Ponting strikes ton as Australia cruise to victory

The fifth day run chase was most likely to go one of two ways: cruise or crash.

The conditions on the previous three days, during which Gilchrist scored a whirlwind hundred and South Africa compiled 473, had seen batting comfortable and life exceedingly difficult for pacemen, who had been ineffective since midway through day two. If it was to be crash, then spinner Paul Adams had to be the catalyst.

In South Africa's second innings, Shane Warne and run outs had been the chief cause of wickets. With the pitch slower but still true on the final day, the formula had not changed. The success of Adams was South Africa's best realistic hope of winning the match.

Though the final margin was four wickets, for the majority of the chase on the last day Australia cruised. And for the majority of the chase, Adams was missing from the bowling crease. After his first two overs were hit for 18, Adams was pulled from the attack, leaving Hayden, Ponting and Mark Waugh in the relative comfort of facing Ntini, Kallis and Pretorius. This, ultimately, was to prove the crucial period of the chase.

No matter how many runs Adams conceded, he represented South Africa's singular best opportunity to win on a turning pitch. In his first over, he bowled two full balls that were hit for four, and in his second Hayden struck him for six over long on. Goodbye Adams, hello Kallis.

Despite his two wickets, Kallis was not a serious threat until the match was virtually decided. Adams did not return until five minutes prior to lunch, by which time the target had been reduced to less than a hundred and Australia still had eight wickets in hand. After Ntini dismissed Mark Waugh, Adams emphasised what might have been, bowling Steve Waugh and trapping Martyn in front as Australia lost 3/17.

With Ricky Ponting maturely securing one end and Adam Gilchrist assuming the responsibility of taking risks to ensure the innings did not stall, Australia recorded the 10th highest successful run chase, claimed the South African series 2-0 and retained their No. 1 ranking / Test championship. Had Mark Boucher persisted with Adams in the first session or reintroduced him after Hayden succumbed to Kallis, the margin might have been closer than four wickets.

From the start, Hayden and Ponting maintained a superb run rate, quick to seize on bad balls and probably delighted to face Kallis rather than the spinner. In this period, it was difficult to envision South Africa taking the required wickets to win. They relied on the build up of pressure, but lacked the necessary resources to achieve it. With a couple of Hayden's edges not going to hand, Australia scored 66 runs in the first hour. Together, Ntini and Kallis were not significantly more economical.

After struggling for much of his innings, Hayden - Matt the Bat, the Run Machine - appeared to find his touch, straight diving Ntini and pulling Kallis. When he cut Kallis for four to reach 96, he seemed destined to become the first player since Bradman to score hundreds in five successive Tests.

Kallis, sensing Hayden wanting to chase him for a boundary, bowled the next two teasingly wide of off, but he wasn't tempted. The third was so far wide that had Hayden not hit it, it would surely have been called. But he chased it injudiciously, got the nick, and South Africa had the breakthrough at 201/2.

In their purposeful chase, the Australian batsmen took some chances. Twice, Mark Waugh edged just past his stumps. After reaching fifty with three successive boundaries, Ponting hit one drive in the air just past cover and another just short of the same position. Driving hard at the ball, he was also almost caught and bowled by Kallis, while Waugh would have been run out taking a single to the off side had Prince's throw hit. The intended upside, though, was that they closed on the target rapidly, scoring 120 for the session.

Ntini ensured some intrigue remained by having Waugh doubtfully caught behind on lunch, pushing forward in defence. Bat clipped boot as ball passed edge so he may have been unlucky, though it was still an unconvincing knock. There can be little doubt now that the Waughs are currently the two weakest batsmen in the Australian order, which given the form of the others at present is not a disgrace.

South Africa resumed with a focussed strategy: Ntini neutralising Ponting at one end by bowling wide of off, Adams attacking the new batsman at the other. It worked.

Steve Waugh nearly recorded a pair taking a single to mid off that would have seen him run out, before being bowled by Adams for the second time in the match. Having switched to over the wicket, Adams delivered a full ball that had Waugh stuck on the crease, he failed to pick it was the 'chinaman' rather than stock googly, and was bowled off the inside edge driving. In the course of his career, Waugh has never been particularly successful in the second innings.

Martyn, having difficulty reading Adams, fared no better. Surrounded by close fielders, he tried to sweep, was struck on the front pad, and fired for a duck in a marginal decision. At 268/5 with a further 63 required, South Africa had a spark. Australia, though, had Gilchrist.

Advancing to the first ball he received, Gilchrist showed his attacking intent, taking calculated risks in an important partnership of 38. He was caught at mid wicket hooking Kallis, unable to control a bouncer, but it was those kind of shots that put his team in position to win.

With Ponting batting sensibly and Warne providing the slashes, all that remained was for Ponting to attempt to reach his hundred. On 94 and with three required, he heaved a short ball from Adams away over square leg to both win and raise his milestone in grand style.

Irrespective of the result, South Africa can take solace in that they tested Australia much more severely than would have been thought possible after the first Test, while the Australians again proved they can also win the hard way under pressure and not just dominate from the front.

Scorecard:
South Africa: 239 | Australia: 382 | South Africa: 473 | Australia: 334/6