Player of the Match
Player of the Match

Day 5

382dThe Report by Brydon Coverdale

Harris bowls Australia to last-gasp win

Ryan Harris goes under the knife for knee surgery after this series - he does not know what the future holds. He may play Test cricket again, but at 34 there are no guarantees. Whatever happens, he has delivered one of the great triumphs in Australia's re

1882dDaniel Brettig in Cape Town

Ryan Harris vows to return

Ryan Harris has vowed to return from extensive knee surgery, expressing his desire to again experience the elation that washed over him after helping Australia to a thrilling win in Cape Town

1882dFirdose Moonda in Cape Town

Philander fights hard but falls short

Earlier in the series, Vernon Philander had had his willingness to work hard on the field questioned by the opposition. On day five in Cape Town, he showed them just how hard he can work, even with bat in hand

1882dDaniel Brettig in Cape Town

Clarke sorry for Steyn anger

Michael Clarke has apologised for his fiery confrontation with Dale Steyn, admitting that he had overstepped the mark

1882dJarrod Kimber in Cape Town

Where did Harris find the swing and strength?

Plain numbers will never explain how good Ryan Harris was in Cape Town, where he defied logic and a crocked knee to bowl Australia to a famous victory

1882dDaniel Brettig in Cape Town

Australia's longest day

It wasn't easy, and it certainly wasn't without its fair share of twists, but Australia held their own to pull off one of their most impressive wins in recent itmes

Day 4

1882dFirdose Moonda in Cape Town

We still have hope - Domingo

Russell Domingo, the South Africa coach, believes that the team still have hope of salvaging a draw in the third Test, because of the players yet to bat

1882dDaniel Brettig in Cape Town

Warner, Johnson at peak of powers

Australia's success against England and South Africa is down to the arresting form of their most talented players - David Warner and Mitchell Johnson

381dFirdose Moonda in Cape Town

Graeme Smith's last stand

Graeme Smith has played tremendous innings for South Africa, but his last one ended in 16 minutes on the ground where he learned his cricket

1882dDaniel Brettig in Cape Town

Warner thrives on sledges

David Warner has said that he likes getting involved in a sledge to spur him on at the crease, and sometimes he starts the banter to get himself going

Day 3

1882dThe Report by Brydon Coverdale

Harris, Johnson tighten Australia's grip

This series was billed as the showdown of the two best pace attacks in the world and on day three in Cape Town, Ryan Harris and Mitchell Johnson bowled Australia into a position from which they could hope to claim the match and the series

1882dDaniel Brettig in Cape Town

Harris revives memories of Merv

Ryan Harris' willingness to exert himself on this tour to South Africa, despite his badly deteriorating knee, and his effectiveness through the pain on day three in Cape Town, take one back to Merv Hughes and the 1993 Ashes

Day 2

1882dThe Report by Brydon Coverdale

Rain intervenes after Clarke passes 150

On day one it was a test of the body, on day two of the mind. Michael Clarke brought up a hard-fought century after spending 24 balls stuck on 99, but rain halved the second day's play in Cape Town

1882dDaniel Brettig in Cape Town

'Overdue' Clarke toasts gutsy 161*

Michael Clarke has said that he was long overdue a century, after scoring 161 not out to take Australia into a strong position in Cape Town

1882dFirdose Moonda in Cape Town

Abbott toils without reward

Kyle Abbott had a dream Test debut, but his second outing hasn't yielded the same reward

382dDaniel Brettig in Cape Town

Clarke's two Cape Towns

Michael Clarke's battling century in this game was a world apart from his glorious counter-attacking 2011 Newlands ton, and he will hope the result of the match has a similar disparity

Day 1

1882dThe Report by Brydon Coverdale

Warner and Clarke put Australia on top

Ordinarily, a near run-a-ball 135 from David Warner, or the sidelining of Dale Steyn with a rare injury would be the defining moment of a day's play

1882dDaniel Brettig in Cape Town

Warner, Clarke get tough

David Warner and Michael Clarke produced arguably two of their finest knocks to lift Australia into a commanding position in Cape Town

1882dDaniel Brettig in Cape Town

Siddle asked to regain his pace

Peter Siddle has been set the task of relocating the yard of speed he has lost over the course of a taxing 18 months, after he was dropped for the Newlands Test

1882dDaniel Brettig in Cape Town

Clarke guts earns Warne praise

Michael Clarke chose guts over flair, earning Warne's rich praise for the kind of brave occupation on which Test series victories are won

Others

1882dRob Steen

The icing on the season's cake

Test cricket is in roaring health and there has been no proof more ringing than the enthralling South Africa v Australia series

2346dJonathan Wilson

On Twitter, sport is black and white

Sport has the capacity to forge bonds of connection, but it's hard to do that on platforms that encourage instant, reactive responses

1882dFirdose Moonda in Cape Town

South Africa left feeling exposed minus Steyn

South Africa are still looking for someone to bowl the overs Jacques Kallis used to so well for them, and the intermittent absence of Dale Steyn of late has only amplified that issue

1882dDaniel Brettig

Harris, Haddin, Rogers to push on

Darren Lehmann has said that Brad Haddin, Chris Rogers and Ryan Harris will all have a place in the 2015 Ashes tour provided they keep up their current performances

2346dFirdose Moonda in Cape Town

South Africa tap into local cricketing expertise

Australia have shipped in Shane Warne to mentor (not coach) their spinners ahead of the Twenty20 series and share his cricket knowledge with the rest. South Africa have called on some of the finest heads in the cricketing fraternity to do the same

1882dFirdose Moonda in Cape Town

South Africa on the precipice of history

If Graeme Smith's men take the Newlands Test, they will be the first South African team to win a series over Australia on home soil since readmission

1882dDaniel Brettig in Cape Town

Warne soothes Clarke's worry

Shane Warne has turned up in Cape Town at a helpful moment for his friend in need, Michael Clarke, ahead of a pivotal Test match meeting with South Africa

1882dDaniel Brettig in Cape Town

Clarke needs Watson's best

To beat South Africa in what he has called the biggest match of Australia's summer and what is arguably the most significant of his captaincy so far, Michael Clarke is looking for a command all-round performance from Shane Watson on his return to the side

Fourth innings at Newlands

9

No. of times batsmen have played 150 or more balls in the fourth innings at this venue, out of 350-plus innings

Long last-stands

117.5

Avg. no. of balls faced by de Villiers in the 4th innings in the last 5 years. Only du Plessis (187) and Rogers (128.4) have higher numbers

30 is the new 20

1

Ryan Harris is the first fast bowler to take 100 Test wickets after making his debut after the age of 30

Warner stats

2

Number of openers before Warner to hit a century and a fifty in a Test at Newlands, Eddie Barlow and Taufeeq Umar