Thanks for joining us throughout the series
It's been a pleasure for me and all my fellow bloggers to have your company. We'll be back for the first Test of the Pakistan series next month.
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But for now, it's goodbye.
South Africa celebrate after being presented with the trophy
Faf du Plessis on Aust public: "Great until this week. No hard feelings." #ausvsa
— Andrew Wu (@wutube) November 27, 2016
It shouldn't be forgotten how mighty a performance this has been from South Africa. Yes, they lost the dead rubber and didn't behave particularly well after their captain was accused of cheating by placing lolly-infused saliva on the ball in Hobart, but they've come to Australia with arguably their least-fancied to play on these shores since returning from Apartheid isolation, and won convincingly despite the absence of their captain and best player (AB de Villiers), a series-ending injury on the second day of the Perth Test to arguably their best ever bowler (Dale Steyn) and a poor series from their star batsman Hashim Amla - who averaged less than 20. All the more importantly for a nation still building racial harmony and with a strict quota system in place to select their team, it was done with coloured and black players leading from the front along with white players.
After a disappointing capitulation in Perth and then a Hobart horror show, Australia made wholesale changes for this third Test. The result of that change was the desired one, although it was the incumbents: Khawaja, Starc, Hazlewood and Lyon that did a lot of the damage. Still Handscomb's classy first-innings knock and Matt Renshaw's doggedness both helped vimdicate the selectors. Jackson Bird was serviceable and an improvement on Joe Mennie. Nic Maddinson and Matthew Wade both failed with the bat though, so overall the inclusions were a mixed bag.
But there looks a lot more to work with for Australia, and all bar Maddinson, Wade and Bird look like certainties to keep their spots for the upcoming Brisbane Test - the first in the series against Pakistan. Whether Nevill's big Shield ton is enough to dislodge the Victorian after one Test remains to be seen though. Maddinson is an interesting one. He is undoubtedly talented but unlike the other two debutants his Shield form hasn't been great. Shaun Marsh is the forgotten man of this Australian team, and would be unlucky not to play again given his recent Test century against Sri Lanka, and a 63 in the first innings of the Perth Test before his broken finger.
Peter Siddle - who also hasn't played since Perth - might be done. He'll need to prove his fitness again after a back injury, and even then youth may be preferred. Chadd Sayers and Chris Tremain keep making very good cases for their inlcusions.
Back to topVernon Philander is man of the series
He took 12 wickets at 23, and made 136 runs at 27. De Kock and Rabada are perhaps a bit unlucky.
Usman Khawaja is man of the match
For his terrific 145 in the first innings.
Credit to Renshaw, who remained not out at the end of the innings on 34 from 137 balls. He'll need to rotate the strike more though if he and Warner are going to be a sustainable opening pair going forward.
AUSTRALIA WIN
Handscomb gets a single trough the on-side and Australia clinch victory one ball before dinner. Fittingly there are two debutants at the crease when they get there!
WICKET
With two runs to get Steve Smith gets ahead of himself and edges the ball to de Kock, departing for 40. It's been that sort of series for the skipper, he's looked good but hasn't gone on and made a big knock.
Back to top
Renshaw flicks Shamsi down the ground for four more! Australia now within eight.
Renshaw ends a run of 33 balls without a run with a boundary through the on-side, and the locals are on their feet!
14 to get.
The umpires have taken the extra 15 minutes. Australia need 19 runs or they'll have to come back after dinner.
20 more runs to win. Dinner will likely be delayed.
This is a remarkably attritional knock from Renshaw, who is 24 off 127. We now know who we want if looking to draw a Test!
Back to topRenshaw isn't pretty but he's hanging in there. 2-104. It'd be no small feat if he's unbeaten at the end of this.
Smith uses his feet, showing his class against the spinners by sending Shamsi down the ground for four to long on. 29 needed now.
Renshaw is creeping his way to the end here. He's up to 24, taking a par of 2s from Shamsi through mid-wicket. Even if Australia don't reach the runs by 6:50 they'll be given the extra time to get those runs by the umpires you'd think.
South Africa review
It's rather desperate, but these are desperate times. An LBW appeal. Renshaw was playing a shot, and was hit outside the line. That's their second and final review. Renshaw survives.
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