Table of Contents
Sarel Erwee and Temba Bavuma played out the final session of the third Test against Australia at Sydney Cricket Ground to secure a draw and keep Proteas’ hopes of making the World Test Championship (WTC) final alive.
The hosts went into the final day searching for 14 wickets of tourists to complete a series sweep but faced a strong fightback from South Africa’s eighth-wicket pair of Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer in the first innings.
A sensational spell from Aussie skipper Pat Cummins on Day 4 filled the home team with the hopes of a final-day victory, but they were blunted by overnight batters Harmer and Jansen before Maharaj took South Africa’s grit to another level. He added 85 runs with Harmer for the eighth wicket before Australia wrapped up South Africa’s innings and enforced the follow-on.
The visitors lost captain Dean Elgar early in the second innings, but Erwee and Henirch Klassen kept Australia at bay. The duo took the team’s total to 75 before Klassen was dismissed. However, Erwee kept his end alive and was well supported by Bavuma as the duo played out the final session to ensure a draw for South Africa.
Here is how Twitter reacted:
Two-nil! ✌️
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau)
🚨 RESULT | MATCH DRAWN
The final Test match of ꦿthe series end♓s in a draw 🤝
Congratulati🍬ons Australia on your series victory ✌️
— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA)
All over at the SCG as Australia and South Africa share the spoils to d🌠raw the third and final Test of the seri🍸es. |
📝
— ICC (@ICC)
Australia seal the seriesꦚ 2-0 after South Africa salvage a draw in Sydney. Scorecard:
— betvisa69.com (@CricketTimesHQ)
Streak has come to an end
Longest streaks of Tests producing a result
46 – SOUTH AFRICA – 2017-23
26 – Zimbabwe – 2005-17
23 – Australia – 1999-2001
22 – Australia – 2001-03
22 – England – 1884-92
22 – Pakistan – 2015-18
— Swamp (@sirswampthing)
South Africa avoid a collap💜se on the final day to hang on to a draw in a rain-affected Test at the SCG.
Australia take the series 2-0 and move closer to a spot in the World Teﷺst Championship final
— Omar Faruque (@OmarFar46196492)
Did 2023 start with🀅 two draws? Done the quota already!
— rainy days (@wheresistherain)
3rd Test Draw 🏏🇦🇺🇿🇦 Win Series 2-0 👏
Player of the Match – (195*)
Player of the Series – (213 Runs, 3 Matches, Double Century)
— Nishant Dravid (@nishantdravid73)
with the amount of rain in Sydney, theඣ draw was the most likely result, always. Just highlighting how numb the decision to deny Usman a double century was. 1-2 overs to get 5 runs would have changed nothing!
— Lunga ibn Kupiso (@Lunga_Kupiso)
Most consecutive Tests without a Draw:
46 – SA (2017-2023), Won 23, Lost 23
26 – Zim (2005-2017), Won 3, Lost 23
23 – Aus (1999-2001), Won 20, Lost 3— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath)
