with the angle, and bursts through the gate. The off stumps is rattled. So is Morkel. So is Philander. What a great last ball. That reverse through the gate late. Hit the middle of off 265/10
    Extras
    20 (b 8, lb 5, nb 5, w 2)
    TOTAL
    265 all out (134.3 Overs, RR: 1.97, 591 minutes)
    Fall of wickets: 1-12 (Alviro Petersen, 2.1 ov), 2-12 (Graeme Smith, 3.1 ov), 3-15 (Dean Elgar, 5.6 ov), 4-68 (Hashim Amla, 36.4 ov), 5-95 (Kyle Abbott, 66.1 ov), 6-136 (AB de Villiers, 84.2 ov), 7-173 (Faf du Plessis, 102.1 ov), 8-246 (Jean-Paul Duminy, 119.1 ov), 9-265 (Dale Steyn, 134.1 ov), 10-265 (Morne Morkel, 134.3 ov)
    BowlingOMRWEconWDNB
    RJ Harris24.3153241.3000
    MG Johnson34119232.7000
    JL Pattinson27106222.2923
    NM Lyon22171000.4500
    SR Watson96600.6601
    SPD Smith1334313.3001
    MJ Clarke52701.4000

Match Details

Toss

Australia , elected to bat first

Player Of The Match

Player Of The Series

Series result

Australia won the 3-match series 2-1

Match number

Season

Hours of play (local time)

10am start, Lunch 12.30-13.10, Tea 15.10-15.30, Close 18.00

Match days

1,2,3,4,5 March 2014 (5-day match)

Reserve Umpire

Match Referee

Close of Play

  • Sat, 1 Mar - day 1 - Australia 1st innings 331/3 (MJ Clarke 92*, SPD Smith 50*, 88 ov)
  • Sun, 2 Mar - day 2 - Australia 1st innings 494/7 (MJ Clarke 161*, RJ Harris 4*, 127.4 ov)
  • Mon, 3 Mar - day 3 - Australia 2nd innings 27/0 (CJL Rogers 1*, DA Warner 25*, 6 ov)
  • Tue, 4 Mar - day 4 - South Africa 2nd innings 71/4 (AB de Villiers 16*, KJ Abbott 1*, 41 ov)
  • Wed, 5 Mar - day 5 - South Africa 2nd innings 265 (134.3 ov) - end of match

Match Notes

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  • On Twitter, sport is black and white

    Sport has the capacity to forge bonds of connection, but it's hard to do that on platforms that encourage instant, reactive responses

  • Harris, Haddin, Rogers to push on

    Darren Lehmann has said that Brad Haddin, Chris Rogers and Ryan Harris will all have a place in the 2015 Ashes tour provided they keep up their current performances

  • Australia's longest day

    It wasn't easy, and it certainly wasn't without its fair share of twists, but Australia held their own to pull off one of their most impressive wins in recent itmes

  • Where did Harris find the swing and strength?

    Plain numbers will never explain how good Ryan Harris was in Cape Town, where he defied logic and a crocked knee to bowl Australia to a famous victory

Fourth innings at Newlands

9

No. of times batsmen have played 150 or more balls in the fourth innings at this venue, out of 350-plus innings

Long last-stands

117.5

Avg. no. of balls faced by de Villiers in the 4th innings in the last 5 years. Only du Plessis (187) and Rogers (128.4) have higher numbers

30 is the new 20

1

Ryan Harris is the first fast bowler to take 100 Test wickets after making his debut after the age of 30

Warner stats

2

Number of openers before Warner to hit a century and a fifty in a Test at Newlands, Eddie Barlow and Taufeeq Umar