Zimpapers Logo

Port Elizabeth. — It doesn’t matter how accurate the South Africa Meteorological Department is. Dale Steyn’s spell-binding afternoon burst of reverse swing inspired the home side to a 231-run victory in the dying moments of the fourth day to level the series. South Africa ripped out nine wickets in the evening session while Australia lost 10 for 90 in total after an opening stand of 126 between Chris Rogers and David Warner.

With a poor forecast for the final day, Graeme Smith, who declared 40 minutes before lunch, was desperate to wrap up the win and not leave anything resting on the vagaries of the climate.

He claimed the extra half an hour, which began with Australia seven down, and Steyn claimed his fourth when he trapped Ryan Harris with an iffy lbw. Rogers, who had compiled a magnificent fourth Test hundred, was run out by the substitute fielder Alviro Petersen at mid-off to end a 237-ball stay then, when Smith was told the light was too poor for his quick bowlers, Dean Elgar trapped Nathan Lyon lbw although subsequent replays showed he had found a thin edge but Australia had no reviews left.

Given the way South Africa had been hammered in Centurion, the issues they faced over the balance of their side, the lack of a main spinner, the loss of one of their frontline bowlers and a pitch that did its best to defy fast bowling it will have to go down as one of their finest victories.

Australia had also started their pursuit of 448 with a rollicking partnership between Rogers and Warner that, if not quite making thoughts of a world-record chase realistic, left a South Africa victory push a distant prospect.

South Africa’s opening began to be forged shortly before tea when JP Duminy ended the first-wicket stand by removing Warner.
Duminy had earlier given Warner a life on 36 — the latest reprieve for him in this series — when he could not hold a return catch diving to his left as he collided with Rogers at the non-striker’s end.

However, he and Elgar, with his left-arm spin, were causing difficulties for both openers out of the footmarks and Duminy then beat Warner on the back foot with one that straightened just enough to clip leg stump.

Without Warner’s impetus — which had included four boundaries in four balls off Morne Morkel in a stirring riposte to being peppered with short deliveries — South Africa were able to choke Australia’s scoring.

And then they started to get the ball to reverse. — ESPN.