Test 3 : Consolation win for Aussies : Proteas win series 2-1. -> Itsonlycricket, is only cricket!

Australia in India : Fixtures \| Test records \| ODI records.
Australia test squad : 5 pacers, 2 spinners & 8 batsmen.
India refuse to umpire decision review system in series.
How to buy tickets: India Australia test match & one day.
New Zealand tour of India (3 test + 5 ODI) starts 4th Nov.
Pakistan v England : Fixtures \| Eng v Pak ODI records.
Pakistan one day squad : Amir, Asif and Butt substracted.
England one day squad : Pietersen out, Davies to keep.
England won 1st, 2nd and, 4th test \| Pakistan won 3rd test.
Coming up : Ashes 2010 \| Sri Lanka's tour of Australia.

Count down : Best fielders in cricket \| Best commentators.
Best T20 bowlers \| All time test match/one day batsmen.
Top 10 wicket keepers \| Most handsome cricketers today.
Best batsmen in T20 \| Allrounders \| Best bowlers, ever.
Ask a cricket question : to itsonlycricket and get instant answers in your emails (fan contributions are welcome).
Popular records : Sachin Tendulkar versus Ricky Ponting.
Most test centuries \| Highest ODI score \| Fastest century.
Photos Quiz : Identify cricketers \| Wife and Girlfriends.

Test 3 : Consolation win for Aussies : Proteas win series 2-1.

Filed under SA in Aus 2008-09 AUSvSA Sydney 2009

Its a team that wins a cricket game, but its individuals who stand up & do it at crucial junctures.

South Africa found AB de Villiers after Graeme Smith's heroic hundred to win first test at Perth (chased 414) miraculously whereas Dale Steyn stood tall with bat as JP Duminy made 166 best runs of his cricketing career so far at Melbourne in second test.

Series already won 2-0, Proteas had little enthusiasm going into this 3rd Test at Sydney and played it like going through the motion. yet they found a juncture when they needed 313 runs on Day 5 today. It looked possible for half of day's play but this time, none of South African stood firm enough to see his team home.

Australia won by 102 runs.. 10 balls remained in days play! (scorecard).

It was a test series where home team took the worst Australia pitch ever to take 20 wickets. Losing their first test series at home after almost 16 years, Australian batting lacked run machines, dropped crucial catches and were outfielded by the visiting bunch of boys.

For South Africa, it was a series were their tail did the trick. With ball, Dale Steyn never allowed Aussie batters to feel free and Paul Harris emerged as dark horse with very-controlled his left arm spin. Veteren Makhaya Ntini and fast + tall Morne Morkel provided backup bowling brilliantly. Jaques Kallis - a rare true allrounder in test cricket - played his part of shepherd well.. although he didn't make as much runs as he had the starts.

Duncan Fletcher is one name which went unmentioned in this high-voltage test series.. former England coach was hired by Proteas think-tank as consultant as he was the only man who had seen Australia beaten when he coached England to 2005 Ashes victory. Australia themselves had hired former Indian coach Greg Chappell 2 months ago for Indian tour which they lost 2-0. Then, Greg Chappell was regularly seen in Australian dressing room but this time - Duncan Fletcher was never seen in South African dressing room.. why? Duncan ain't no publicity seeker like Greg I guess!