World championship whitewash

South Africa provided more belated resistance, but Australia nevertheless completed an emphatic 10-wicket victory on the fourth day of the third Test to sweep the world championship series 3-0.

Gary Kirsten made a resilient 153 with solid support from the middle order, but it was not enough to prevent Australia wrapping up the Test late on the fourth day to seal a comprehensive series whitewash. Billed as the world championship of Test cricket, South Africa arrived for the series as contenders for the No. 1 crown but finished as thoroughly beaten pretenders, as Australia demonstrated their superiority with powerful victories in all three Tests.

Kirsten's hundred and some late hitting by Shaun Pollock (61 not out) boosted South Africa's second innings total to 452, the tourists' best innings of the series, but it came too late to make a difference to the outcome of the match as man of the series Matthew Hayden (22*) and Justin Langer (30*) scored the 53 runs required in 10.1 overs.

Starting the day 191 behind on 209/2, the first session was likely to reveal whether South Africa's second innings fightback from a dismal first innings of 154 was genuine, or merely delaying the inevitable. The answer initially appeared to be the latter after Warne, similar to his early strikes in the first innings, dismissed Kallis for 34 in his second over of the day.

After adding just two to the overnight score, Kallis attempted a delicate sweep off middle stump, the ball clipped the toe of the bat, and passed through for a simple catch to Gilchrist. The somewhat unlucky dismissal once again put South Africa under pressure, but they had the batsmen to handle it in Kirsten and McKenzie.

Kirsten patiently worked his way towards a hundred until he received an enticing half-volley from MacGill, which he drove through cover to reach the milestone. The hundred came from 245 balls, with 13 fours, after Kirsten was dropped early in his innings by Mark Waugh.

Although under the pressure to save the match, in the overall picture South Africa were no longer carrying the burden of expectation, and could more or less play with freedom. So instead of folding, the tourists enjoyed their best innings of the series, with Kirsten becoming the first South African to score a Test hundred on the tour after seven by Australians.

With Neil McKenzie also impressive - playing watchfully late in defence, and once even using his feet to drive MacGill through cover - the first session was an exhibition of competitive cricket, following on from South Africa's productive showing for the larger portion of day three. The tourists simply discovered their competitive spirit with the bat far too late.

After his confidence could have been damaged by being bowled not playing at Warne in the first innings, McKenzie appeared to read and play Warne and MacGill with more assurance, and looked set for a long innings. Unable to break through, Australia eventually turned to the second new ball, which Lee used to dismiss McKenzie.

Having contributed 38 to a third wicket partnership of 71 in South Africa's 282/3, McKenzie could have had the Australians at least a little concerned about their ability to bowl South Africa out on the fourth day, as well as keeping an eye on their narrowing lead, had he made it through to lunch, 25 minutes away. But he succumbed to the new ball, lobbing a catch to MacGill at mid off from a leading edge as he tried to work Lee to leg, easing concerns about another growing and potentially lengthy partnership.

Justin Ontong was twice beaten by McGrath but despite the presence of an expanded slip cordon, held firm with Kirsten, with South Africa 299/4 at lunch. Kirsten was 120 not out, an innings of concentration and application, which had anchored South Africa through exactly 100 overs by that stage. The session saw 90 scored for the loss of two all-important wickets.

Considering the circumstances which saw him selected, Ontong's innings was one of considerable courage and character. Solid and correct, Ontong also revealed a repertoire of strokes, and with Kirsten played so positively that the pair made it appear Australia could be chasing an uncomfortable target.

With Australia fielding for their sixth consecutive session and the spinners being scored from at a run a minute, thoughts turned to Calcutta and the last time Australia forced a team to follow-on from a seemingly unassailable position. It did not quite have the same surreal feeling, and there was always the possibility that one wicket would make such thoughts nonsensical, yet the longer Kirsten and Ontong went, the more likely it seemed they would make Australia work hard in the fourth innings.

Struggling for inspiration and with the leg-spinners surprisingly ineffective, which was entirely a credit to Kirsten and Ontong, Australia were handed a badly needed break by a poor umpiring decision. At 356/4 and South Africa just 44 behind, Ontong was cut off in his prime for 32. Shaping to sweep Warne, he was struck on the back leg marginally in line with off stump as he went down on one knee, and after a moment's deliberation umpire Harper adjudged him lbw.

It was a dubious call, as the full ball pitched on line of off and was turning when it hit Ontong. With so little time between the ball pitching and striking the batsman's leg, it was the type of decision that should have gone in the batsman's favour, and on such decisions the momentum can change. It was also extremely unfortunate for Ontong, who had batted with skill and confidence.

Twenty minutes later, Kirsten's magnificent innings of resistance was over, bowled by MacGill for 153. He played a tired shot, driving for a ball tossed up well wide of off and edging back onto the stumps. At 372/6, South Africa were again staring at certain defeat, without the prospect of making Australia work in the last innings. Without Kirsten's contribution, they would have been long since beaten.

South Africa suffered a slump of 4/37, with McGrath having Boucher caught behind for a plucky 27 after returning to the attack. Boucher had driven McGrath for two fours back down the ground before he ambitiously attempted a squarer forcing shot to a shorter ball, nicking behind to Gilchrist. Nicky Boje followed soon after, bowled by MacGill between bat and pad for 1 attempting to play to mid wicket. South Africa were 393/8, taking it to 403 by tea and thus making Australia bat again.

Henderson was bowled in MacGill's first over after the break, playing forward to a perfectly pitched wrong'un after being set up the ball before by a leg-break he edged just short of slip. With nothing to lose, it prompted Pollock to hit out, playing an entertaining cameo which saw 49 added for the last wicket.

Pollock launched Warne over long on for 6 and gave McGrath similar treatment, blasting more boundaries in a show of educated slogging. Donald would have been run out going for 2 if Gilchrist had collected cleanly and Pollock edged Warne trying to cut and was given not out, but Pollock's fireworks were boosting South Africa's score until an irresponsible shot by Donald left him stranded. Donald slogged across the line against Warne to be caught at mid on, leaving Australia an academic target of 53 to seal the whitewash.

It was appropriate that Langer and Hayden, joint men of the match who were largely responsible for establishing Australia's domination of the series, scored the required runs in an unbroken partnership.

Scorecard:
Aus 1st innings | SA 1st innings | SA 2nd innings | Aus 2nd innings
Images: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4
Match report: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3

Also read:
- Langer and Hayden surpass Aussie greats
- Aussies happy with one-horse race
- Australia v South Africa in Tests - a statistical review