(This entry was originally published on Monday, March 2nd, 2009)
Touring Australia has clinched the first of the three-match test series against South Africa at Johannesburg today. South Africa was dismissed for 291 on the final day of the match with pacer Mitchell Johnson picking up 4 wickets. Scoring 97 runs and picked up 8 wickets, Johnson helped Australia to pull off a 162-run victory and he was eventually awarded the man of the match award.
South Africa’s two unbeaten batsmen of previous day, Amla and Kallis, started the day with a view to scoring 276 more runs to win the match, but the home side got all out after adding only 113 runs to previous days 178 runs. Highest 69 runs came from opener Captain Graeme Smith who led South Africa from the front in their historic test series win in Australia in December-January. Amla’s 57 and Kallis’ 45 gave South Africa some hope, but nothing happened as they lost wickets pretty regularly. Duminy and Boucher scored 29 and 24 runs respectively, showing some resistance against the Australian pacers.
The defeat came as a dent to South Africa’s hope of overtaking Australia to become the no. 1 team in ICC test ranking. The second test starts from 6 March at Durban. South Africa must win the second test if they are to keep their hope of becoming no. 1 in test cricket intact until the third test at Cape Town, starting from 19 March.
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