Heartbreak as McKenzie falls on 99
March 11 2002

South Africa continued their magnificent fightback at Newlands on Monday, but two costly run
outs gave Australia more than a sniff of victory and control of the Test championship log.

The general consensus of opinion among the experts was that South Africa needed to bat into
the final session of the fourth day and set Australia a target of between 350 and 400. But
what happened was that South Africa's second innings finished five minutes before the
scheduled tea break, leaving Australia a target of 331 in 123 overs at the rate of 2.69 to the
over.

The one certainty is that the game will produce a victory for one of the two sides. This
Australian team is not the sort of side that bats out time. By the close they had scored 131
for the loss of Justin Langer's wicket, reducing their target to 200 in 90 overs (2.23 per over).

They were given their normal excellent springboard by Langer and Matthew Hayden. They
recorded their first 50 in almost even time and, although there were several enthusiastic
shouts for leg before wicket, the closest South Africa came to an early breakthrough was
when Hayden bailed out of a sharp single.

Langer, who had 36 at the time, would have been left short of his ground had Makhaya Ntini
managed a direct hit on the unguarded non-striker's wicket.

Having got through the new ball period, the two batsmen then launched a determined assault
on Paul Adams, who had much the same problem against these two lefthanders as he had had
against Adam Gilchrist on Saturday afternoon. They did not let him settle and his first five
overs cost 36 runs.

The highest fourth innings total in the history of Test cricket at Newlands is the 335 made by
South Africa against New Zealand in a losing cause in 1962.

The highest successful runs chase in the fourth innings against South Africa is the 336-5 made
by Australia at Kingsmead in 1950.

Of the two run outs on Monday, the one of Andrew Hall was unnecessary and the one of the
day's batting hero, Neil McKenzie, was heart-breaking. Both once again revealed the superb
captaincy skills of Steve Waugh. It wasn't just a matter of chance that the two run outs
occurred at that stage.

Had South Africa not lost those two wickets in that fashion, there was every reason to believe
that the Australians would have been set a much more demanding target.

McKenzie was in commanding form and his third Test century and his first against Australia
seemed his for the taking when he reached 99 and was on strike to Brett Lee.

The mistake he made was probably to hit the ball too well and, when he tried to steal the
single, Damien Martyn, who had been brought into short cover at that precise moment, hit the
stumps.

It revealed another character trait of the Australians who fight tooth and nail to prevent their
opponents reaching significant landmarks. It was evident when Ashwell Prince was dismissed
for 49 at the Wanderers and again when Hall was in a similar situation on Friday to score South
Africa's first half-century of the series.

When McKenzie had reached 90, Waugh had shrewdly tried to frustrate him out by employing
defensive tactics.

When his seamers were bowling, he placed both third man and cover on the boundary, being
prepared to give McKenzie singles. With Shane Warne bowling effectively into the bowler's foot
marks from around the wicket at the other end, runs became hard to score.

The run outs apart, the day's play was dominated by the consistent batting of the South
African top order and their contest with Warne. The leg-spinner could be truly proud of his
persistent and patient attack which brought him six wickets in the innings in his 100th Test
match.

His 70 overs was the greatest number he has ever bowled in a Test match innings.