First Test: Day four at a glance

State of play

Australia 397 & 4-290dec. defeated South Africa 206 & 200 (Johnson 5-59) by 281 runs

Morning session: SA 3-65 (4-67 from 23.2 overs)

Afternoon session: SA 5-132 (3-68 from 28 overs)

Evening session: SA 200 (5-68 from 11.4 overs)

QUICK SINGLE: Andrew Ramsey's match report

Fine glance

Apparently the plan was to bat for a while this morning and send South Africa in before lunch. Twenty deliveries in, Michael Clarke had seen enough, citing the dozen the deliveries that misbehaved as reason to declare so early on. That left South Africa chasing 482 to win in about 174 overs. Tough. It got even tougher when Mitchell Johnson struck with his fifth ball, removing Alviro Petersen caught behind. Next ball he almost decapitates Hashim Amla with a deadly bouncer. Thank goodness for helmets. When momentum is against you, you’re outta luck. Alex Doolan takes a screamer at short leg to remove Graeme Smith, who flicked off his pads into the waiting hands of the debutant. Amla and Faf du Plessis put up a fight before Peter Siddle found a crack, getting one to shoot through and trap Australia’s nemesis from Adelaide 2012 leg before. Amla and AB de Villiers looked to be taking the game away one cracking boundary after another, until Harris broke the prime partnership, removing Amla with a gem. And when Doolan took his second stunner at short leg JP Duminy was gone, Johnson had his tenth and Australia went in to tea needing five for a 1-nil series lead. De Villiers’ dismissal shortly after the break, again to Johnson, unofficially ended the Test at 7-151. Siddle skittled Robin Peterson, Ryan Harris nicked out Dale Steyn and when Morne Morkel turned for a second that was never on, he was run out, South Africa all out for 200 and Australia the victors by 281 runs.

Man of the moment

It’s obviously Johnson. But Alex Doolan had a wow of a game too. Fielding at short leg, for the first time in his career, Doolan took two screamers crouching down that embodied the vast, vast, vast difference between the fielding teams. Vast. Johnson, though, could not be contained. He looked dangerous every ball, literally forcing the batsmen to jump out of the way. The man of the match set many new records. Stay tuned for a special edition of #RapidStatz

The turning point

It’s hard to pinpoint one single moment, but Clarke’s spontaneous declaration caught everyone off guard. Australia coach Darren Lehmann and Peter Siddle said it wasn’t the game plan, and it was obvious Graeme Smith wasn’t expecting it. Shaun Marsh wore one from Morne Morkel that popped up, then one kept low, then one went at right angles. Time to get off and get them in, thought Clarke.

Pitch perfect

Elevator status. Up and down all day. The cracks were tiered, that is, like a set of stairs. Constant baking from the Highveld sun opened up the centre square to the point where you’d lose your car let alone its set of keys. It makes Graeme Smith’s decision to bowl first, which he admitted after the game that he was undecided, the first of many errors throughout the match.

Short point

One down, two to go

Paging Dr. S

Duminy’s first ball had the tourists clearing their throats, none more so than Harris who was really, really confident. From way up in the press box you could hear two sounds, but the Aussie’s couldn’t and reviewed. More wood than Noah’s Arc. Not out.

A standard unplayable Johnson bouncer, taken spectacularly by Haddin at full stretch, one-handed was followed by an enquiry to Mr Illingworth. Haddin liked it, Johnson didn’t. The captain listened to his vice-captain and asked nicely for a review. Grazed the arm, not the glove. Not to matter, McLaren was out next ball.

He said, he said

“In hindsight, I would have made a different decision” South Africa captain Graeme Smith on his option to bowl first at SuperSport Park.

“It was a good toss to lose” – Australia captain Michael Clarke on Graeme Smith’s option to bowl first at SuperSport Park

Rapid Statz

5 – Mitchell Johnson became the fifth fastest Australian bowler to 250 wickets.

2 – Johnson became only the second Australian to take 10 wickets in a match in South Africa. Wily leg-spinner Clarrie Grimmett took three, all in one series. It was his third Test 10-fer and second against South Africa. Oh, and he now has the best figures as SuperSport Park.

281 – The number of runs Australia won by. It’s the exact same margin as their last Test, which had never been recorded before.

12 – Johnson’s wickets in the Test. The last time a pace bowler took 12 in a Test was in Sept 2005 by Irfan Pathan. The last Australian? Bruce Reid in 1991. It’s also the first time a fast bowler has taken 12 wicket against South Africa since they returned to world cricket.

1 – The number of Tests Australia has won on the 2014 Test tour of South Africa. Probably the most important stat of all.

First Test - day four