Player of the Match
Player of the Match

Australia win by 162 runs and lead the series 1-0. A remarkable win after they were 38 for 3 on the opening day. The match see-sawed a bit yesterday after they collapsed in the second innings but Australia always had a grip on the match. SA made steady progress to the target yesterday but the Australian bowlers didn't allow too many free runs today and earned their wickets. Johnson rounds off an excellent match with eight wickets to back his unbeaten 96.

SA will lay the blame on their first-innings effort, rather the lack of it, save for de Villiers's century. For the third straight season, they've lost the first Test of a series. They've struggled to shake off the rustiness and that is something they will have to address. Let's not forget that when cornered, they can bite back hard. They recorded come-from-behind victories against India and West Indies after losing the opening Test. So Australia better watch out. Stay with us for the presentation.

Smith: "Aus performed well through the five days. We played some good cricket in the back end but credit to Australia. We know we're a lot better than how we performed over the last couple of days. We just let ourselves down."

Ponting: "All three debutantes stood up. The selections have been justified, a real team effort. This team is bouncing back. Lot of different personalities in the group. We had the worst of the batting conditions in the first day but we did well. The new guys will know the words to the team song."

Johnson is the Man of the Match: "I just try and do the same thing everytime. I don't mind batting at No.8, don't mind batting at 9."

Kallis gets the Diamond Award for scoring 10,000 Test runs. "Nice milestone but sad it had to come in a defeat."

That's it from all of us here. Thanks for the mails. The second Test at Durban starts March 6. On behalf of Jamie Alter, this is Kanishkaa signing off. Cheers!

119.2
W
Johnson to Steyn, OUT, Johnson hits the timber! Steyn makes a lot of room to drive and Johnson follows him and fires it on the stumps, the ball goes through straight and hits the middle stump, the stumps are upright and the bails go flying

DW Steyn b Johnson 6 (18m 12b 0x4 0x6) SR: 50.00

119.1
2
Johnson to Steyn, 2 runs, clips it to the on side

END OF OVER:
119 | (wicket maiden) | SA: 289/9

  • Dale Steyn4 (10b)
  • Peter Siddle25-8-46-3
  • Mitchell Johnson34-2-110-3
118.6
W
Siddle to Harris, OUT, Siddle pitches it short of a length outside off and gets Harris hopping on the backfoot to fend it off, the ball lobs towards short leg and Katich juggles with the ball before tacking it cleanly

PL Harris c Katich b Siddle 8 (42m 35b 0x4 0x6) SR: 22.85

118.5
0
Siddle to Harris, no run,
118.4
0
Siddle to Harris, no run, lands it on a good length on middle and leg and he clips it back to the bowler
118.3
0
Siddle to Harris, no run, comes over the wicket and he shoulders arms outside the offstump
118.2
0
Siddle to Harris, no run, gets behind the line to a good length ball and defends
118.1
0
Siddle to Harris, no run, Siddle thuds it short from round the wicket, Harris tries to fend it off and the ball clips his arm guard, Haddin appeals for the catch, Bowden shakes his head

The batsmen walk out. Brydon: "It's looking just a fraction gloomier than before the break ... nowhere near bad enough for the light to be an issue yet. But Australia will want to get these last two wickets sooner rather than later."

END OF OVER:
118 | 2 Runs | SA: 289/8

  • Dale Steyn4 (10b)
  • Paul Harris8 (29b)
  • Mitchell Johnson34-2-110-3
  • Ben Hilfenhaus31-7-68-2

Australia are just two wickets away from a remarkable win. South Africa labored through the session and struggled to put the runs on the board. All the specialist batsmen are back in the pavilion and Australia will look to mop up the tail quickly before the dark clouds set in. As of now, the weather's perfect.

117.6
0
Johnson to Steyn, no run, and an action replay of the previous ball, teasing line and Steyn can't resist a poke and that's tea
117.5
0
Johnson to Steyn, no run, the ball holds its line on the offstump and he nearly edges it on the drive
117.4
0
Johnson to Steyn, no run, hits a good length on the offstump and he defends
117.3
2
Johnson to Steyn, 2 runs, gets a nasty lifter and the ball balloons off the handle and just clears the slips
117.2
0
Johnson to Steyn, no run, lets another bouncer sail past him
117.1
0
Johnson to Steyn, no run, comes over and hits the deck hard, he allows the bouncer sail over his head

END OF OVER:
117 | 1 Run | SA: 287/8

  • Paul Harris8 (29b)
  • Dale Steyn2 (4b)
  • Ben Hilfenhaus31-7-68-2
  • Mitchell Johnson33-2-108-3
116.6
0
Hilfenhaus to Harris, no run, he ducks under the bouncer
116.5
0
Hilfenhaus to Harris, no run, shuffles and nearly gloves a short ball to leg slip

Ponting's employing leg theory here. There's a silly mid-on, leg slip and short square leg plus a short leg

116.4
0
Hilfenhaus to Harris, no run, gets behind the line and pushes it to the off side
116.3
0
Hilfenhaus to Harris, no run, walks across his stumps and squeezes it back to the bowler
116.2
1
Hilfenhaus to Steyn, 1 run, makes a bit of room and he tucks it towards square leg for a single
116.1
0
Hilfenhaus to Steyn, no run, bangs it in short and he bends backwards to evade the bouncer

END OF OVER:
116 | 2 Runs | SA: 286/8

  • Dale Steyn1 (2b)
  • Paul Harris8 (25b)
  • Mitchell Johnson33-2-108-3
  • Ben Hilfenhaus30-7-67-2

Brendan: "Three blokes on debut and one who has played five tests. If the Aussies win this test on SA soil, it has to go down as one of the gutsiest wins in years for the Australian side."

115.6
1
Johnson to Steyn, 1 run, shuffles at his crease and clips it wide of midwicket and takes the single
115.5
0
Johnson to Steyn, no run, skids it past Steyn and the batsman pokes his bat outside the offstump

Australia tour of South Africa 2008-09 News

South Africa 4th innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st76ND McKenzieGC Smith
2nd54HM AmlaGC Smith
3rd76JH KallisHM Amla
4th5JH KallisAB de Villiers
5th18JH KallisJP Duminy
6th39MV BoucherJP Duminy
7th4MV BoucherM Morkel
8th12MV BoucherPL Harris
9th5PL HarrisDW Steyn
10th2M NtiniDW Steyn