17/12Result
1st Test, South Africa tour of Australia at Perth, Dec 17-21 2008
South Africa won by 6 wkts
Player of the Match
AB de Villiers
AB de VilliersSouth Africa
17/12Result
1st Test, South Africa tour of Australia at Perth, Dec 17-21 2008
South Africa won by 6 wkts
Player of the Match
AB de Villiers
AB de VilliersSouth Africa

3.55 pm: South Africa have pulled off the second-highest run chase in Test history. Duminy and de Villiers are hugged by their team mates as they leave the ground. It's been a stupendous effort, beating Australia in Perth, chasing 413. They did it with six wickets in hand, Smith finally shows emotion and celebrates in the dressing room.

Smith led from the front with a gritty hundred, despite having some discomfort with his elbow. Amla and Kallis made useful contributions and the job was finished by de Villiers and Duminy. It was a comprehensive performance which blunted the Australian attack. Johnson apart, none of the other bowlers consistently troubled the batsmen.

Nine of the 25 highest run-chases have come after 2000. The most recent being India's 387 for 4 against England in Chennai.

Graeme Smith's fourth-innings average is third on the all-time list, next only to Boycott and Gavaskar. And his three centuries have all been in wins. Also check this link out, the highest fourth-innings averages in victories. Ponting and Smith are right up there and they are the only batsmen with three centuries.

AB de Villiers is the Man of the Match, beating the competition from Smith and Johnson. He scored 63 in the first innings, 106 not out in the second, took four catches (three of which were outstanding) and saved lots of runs at point and gully.

Right so South Africa are 1-0 up in the series. The next Test begins on Boxing Day in Melbourne. See you then!

119.2
3
Johnson to Duminy, 3 runs, the debutant does it! And reaches 50! He drives the full ball through cover and sprints one, returns for the second, and then races back for the third, he leaps in the air in celebration, what a terrific effort, that's the end of the match, Australia look a little shell-shocked
119.1
0
Johnson to Duminy, no run, good length ball on off stump, Duminy tries to drive but gets an inside edge on to pad

END OF OVER:
119 | 8 Runs | SA: 411/4

  • Jean-Paul Duminy47 (117b)
  • AB de Villiers106 (186b)
  • Michael Clarke8-0-35-0
  • Mitchell Johnson34-5-95-3
118.6
1
Clarke to Duminy, 1 run, full ball on leg stump, driven off the front foot towards midwicket
118.5
1
Clarke to de Villiers, 1 run, make that four, de Villiers pushes the ball wide of Symonds at short fine leg
118.4
2
Clarke to de Villiers, 2 runs, de Villiers moves back and flicks the ball off his pads towards deep square, five needed now!
118.3
0
Clarke to de Villiers, no run, driven off the front foot towards the off side
118.2
4b
Clarke to de Villiers, 4 byes, Clarke bowls a wide ball down leg side, Haddin misses the take and the ball runs down for four byes, only seven more to get now!
118.1
0
Clarke to de Villiers, no run, de Villiers moves forward and blocks Clarke with a straight bat

END OF OVER:
118 | 5 Runs | SA: 403/4

  • Jean-Paul Duminy46 (116b)
  • AB de Villiers103 (181b)
  • Mitchell Johnson34-5-95-3
  • Michael Clarke7-0-31-0
117.6
0
Johnson to Duminy, no run, Johnson bowls full and straight, Duminy moves across and clips the ball towards midwicket
117.5
0
Johnson to Duminy, no run, full ball on middle and leg stump, flicked off the pads towards the fielder at backward square
117.4
0
Johnson to Duminy, no run, defended on the front foot towards point

Can Duminy also reach his fifty?

117.3
1lb
Johnson to de Villiers, 1 leg bye, de Villiers misses the leg glance but the ball hits his thigh pad and goes behind square
117.2
0
Johnson to de Villiers, no run, defended on the leg side

He isn't done yet, de Villiers wants to see this through. What a match he's had, he scored a fifty in the first innings and has also taken some terrific catches.

117.1
4
Johnson to de Villiers, FOUR, century no 7! Take a bow AB de Villiers! He reaches his century with a superb pull to the long leg boundary, he hit that all along the ground, the players in the dressing room rise to applaud a match-winning innings

de Villiers on 99, and on strike.

END OF OVER:
117 | 3 Runs | SA: 398/4

  • Jean-Paul Duminy46 (113b)
  • AB de Villiers99 (178b)
  • Michael Clarke7-0-31-0
  • Mitchell Johnson33-5-91-3
116.6
2
Clarke to Duminy, 2 runs, Duminy leans right across his stumps and sweeps the ball from outside off towards long leg, he gets two and moves on to 46
116.5
1
Clarke to de Villiers, 1 run, de Villiers moves on to 99 with a gentle nudge towards cover point
116.4
0
Clarke to de Villiers, no run, driven gently back to the bowler
116.3
0
Clarke to de Villiers, no run, de Villiers defends watchfully once again
116.2
0
Clarke to de Villiers, no run, de Villiers moves forward and blocks
116.1
0
Clarke to de Villiers, no run, defended on the leg side on the front foot

de Villiers two short of a 100 ... Clarke will continue.

END OF OVER:
116 | 7 Runs | SA: 395/4

  • Jean-Paul Duminy44 (112b)
  • AB de Villiers98 (173b)
  • Mitchell Johnson33-5-91-3
  • Michael Clarke6-0-28-0
115.6
2lb
Johnson to Duminy, 2 leg byes, Duminy moves across to glance the ball off his pads, he misses but the ball clips the pad and runs down to fine leg, 19 needed now
115.5
0
Johnson to Duminy, no run, defended off the back foot towards the off side
115.4
4
Johnson to Duminy, FOUR, lovely deft touch! Duminy moves forward and waits for the ball to reach him before guiding it between gully and slip, the ball races to the boundary
115.3
1
Johnson to de Villiers, 1 run, de Villiers leans forward and opens the face of the bat to steer a good length ball past gully

Match Coverage

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South Africa 4th innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st19ND McKenzieGC Smith
2nd153HM AmlaGC Smith
3rd7JH KallisHM Amla
4th124JH KallisAB de Villiers
5th111JP DuminyAB de Villiers