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Perth: South Africa beat world champions by 6-wickets final day of the first Test and create history.
AB de Villiers erased a lingering hoodoo for South Africa as they sealed their most satisfying win with a record-breaking chase of 4 for 414 that buried Australia. Since coming back into the international arena in the early 1990s, South Africa have had the most trouble with Australia and they finally conquered them, with de Villiers fighting to 106 and Jacques Kallis and the debutant JP Duminy producing nerveless half-centuries.
In a thrilling and stomach-turning adventure in the top-of-the-table contest, South Africa registered the second-biggest successful chase in history and did it so comfortably that they could have got 500. Australia's only answer was Mitchell Johnson, who took a career-best 11 wickets, but the rest of the performance was as worrying as South Africa's was outstanding
Smith led from the front with a gritty hundred, despite having some discomfort with his elbow. Amla and Kallis made useful contributions and the job was finished by de Villiers and Duminy. It was a comprehensive performance which blunted the Australian attack. Johnson apart, none of the other bowlers consistently troubled the batsmen.
AB de Villiers is the Man of the Match, beating the competition from Smith and Johnson. He scored 63 in the first innings, 106 not out in the second, took four catches (three of which were outstanding) and saved lots of runs at point and gully.
Amla at the other end played with patience allowing his captain to force the
pace. His 112-ball knock had six fours.
Smith scored his 18th hundred,
his first against Australia. He reached his hundred with consecutive cuts for
four off Johnson.
Australia were rattled by the partnership as both the
batsmen complemented each other beautifully to deny them any chance. But Smith
and Mckenzie fell within a space of seven runs.
Johnson got the
breakthrough as he trapped Smith lbw to complete his 10 for the match following
his first innings eight wickets.
Brett Lee removed Amla caught behind
before Kallis and de Villiers saw to it that there is no more casualty for the
day.
Report by session
1st Session: Runs 95, Wkt 1, Ovr 29
2nd Session: Runs 92, Wkt 0, Ovr 26.2
Brief Score: South Africa 281 & 4 for 414 (Smith 108, de Villiers 106*, Kallis 57, Amla 53, Duminy 50*) beat Australia 375 & 319 by 6 wickets.
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