Australia v South Africa 2008-09 / Features

Australia v South Africa, 2nd Test, Melbourne, 4th day

Hayden must go

Dec 29, 2008: If Matthew Hayden does not decide to end his career after this match, Australia's selectors must be brave enough to finish it for him

Australia v South Africa, 2nd Test, Melbourne, 3rd day

Australia get a taste of their own medicine

Dec 28, 2008: There were plenty of stats highlights on a day when South Africa turned the tables on Australia. Here are the important numbers

Australia v South Africa, 2nd Test, Melbourne, 3rd day

A most disappointing day - Clarke

Dec 28, 2008: The one-sided day has left Australia with little chance of levelling the series in the next two days

Australia v South Africa, 2nd Test, Melbourne, 3rd day

The South African Mr Cricket

Dec 28, 2008: It is a measure of South Africa's batting strength that JP Duminy was not in their starting line-up when the tour began. In a similar way that Michael Hussey's first few months of Test cricket left non-Australians wondering how on earth he had been overlo

Australia v South Africa, 2nd Test, Melbourne, 2nd day

Vicious after Christmas

Dec 27, 2008: South Africa's batsmen struggled through one of the more ferocious spells of the summer as Peter Siddle finished the day with 3 for 24 from 13 overs

Australia v South Africa, 2nd Test, Melbourne, 1st day

Ponting bats himself some relief

Dec 26, 2008: At the end of a year he this week described as the toughest of his career, Ricky Ponting's outstandingly fluent 101 on Boxing Day was an excellent sign

Plays of the day

McKenzie's costly drop

Dec 26, 2008: Plays of the day from day one of the Boxing Day Test between Australia and South Africa at the MCG

How good is Haydos?

Dec 25, 2008: Matthew Hayden has played the muscular biffer, pillaging mostly average attacks with great success. Is he among the greatest openers, as his figures seem to indicate?

Australia v South Africa, 2nd Test, Melbourne

The best chance for Australia and Hayden

Dec 24, 2008: Already 1-0 down in the series, and with their No. 1 ranking under severe threat, Australia couldn't have asked for a better venue to mount a fightback

Weaklings turn bullies

Dec 21, 2008: South Africa have never, yet, snared a series in Australia. But suddenly their corner looks very compellingly like the one to be in

Australia v South Africa, 1st Test, Perth, 5th day

Smith's fourth-innings heroics

Dec 21, 2008: Stats highlights from South Africa's historic run-chase against Australia in Perth

Australia v South Africa, 1st Test, Perth, 5th day

Chokers no more

Dec 21, 2008: History is written by the victors and this year South Africa have made so many alterations to the accepted version that the past is now irrelevant

No usurpers here

Dec 21, 2008: Why South Africa aren't really challenging Australia for No. 1 yet

Australia v South Africa, 1st Test, Perth, 3rd day

Ridden by doubt, Hayden's time is running out

Dec 19, 2008: On a day when Rahul Dravid at least delayed further queries about his retirement plans, Matthew Hayden's second failure of the match against South Africa has only intensified speculation over his future

Australia v South Africa, 1st Test, Perth, 2nd day

Johnson has a ball in his new home

Dec 18, 2008: Mitchell Johnson is like a wind-up toy. He'll tear in at the same speed all day but he has to be pointing in the right direction when the string is pulled

Australia v South Africa, 1st Test, Perth, 1st day

Neither side goes the distance

Dec 17, 2008: Since the teams last met nearly three years ago Australia's power has diminished while South Africa have grown stronger

Bring on the exorcism

Dec 16, 2008: South Africa have been better in Australia than their recent results there indicate. Will they finally lay the ghosts to rest this time?

Australia v South Africa, 1st Test, Perth

Australia bank on batting prowess

Dec 16, 2008: Stats preview to the first Test between Australia and South Africa in Perth

Does Kallis really go missing against Australia?

Dec 12, 2008: His overall stats against Australia are admittedly modest: in 18 Tests he averages only 38.32, but since 2000, his numbers have been much better

Obsolete and essential

Dec 9, 2008: South Africa may not really need Jacques Kallis' runs at the moment, but he is a long way from being dispensable just yet