South Africa stun Australia with incredible run chase: De Villiers leads way with unbeaten 106

PERTH, Dec 21: An unbeaten century from A.B. de Villiers helped South Africa score one of their greatest cricketing triumphs, overpowering Australia by six wickets in the first Test at the WACA Ground here on Sunday.South Africa eased to victory just before tea on the final day by reaching 414-4 with de Villiers striking a sparkling 106 and the left-handed debutant Jean-Paul Duminy a well-compiled 50.

De Villiers, 24, hugged his batting partner upon reaching his seventh Test hundred and first against Australia. And soon both batsmen were mobbed by their team-mates as Ricky Ponting’s Australians looked on stunned after the victory was completed.

De Villiers took 179 balls to reach his carefully-compiled hundred, while left-hander Duminy put his first-innings failure behind him to provide the perfect supporting role.

“JP and I have played cricket together from a very young age, we understand each other’s games and it just paid off today,” de Villiers said after picking up the Man-of-the-Match award.

Duminy, 24, completed a debut to remember by hitting the winning runs — a three through cover off Johnson — to reach his half century.

Mitchell Johnson claimed career-best match figures of 11-159 but lacked support, with Brett Lee, Peter Siddle and off-spinner Jason Krejza taking only one wicket each.

Kallis and de Villiers extended their overnight partnership to 124 — with Kallis taking the lead role — before Kallis was caught by Mike Hussey for 57 at point soon after Australia had taken the second new ball.

At that stage, the tourists still needed another 111 runs to win with six wickets remaining — giving the Aussies renewed hope of victory.

But although left-arm seamer Johnson sent down more than 34 overs for his 3-98, Ponting’s side were unable to make another breakthrough.

The tourists scored 95 in the morning session for the loss of one wicket, going to lunch well-placed at 322-4.

Sunday’s successful run chase by South Africa is a record for Tests between the two nations, beaten only by the 418-7 by the West Indies against Australia in Antigua in 2002-03.

South Africa have never won a Test series in Australia and haven’t claimed a series victory over Australia since 1969-70.

In 12 previous Tests in Australia since the post-apartheid era began in 1991, South Africa had won only once — in January 1994 in Sydney.

South Africa can overtake top-ranked Australia on the ICC rankings if the Proteas win the current series 3-0.

Australia have lost four of their 13 Tests this year, with five wins and four draws. Another defeat for Ponting’s men in the second Test in Melbourne starting on Boxing Day would mean Australia had lost a home Test series for the first time since 1992-93 against the West Indies.

Australia hadn’t lost the first match of a home Test series since 1988-89 in Brisbane against the West Indies.

Battling an elbow complaint, South Africa’s Graeme Smith laid the platform for the victory with an inspirational 108 on Saturday.

The skipper picked the perfect time to record his first century against Australia in his ninth match against Ponting’s side. Smith will seek treatment and pain-killing injections in Melbourne on Monday ahead of the second Test.

A disconsolate Ponting said Johnson’s effort was outstanding and admitted he had “passengers” in his side.

“Maybe it is at the stage where we need to have a look at different personnel as well,” the Australian skipper said.

Rival captain Smith paid tribute to the “incredible effort” by his side.

“All credit to AB [de Villiers] and JP [Duminy] on his debut,” Smith said. “A series [win] would be a lot better than this [victory]. We really want to come out strong in Melbourne.”

Scoreboard

AUSTRALIA (1st Innings) 375 (S.M. Katich 83, M.J. Clarke 62, A. Symonds 57; M. Ntini 4-72).

SOUTH AFRICA (1st Innings) 281 (J.H. Kallis 63, A.B. de Villiers 63; M.G. Johnson 8-61).

AUSTRALIA (2nd Innings) 319 (B.J. Haddin 94).

SOUTH AFRICA (2nd Innings, overnight 227-3):

G.C. Smith lbw b Johnson 108

N.D. McKenzie c Haddin b Johnson 10

H.M. Amla c Haddin b Lee 53

J.H. Kallis c Hussey b Johnson 57

A.B. de Villiers not out 106

J.P. Duminy not out 50

EXTRAS (B-13, LB-9, W-2, NB-6) 30