South Africa vs Australia, 3rd Test at Cape Town, Mar 22 2018, Australia tour of South Africa

RESULT
3rd Test, Cape Town, March 22 - 25, 2018, Australia tour of South Africa
311 & 373
(T:430) 255 & 107

South Africa won by 322 runs

Player Of The Match
4/87 & 5/23
morne-morkel
Match centre 
Scores: Ranjith P | Comms: Andrew Miller
Scorecard summary
South Africa 311/10(97.5 overs)
1st INNINGS
141* (284)
4/78 (26)
2/43 (19.5)
Australia 255/10(69.5 overs)
1st INNINGS
4/87 (21)
47 (38)
4/91 (20.5)
South Africa 373/10(112.2 overs)
2nd INNINGS
84 (145)
3/67 (27)
3/69 (25.2)
Australia 107/10(39.4 overs)
2nd INNINGS
32 (67)
5/23 (9.4)

6pm So, that's the end of that. A memorable match, for far too many wrong reasons, but Morne's mayhem this evening has helped to end it with a flourish of proper on-field action.

Thanks for all your feedback. And stay tuned to ESPNcricinfo for all the follow-ups from Cape Town, where you sense the post-mortem to SandpaperGate is only just getting started.

Aniket : "Deliciously fitting that in a match (and series so far) marred with unsavory behaviour and abuse/sledging, a fast bowler who has never felt the need to mouth off/give ugly send offs under the guise of aggression wins the man of the match award. " Yes indeed. There's a nice thought to sign off on. Good night.

Faf du Plessis: "Proper power, Our bowlers in this test match have been amazing. To put the totals on the board in both innings and then bowl them out - Deano and AB have been fantastic. The nature of how the Tests have gone, there are periods when runs can be scored in the first 30-40 overs, but as soon as you get one wicket you can run through them. But a 50-run lead on that wicket was worth more. There was a good battle between bat and ball, but I'm really chuffed for Morne, it couldn't have happened to a nicer guy."

"We are extremely motivated in this series, it was easy for us to tighten the screw on the Australians."

The Man of the Man is Morne Morkel: "I'm a little emotional at the moment, but what an afternoon of cricket. We asked the guys to give it all. I was hoping I could deliver something special. For me, the best thing was to keep working hard on my fitness and hope to get the opportunity. I got the nod and knew I needed to put my hand up as a senior bowler."

Tim Paine: "it's been a horrible 24 hours and I'd like to take the opportunity to apologise to our fans," he says. "From a cricket perspective, today was extremely disappointing, the way we folded in that last 45 minutes. It's been a real challenge for us, we need to turn ourselves into the cricket team we want to be."

"When you are playing against a side as good as South Africa, it's hard to chase the game. Our bowlers have been okay, but our batters have got plenty of starts but no-one's got a hundred. At the end of the day, we have to regroup and put on a show for our fans, families and public."

5.53pm Gonzo: "Subdued game? You have high standards when it comes to interest and excitement!" Well, you know what I mean. The actual cricket was a bit incidental at times in the past two days. Although that final session perked the crowd up no end. 45,000 at Newlands over the four days, incidentally, which is pretty healthy

John: "Perfect match for Morkel, thumbs up to him. Hope he gets a niggle and doesnt come for last test match as I don't see him doing better than this. Not to mention this particular test match will be remembered for a long,long time!!!" He might not get a niggle, but South Africa might get an Ngidi...

5.47pm Edwin DSouza: "Hopefully Morkel will reconsider his retirement from Test cricket on this performance..." Sadly, it's not going to happen. He's 34 this year, and has been a fine servant for more than a decade. But I'm delighted that he's going out on a personal high. A nice upbeat subplot to an otherwise subdued game.

Mark: "Agree with Andrew's call for discussion, so let's begin: 1. Use of solid objects to deform the ball isn't permitted. Makes sense else bowlers will rub the ball on the ground next. 2. Liquids are ok so long as its saliva, sweat. You can't hold a ball in a bucket of water. I suspect Andrew will find these are indeed current rules. What's more to discuss?" Well, the practice of bouncing the balls on the practice wickets when returning shies, for one. Seriously, whose business is that other than the fielders themselves?

Kofi Nkansah: "Thank you for posting David's comment, I was in need of a good laugh. I think all the posts today have been made "within the spirit of the game" and "without crossing the line." Two excellent bits of Australian terminology." Well, we like to headbutt that line here at ESPNcricinfo ...

5.43pm Handshakes and high-fives all round for the South Africa players. They have kept their counsel and their focus in a crazy couple of days, and are now 2-1 up with one to play, and gunning for their first home series win against Australia since readmission...

Graeme: "I think the thing that stands out about Morkel for me isn't no just his outstanding bowling, but the sportsmanship he's shown, he was genuinely concerned when he hit Starc on the head and came up and made sure he was alright, a fantastic man" He's been a mighty presence for South Africa, and what a game for him personally. A career-best nine wickets in the match, including his 300th in Tests. Presentations coming up, I think we've found the man of the match.

david: "Keep on posting the disgusting bias commentary you have been all day. The Aussies have been and still are by FAR the most sporting cricket team around. Maybe like a few facts about the cheating that has gne on in other countries?" Just calling it as we see it, David. But keep the faith

And that, as they say, is that. Australia have lost all ten of their wickets for 50 runs in the space of 19.4 overs. And on a grim day for their cricketers, they have also ensured that England no longer boast the most gruesome Test collapse of the week...

39.4
W
Morkel to Hazlewood, OUT

uppercut, but straight to fly slip! Well positioned, Philander rushed around to pocket the chance and give Morne Morkel a hugely deserved five-for in what might yet be his final Test appearance!

Josh Hazlewood c Philander b Morkel 5 (6b 1x4 0x6 13m) SR: 83.33
39.3
Morkel to Hazlewood, no run

sharp once again, much better line, gallumphing into the splice as Hazlewood hops to defend

39.2
4b
Morkel to Hazlewood, 4 byes

short and massively wide of the batsman, and the wicketkeeper! You can't rescue those!

Sammydude: "Painful memory for Paine to debut as Captain." I feel his Paine

39.1
4
Morkel to Hazlewood, FOUR runs

leaning back, cut up and away through third man, and up comes the hundred!

end of over 395 runs
AUS: 99/9CRR: 2.53 
Tim Paine9 (27b 2x4)
Josh Hazlewood1 (2b)
Keshav Maharaj 12-2-32-2
Morne Morkel 9-3-19-4

Nine Nine Nine... which emergency service do you require?

38.6
4
Maharaj to Paine, FOUR runs

down on one knee for the sweep, and emphatically played. Bouncing away to fine leg

38.5
Maharaj to Paine, no run

sliding on past the outside edge, as Paine lines up an ambitious cut. Too full and tight for the shot

38.4
Maharaj to Paine, no run

looped up into the blockhole, Maharaj gathers in his followthrough

38.3
Maharaj to Paine, no run

tucked to the leg side

38.2
Maharaj to Paine, no run

ver full length, Paine plays all around it, and up goes the finger! Paine is reviewing and though there's no edge, it does seem to have just pitched outside leg - I thought it had reached him on the full at first... But no. On we go...

38.1
1
Maharaj to Hazlewood, 1 run

thumped with lots of bottom hand, out to deep midwicket. A curiously leg-sided close field for the No.11

end of over 38Maiden
AUS: 94/9CRR: 2.47 
Tim Paine5 (22b 1x4)
Josh Hazlewood0 (1b)
Morne Morkel 9-3-19-4
Keshav Maharaj 11-2-27-2
37.6
Morkel to Paine, no run

outside off, leaping off the deck and flashing past a chancy cut!

37.5
Morkel to Paine, no run

blocked back down the pitch

Colt: "Morkel has his best match figures of his career by a country mile. Would be even more deserving to get the final wicket and MOM award. Final try to get my comment published..." An exemplary example of how to get published too.

37.4
Morkel to Paine, no run

full and fast, attacking the stumps, tucked to the leg side

37.3
Morkel to Paine, no run

prodded into the cordon, an involuntary twitch of the bat on a good length

37.2
Morkel to Paine, no run

tight line and left alone outside off

Will Australia really want to come back here for one more wicket tomorrow? They will surely want to flee the Cape and go to ground

37.1
Morkel to Paine, no run

tucked off the pads to deep backward square

end of over 37Wicket maiden
AUS: 94/9CRR: 2.54 
Josh Hazlewood0 (1b)
Tim Paine5 (16b 1x4)
Keshav Maharaj 11-2-27-2
Morne Morkel 8-2-19-4

Luke: "This is a well deserved result. No matter the outcome, Aus team lost the game when they premeditating cheating. Hope this episode drives some real change in their culture and we can have a team worth supporting again someday."

36.6
Maharaj to Hazlewood, no run

angled bat, defensive prod

Shambles. Can Australia creep past three figures?

36.5
W
Maharaj to Paine, OUT

forward, and tapped into the covers, a crazy sharp single, to Bavuma of all people, and blow me down, that's out! A fast flat shy, a fine gather from de Kock, and Lyon is run out without facing a ball!

Nathan Lyon run out (Bavuma/†de Kock) 0 (0b 0x4 0x6 4m) SR: 0
36.4
Maharaj to Paine, no run

poked into the covers

36.3
Maharaj to Paine, no run

full face of the bat, punched back to the bowler

Best performances - batters
Spike Graph
Wagon Zone
D Elgar
141 runs (284)
20 fours1 six
Productive shot
flick
29 runs
4 fours0 six
Control
86%
AK Markram
84 runs (145)
10 fours2 sixes
Productive shot
flick
19 runs
0 four0 six
Control
86%
Best performances - bowlers
M Morkel
O
9.4
M
3
R
23
W
5
ECO
2.37
FTYFGSGS
OFFLEG
RHB
1W
2W
LEGOFF
LHB
1W
1W
PJ Cummins
O
26
M
6
R
78
W
4
ECO
3
FTYFGSGS
OFFLEG
RHB
1W
2W
LEGOFF
LHB
1W
Match details
Newlands, Cape Town
TossSouth Africa, elected to bat first
Series
Season2017/18
Player Of The Match
Series resultSouth Africa led the 4-match series 2-1
Match numberTest no. 2300
Hours of play (local time)10.30 start, Lunch 12.30-13.10, Tea 15.10-15.30, Close 17.30
Match days22,23,24,25 March 2018 - day (5-day match)
Umpires
TV Umpire
Reserve Umpire
Match Referee
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Instant answers to T20 questions
Australia Innings
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