CAPE TOWN // Graeme Smith made three in his final Test innings as South Africa slid towards a heavy defeat at the close of play on the fourth day of the series decider against Australia yesterday.
Chasing a victory target of 511, the hosts will resume on 71 for four on the final day despite a valiant effort from AB de Villiers and Hashim Amla who survived 31 overs before the latter was out 20 minutes before stumps.
South Africa had lost openers Smith and Alviro Petersen (9), as well as Dean Elgar (0), as Australia were rampant before tea.
Smith flicked a rising Mitchell Johnson delivery on to his thigh and the ball looped gently to Alex Doolan at short leg, an inglorious end for one of the game's greats who was given a guard of honour by the touring side.
It was a tame way for Smith’s 205th Test innings to finish, but it was in keeping with his poor form in a series in which he has scored just 45 runs in six innings.
De Villiers survived 100 balls for his 16 with all thoughts of scoring gone and survival the only thing on his mind. He and Amla added 53 off 184 balls, a stand ended when Amla was trapped lbw by a reverse-swinging delivery from James Pattinson.
“Hopefully we come out tomorrow and bowl straight at the stumps, that’s the line I think we have to bowl,” Australia opener David Warner said. “It was quite tough to get through the wall (Amla) there, but we know if we can get the ball reversing then we are in the game.”
De Villiers will resume today hoping for a repeat of their performances in Adelaide and Johannesburg in the last 18 months where they batted for 148 and 136 overs respectively in the fourth innings to seal draws.
“There has been a lot of emotion around with Graeme deciding to give up international cricket, but I suppose it is also motivation for the guys to ensure we fight hard for the skipper,” South Africa coach Russell Domingo said.
“We have got six wickets in the bank and we are going to fight hard tomorrow. It has been done before at Newlands, I remember England were four down a few years ago and hung on for a draw. We were four down in Adelaide, so we know it can be done.”
The struggles of the home side were in sharp contrast to the Australia innings, when Warner made batting look easy as he bludgeoned 145 from 156 balls and the tourists declared their second innings on 303 for five.
Follow us on Twitter at SprtNationalUAE
