A fine tradition of thrillers

For two decades now, funny things have happened in run chases between Australia and South Africa.

Have we got another on the cards in Centurion?

Forget for a moment the ODI thrillers which have seen world record chases, unthinkable ties and unforgettable individual performances – and consider instead the catalogue of Test match classics that have occurred between these two cricket powerhouses since the Proteas were readmitted to the international scene.

January 1994, Sydney

Australia’s meltdown at the SCG was remembered on one side of the Indian Ocean, however unfairly, as the Damien Martyn match, and on the other, quite rightly, as Fanie De Villiers’ finest moment.

In failing by five miserable runs to reach a target of 117 that day, Allan Border’s side put into motion a near-decade long case of the yips for the Australians when it came to chasing down small totals.

It was an Achilles heel that was eventually put to bed by Steve Waugh’s ruthless machine in the early 2000s, and before that, it was his twin Mark who had a major say in two other remarkable fourth innings bottlers.

March 1997, Port Elizabeth

The first was to achieve a victory at St George’s Park, also the venue of the next Test in this series.

Australia chased 270 that day, with the junior Waugh in his pomp. The right-hander, more famed for his flair than his fight, produced arguably the innings of his career, making 116 as no other player reached 50.

Ian Healy hit the winning runs in dramatic circumstances, his six off the late Hansie Cronje ending a late South African surge that ultimately resulted in them losing the match – and with it the series – by just two wickets.

January 1998, Adelaide

A year later, the two sides entered another decider with the series at 1-0 in Australia’s favour.Set 361 to win at the Adelaide Oval, Australia slipped to 3-54 and promptly made not losing their priority. 

Most assumed the rescue act would belong to Steve, however when he departed for 34 with the score at 4-112, his brother picked up the slack.

Riding his luck – he was dropped four times and survived a bizarre hit wicket situation, much to the ire of captain Cronje – Waugh survived, not out 115, and so did Australia, hanging on for a nail-biting draw with three wickets in hand.

The upshot was a stump speared through the umpires’ door by Cronje, and another series success for Australia, continuing South Africa’s drought against their Antipodean counterparts.

March 2002, Cape Town

Australia were in irresistible form at this point, having thrashed South Africa in four home-and-away Tests through the 2001-02 season, and a target of 331 seemed within their reach from the outset.

And so it proved.

Positively rocketing along at 4.21 runs per over, the tourists managed to achieve what is today the 15th-highest successful run chase in Tests.

It wasn’t without drama though, Australia losing their middle order in quick time – 4-55 – before Ricky Ponting joined the Healy club, and created one of his own, by hitting a six to both win the match and bring up an even hundred.

March 2006, Johannesburg

Some six months after they’d been at the centre of perhaps the most dramatic finale to any Ashes Test match, Brett Lee and Michael Kasprowicz were at Wanderers with a sickening sense of déjà vu.

A match that had see-sawed wonderfully for into the fifth day had reached its final moments, and Kasprowicz and Lee were again charged with getting Australia to their target of 292 – the highest by any side at the Wanderers.

This time however, they got there, adding 19 runs to scrape home by two wickets and give Australia a three-nil series sweep.

December 2008, Perth

And so the wheel turned. Australia’s dominance couldn’t last forever – though it took this epic chase to beat them.

Mitch Johnson’s freakish display, which yielded 8-61 in his first innings against South Africa, counted for nought as the Proteas set about their pursuit of 414 on a relatively placid WACA pitch with vigour.

Graeme Smith bashed a hundred, Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis 50s, while AB de Villiers (106) and debutant JP Duminy (50) saw the tourists reach the total with a fair degree of comfort.

It marked a power shift in world cricket, which Australia have been attempting to wrest back ever since.

November 2011, Johannesburg

They say bad luck comes in threes, and for South Africa, this certainly proved the case when Australia won a third match between the two sides inside 15 years by a measly two wickets.

An 18-year-old debutant by the name of Pat Cummins was the hero on this occasion, rattling an experienced South Africa side with 6-79 in the second innings to leave Australia with a target of 310 to win.

They got there, just, with Cummins appropriately hitting the winning runs and the men in Baggy Green eclipsing their own record run chase at The Wanderers.

November 2012, Adelaide

Australia did everything perfectly … almost.

An amazing Test match saw the home side clatter a ridiculous 482 runs on the first day, and ultimately set the world-beating South Africans a world record target of 430.

They didn’t get there, but they weren’t bowled out, either.

In a remarkable display of courage, concentration and determination, Test debutant – debutant! – Faf du Plessis fended off all the Australians could throw at him, defying the hosts and making an unbeaten 110 from 376 balls in the process.

In the end, Australia were just two wickets from victory, but were ultimately undone by one of the great match-saving knocks.