South Africa holds whip hand after Australia collapses: T3D2

South Africa 225 & 2/230 (38 ov, Amla 99*; Smith 84) lead Australia 163 (53.1 ov, Wade 68, Steyn 4/40, R Peterson 3/44) by 292runs with 8 second inns wickets in hand.. T3/3 D2/5 at WACA Ground, Perth.

After only two days' play the Test and the series, not to mention the no1 Test nation ranking, have been decided.

South Africa at last played up to their pre-series form with both ball and bat. Australia just fell to pieces, losing 4/12 (including David Warner to a windy woof, Ricky Ponting plumb lbw - confirmed by DRS - and Michael Clarke caught behind) at the start of play to impressively hostile bowling from Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander.

From the depths of 6/45 Matthew Wade 68/102 (3x6, 7x4) hit out while Mike Hussey did his (on this occasion below par). best to support him. Wade, John Hastings, a handy 32, and Mitchell Johnson all lent some respectability to Robin Peterson's figures by not choosing the right ball to hit, so the Australian revival was less significant than the South African one had been.

163 was a feeble response and South Africa knew it. Expected consequence: positive batting; unexpected consequences: (1) weak Australian bowling and (2) South African lead of 292 with three days to play.

Take nothing away from Hashim Amla 99*/84b (10x4) and Graeme Smith 84/100b (13x4). They have rubbed salt into the wounds inflicted by their bowlers and turned the match and series on its head.

A black day for Australian cricket.

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South Africa win Test & level series 1-1

South Africa 7/423d def England 180 and 169 ( 42.5 ov, P Collingwood 71, M Morkel 4/59) by an innings & 74 runs T4 D3 at Johannesburg. South Africa retain Basil d'Oliviera trophy by virtue of drawing series 1-1 (with 2 draws)

South Africa deserved to win this match and level the series. They were clearly the better team in 3 of the 4 contests and in this game kept the pressure on until the last ball was bowled.

Morne Morkel and Dale Steyn enhanced their reputations as quality bowlers. The batters, Ashwell Prince excepted, did well. And Jaques Kallis, despite the passage of the years, remained a high quality all rounder.

It was a good series, though the two cliffhanging draws which kept England in the series threatened an injustice. Fortunately the Proteas' strength (internal as well as external) prevailed.


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South Africa again start well: T4D1

South Africa 0/29 (12ov) trail England 180 (47.5 ov, D Steyn 5/51) by 151 runs on first innings: T4 D1 at Johannesburg.

Andrew Strauss won the toss, chose to bat and was dismissed first ball, well caught at short leg off Dale Steyn. It didn't get much better for them after that as Morne Morkel reduced them to 4/39 (including another Kevin Pietersen failure) before Paul Collingwood and Ian Bell provided some respite by adding 76 before Steyn worked through the lower order.

180 was a disappointing total. It was England's decision to bat, though, and despite favourable conditions for bowlers few excuses can be made for a performance as modest as this. Steyn 5/51 from 13.5 ov and Morkel 3/39 from 11 did what their team required of them.

South Africa survived a dozen overs before the weather curtailed proceedings for the day. They will be looking for a big first innings lead. England will hope that their reconstituted attack, with Ryan Sidebottom replacing Graham Onions will be able to take a few leaves out of the Steyn - Morkel book. But after the recent Sydney Test it's too early to call.

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England hold on once again for draw : T3 D5

South Africa 293 and 7/447d drew with England 273 and 9/296 (141 ov, I Bell 78, A Cook 55): T3 D5 at Cape Town

I turned in at tea time (ie nudging midnight in these parts) when Paul Collingwood 39* and Ian Bell 68* looked well set and, despite some hostile South African bowling from Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel, England 5/230 looked to be heading for a comfortable draw.

Draw it was but comfortable it wasn't. I woke to watch the highlights and to discover that the South Africans had made a final effort which had almost succeeded. For the second time in three Tests England, in the person of Graham Onions, held on for a draw, and the home side were one good (or lucky) ball away from victory. Not that they didn't bowl many good balls, just not one that was good enough. In the last over Morne Morkel appeared to have Onions caught behind but replays showed that it brushed his sleeve not his bat (and vindicated the decision of the recently much maligned umpire Harper)

A 1-0 series lead is not a fair reflection of the merits of the two sides but that's the way Test cricket works. Australia couldn't force a win at Cardiff in T1 of last year's Ashes, and their failure seemed, just as the get out of jail draw at Centurion in T1 did, to inspire England to regroup and win the next Test.

There's a few days before the last Test begins and it will be very interesting to see if and how the South Africans can restore their self-belief. The team that they fielded at Newlands had no major weaknesses, though there will be some pondering about the value of Ashwell Prince and Paul Harris. England are not infallible either, as the large South African second innings showed, and Kevin Pietersen is overdue for a mid-range let alone a big score.


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Captain powers South Africa to dominant position: T3 D3

South Africa 291 & 2/312 (80ov, G Smith 162*, H Amla 95) lead England 273 (88 ov, M Prior 76, A Cook 65, M Morkel 5/75, D Steyn 4/74) by 330 runs with 8 2nd inns wkts in hand: T3 D3 at Cape Town

Graeme Smith led a sharp improvement in South Africa's fortunes after a refreshed Morne Morkel and Dale Steyn took the last 3 England wickets for 32, leaving the match open to be won (or drawn) with the best part of three days remaining.

Smith showed what he was thinking as he and Hashim Amla took charge. This time it was the England attack which found the conditions, not least the heat, hard going. Smith was given out lbw, challenged the decision successfully, and continued to a 172b century. Amla, who needed a score to offset a run of failures since his T1 century, followed hard on his captain's heels before, having silenced the doubters, being caught at short leg for 95/156b (14x4) .

Smith and Jacques Kallis continued comfortably to stumps adding 51. With a lead of 330, 7 wickets in hand and Smith unbeaten on 162/243b (22x4) South Africa hold all the high cards.

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