Top 5 Tests played between South Africa and Australia

#1 5 run win for South Africa at Sydney, 1993

The 2nd Test of the series at Sydney back in 1993 threw up not only the finest Test match between these two nations but perhaps one of the best games in the history of the sport. South Africa had just been readmitted into international cricket and after they chose to bat first, started off strongly.

With the score at 91-1, Hansie Cronje was dismissed and then Shane Warne (7 for 56) entered the scene to trigger a collapse that saw them fold up for only 169. Australia drove home the advantage in their first innings and made 292. Allan Donald and Fanie de Villiers took 4 wickets each to keep the hosts' score within reach. South Africa did not do much better in the second innings and it was a gritty 76 not out from Jonty Rhodes that saved them from more embarrassment. Warne tormented them again with a 5 wicket haul.

Australia needed to score only 117 to win the game and it seemed it would be a cake walk when, after the loss of Michael Slater early on, Mark Taylor and David Boon took the score to 51 for 1. That is when the game turned on its head as de Villiers dismissed Boon, Tim May and Taylor for the addition of only 5 runs to reduce Australia to 56 for 4.

Australia finished the 4th day at 63 for 4 and South Africa had somehow created a slight opening in the game. Allan Border went early in the 5th day with no addition to the score and De Villiers along with Allan Donald ran riot as Australia were reduced to 75 for 8.

However, Damien Martyn and Craig McDermott staged a comeback of sorts to take the Aussies to within 7 runs of victory. That is when Donald struck with the wicket of Martyn and after the addition of one more run, Glenn McGrath was dismissed by De Villiers as South Africa completed one of the most dramatic victories in their cricket history.