South Africa produce a stunning comeback to halt the Australian juggernaut

South Africans celebrate their win over Australia in the second test match

When one witnesses a battle of such epic proportions, such high drama and such immense quality, the recollection at the end of it all becomes a little disorganized. “Where to begin?” is the question that rings in the people’s minds. The cricket teams of South Africa and Australia engaged themselves in a similar titanic quest over the last four days at Port Elizabeth and when all of it ended, this writer found it difficult for a brief period to recollect the whole drama.

On a peaceful rewind after the high of the contest, one realizes it all began with Dean Elgar’s stellar knock at the top of the order. With his captain Graeme Smith and Hashim Amla back in the pavilion for almost nothing on the scoreboard, “The Dean” was really up against it.

“We need to be prepared to get hurt”, is what AB had said at the Centurion and Elgar delivered AB’s words into true action, taking blows after blows from the menacing Mitchell Johnson, fighting his way to a gritty 83. He faced up to the quality of Johnson’s bowling without having a central contract.

Compare that with some of the other cricketers who get paid in millions for just turning up to bowl 4 overs in a T20. Alas! A well deserved century eluded him. But he had set up the platform for de Villiers and the struggling JP Duminy to grind down Australia’s bowling on a flat-as-an-LCD-TV pitch. Duminy fought his way to a career saving hundred. 150 overs of batting to score 423 runs; the kind of work-out Australia hadn’t had to go through in more than a year.

But the real twist in the story was yet to come. And came it did in the form of a towering frame of Morne Morkel. What did the people say? Unresponsive pitch? Forget it all, big “Mo Mo” made the pitch talk. No, he made it shout! He made the pitch shout right into the batsmen’s ears. Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Johnson may have felt it literally.

Had Morne Morkel chosen a career as a cop, he would have made the most stubborn criminals confess to their crimes in the interrogation room itself. Attorneys and judges could go holidaying. Australia were completely taken by surprise by his hustle. They did counter though.

Warner attacked, but sometimes appeared a little too risky for his own good. Then Steven Smith continued the assault, but it wasn’t going to be enough. Somehow, a last wicket partnership allowed Australia to avoid the follow-on. In between, South Africa lost the services of Wayne Parnell to an injury who up until then looked equally menacing and had benefited South Africa with two crucial early wickets.

But South Africa weren’t only fighting a tough team who had handed them a humiliating defeat at the Centurion, they were up against the weather. What amount of lead would be sufficient? What time would be perfect to declare? The storm clouds were still some distance away from Port Elizabeth, but clouds of questions were hovering all over Biff’s brain. He fell to Johnson once again.

Elgar couldn’t repeat his first innings grit, but finally Hashim Amla’s bat spoke for the first time in a while. No, his bat sang! Matched the steel band tune for tune. Delivered punches with the bat that would have impressed Muhammad Ali. Century number 21 for “The Hash” and a brisk 270/5. But was Smith going to declare? Certainly didn’t look like so. Philander was padded up and Smith was sitting relaxed. But oh, there comes the signal. South Africa decided to defend 448 with about 70 overs left in the 4^th day and an uncertain 5^th day ahead of them.

Dale Steyn’s devastating spell destroyed Australia on day 4

They were bitten back by the southpaw opening pair of Australia. Warner raced away, he hit Morne Morkel out of the attack. Chris Rogers, struggling for form also joined in the fun. South Africa were a bowler short. The moment of inspiration had to come from somewhere. And JP did it for them, accounting for David Warner.

Alex Doolan played the kind of innings he really wouldn’t want to watch on tape in his life. Shaun Marsh bagged a pair, undoing a terrific hundred he hit in the previous match. But plenty of work remained ahead. And cometh the hour, cometh the man!

Dale Steyn had an uncharacteristically quiet match up until then. No better time, to knock on the opposition’s door and remind them of his presence. He bowled just the kind of spell that he is known for. An inswinger followed by an outswinger followed by another inswinger. And the result was 2 wickets in 3 balls!

This was Dale Steyn at his demonic best. He accounted for Micheal Clarke and Steven Smith. He then went on to flatten Australia’s Ashes hero Brad Haddin’s middle stump (twice in the match). He had indeed knocked on their door. No, he had slammed it down!

The crowd was being noisy, and so the music band. It was a celebration going on. Of sport of the highest quality. Australia were on the backfoot, trying to scrap through the day. Chris Rogers was leading the fight for them. A well deserved hundred against a hustling South African pace battery. But would that be enough to save the match?

They looked done for the day, but the umpires decided to give the extra half hour with 3 wickets left. Aussies were furious, Saffers were ecstatic! Balls thudded into the pads, catches fell just short of the fielders, frantic reviews happened,“it’s all happening here”, as the legendary Bill Lawry would say. And then in a moment of hara-kiri, Rogers ran himself out.

Alviro Petersen, the substitute fielder did it for them with his fielding while his batting still remained a concern. Possibly the only way he could have been dismissed this innings. And then of all the people, of all the bowlers, Dean Elgar delivered a poetic justice by ending it all, snaring Nathan Lyon LBW. But did he edge it? Wouldn’t matter, Australia didn’t have any reviews left.

And thus, came to an end, one of the greatest comeback wins in the history of the game. South Africa had been outclassed in Centurion, but came back stronger to show the world why they indeed are the number one Test team. 9 wickets in one maverick session of cricket and South Africa defeated rain even before it got into the boxing ring with them.

The battleground now shifts to Cape Town for one last round. Australia have been warned by the home team that they are certainly not getting over-awed by their Ashes success. South Africa also know that this is not the kind of opposition that will let them roll them over that easily. Another epic awaits us in 5 days.