South Africa v Australia – First Test, Day 5

Whatever the final outcome, one thing was for certain on the final day of this opening Test, and that was that Australia would make the Springboks fight tooth and nail for every run as they chased down their victory target. And so it proved to be, with just 60 runs coming in an edgy first session, but crucially no wickets fell. Thomson shelled a difficult chance as Goddard top-edged a Miller bouncer when on 44*, and Johnston hooped the ball around alarmingly under an overcast Cape Town sky. He felled Goddard with a bumper at one stage, but South Africa's second wicket pair went on to add 127 vital runs before both fell in the space of two overs after lunch, Mitchell caught in the cordon for 40 and Goddard run out by a tremendous McDermott throw for a brave 82.


At 128-3, still 106 away from victory, it was now down to Graeme Pollock to guide South Africa home, and with support from the middle and lower order he did just that. Miller bowled earnestly with the second new ball – he finished with figures of 3-39 from 24 overs – but to no avail, and Pollock's resolute, unbeaten 54 saw his team over the line with ten overs to spare. He batted out the last hour with brother Peter, and it was fitting that the brothers Pollock should be at the crease when victory came, theirs having been the two outstanding individual performances for South Africa over the course of the five days.

So, South Africa take a 1-0 lead, just as they did when the teams last met Down Under, but Australia came back to draw that series, and one would not bet against them doing the same here after an extraordinarily hard-fought first Test match.

Close of Play, Day 5
AUS 1st Inns 232 (Taylor 69, Woodfull 54, Chappell 53)
SAF 1st Inns 277 (RG Pollock 117; Johnston 4-51)
AUS 2nd Inns 278 (Border 112, Chappell 47, Bradman 45; PM Pollock 5-32)
SAF 2nd Inns 234-6 (Goddard 82, RG Pollock 54*, Mitchell 40)

SOUTH AFRICA WIN BY 6 WICKETS

Man of the Match: RG Pollock