Dramatic win for Australia over South Africa


Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Broadcast: 07/01/2009

Reporter: Scott Bevan

Australia has pulled off a nail biting victory against South Africa at the Sydney Cricket Ground today. And although Australia won the test, South Africa has won the series. ABC cricket commentator Jim Maxwell spoke with the 7.30 Report shortly after stumps.


SCOTT BEVAN, PRESENTER: Now it will surely go down as one of the most dramatic finishes in test cricket; with only 10 balls to spare Australia pulled off a nail biting win against South Africa at the SCG today.

There were many highlights in the match but none more so than Graeme Smith's performance. With just eight overs left, the South African captain decided to bat last, despite a broken hand.

Although he failed to deny Australia victory, his deed will enter cricket folklore. Australia has saved some face but South Africa has won the series 2-1.

By virtue of the victory, Australia is still the number one test nation but that crown is looking very shaky with a return bout against the Proteas in late February.

For his thoughts, I spoke to the ABC's cricket commentator Jim Maxwell shortly after stumps.

Jim Maxwell, an exciting finish to the third test and you got to call it. What was that like for you?

JIM MAXWELL, ABC CRICKET COMMENTATOR: I'm still recovering! It was very dramatic Scott.

That's the second game in two years at the SCG that's finished with a millisecond to go; it was eight minutes last year when Michael Clarke took three wickets in one over and this year it looked for a moment that Graeme Smith with Ntini were going to survive.

But somehow Mitchell Johnson was able to produce a ball good enough to get through the heroic defence of Graeme Smith, who got the biggest ovation I think we've heard for a long time at the SCG when he came out to bat because no one really thought that he would.

SCOTT BEVAN: Did you think he would?

JIM MAXWELL: Not earlier in the day, no. I think I lost money to someone on that one!

But as it got closer to the point where there was a chance that they could stave game because Ntini and Steyn batted for an hour and a quarter, I think about after an hour Smith is probably thinking, "Well, I might be able to last a few overs".

But there were still 50 balls left when he came out, so it was a very heroic performance and he almost pulled it off.

SCOTT BEVAN: Now this match has no influence on the series outcome of course, it was South Africa's. But there has been huge interest as to what is has said about the state of the Australian team.

What has this match told you about that?

JIM MAXWELL: Well, there's obviously some areas where they can improve, probably in Matthew Hayden's spot it's hard to believe that he could keep going.

But Peter Siddle has certainly put his hand up as an aggressive fast bowler who can put people on the back foot and perhaps intimidate them.

So that's a huge plus for Australia. Mitchell Johnson probably a bit weary by the end of this game but he has had an outstanding summer as a budding all-rounder and Doug Bollinger made a fair debut.

They're a bit light in the spin bowling department and there are a few areas where they can improve with the batting because Michael Hussey has been way out of touch.

But the final analysis; there wasn't that much between the two teams over the series, it's just that South Africa took the big moments, particularly in Perth with that stunning run chase, and then when they dramatically turned the game around from an almost hopeless position in Melbourne, so the next series could be even closer than this one.

SCOTT BEVAN: You just mentioned your belief about Matthew Hayden. But do you believe we will see him again as a test opener for Australia?

JIM MAXWELL: There's a chance, the selectors are fairly conservative and Ricky Ponting still seems to think there is something in Hayden so at this point it does look as though his career may continue.

But it's pretty obvious from what we've seen since he's come back from his Achilles injury that he's not the player he was and at 37 I don't really see the point in going on with him but the selectors may see it differently.

SCOTT BEVAN: Talking about Ricky Ponting and his captaincy; now there was a lot of criticism after the second test.

Has he done enough in the third test to take away any notion of him maybe being replaced by someone else?

JIM MAXWELL: I don't think that is going to happen in the near future. Maybe if Australia has a few bad series in South Africa and say loses the Ashes, but I think at the moment he is the premiere batsman in the side, yes.

He's not the most imaginative captain, but he does the best with the bowlers that he's got. He doesn't have the Warne's and McGrath's anymore.

And I think that's really making it tough for him, particularly when the side is unsettled. They've been changing the game for every match. So he does need to be given a bit of breathing space there, but, yes, I'd like to see him attack a little bit more than he does sometimes.

SCOTT BEVAN: How is all of this playing into the return test series in South Africa in, what, six weeks time?

JIM MAXWELL: It's the biggest build up an Australian-South Africa series has had since, probably since the pre-rainbow days back in the '60s.

It shapes as being a magnificent series because South Africa are playing at the height of their powers but, you know, they've got one or two concerns about their attack and Ntini may be getting towards the end of his career.

So this is the time that South Africa have really got to grasp the opportunity because it may not come as it appears to at the moment. And if they win the series, of course, they will be ranked number one in the world.

SCOTT BEVAN: Now I know it's still about six months to the all important Ashes series but if we could get you to gaze into the crystal ball a little; how are we shaping up for retaining that urn?

JIM MAXWELL: Well, if we can get more consistency, reliability out of our very good batsman and work out exactly who is going to be opening the innings so we've got some definition of a way ahead, I think we're going to be in with a chance.

I mean, England aren't a great side, they're not as strong as South Africa. If they get players like Flintoff bowling reverse swing as they did in 2005 they'll certainly be a handful.

But the Australian attack is on the way through players like Siddle. We don't know whether Brett Lee is going to come back and the other big question mark for Australia is Stuart Clark.

Now if he comes back to any sort of fitness he's going to be a trump in that series. So there are some question marks but I think looking ahead you'd have to still fancy Australia to retain the Ashes.

SCOTT BEVAN: Jim Maxwell thanks for your insight and for your time.

JIM MAXWELL: Pleasure Scott.

SCOTT BEVAN: And he provided a marvellous call, as always.

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Dramatic win for Australia over South Africa

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