- It was the 1587th ODI match in cricket history.
It was the 40th match between these two sides. The record now
reads: South Africa 20, Australia 19, tied 1.It was the 16th match between these two sides in South Africa.
Both teams have now won 8 matches each.It was South Africa' 195th and Australia' 460th match.Umpires Cyril Mitchley and Dave Orchard were officiating in their
61st and 54th match respectively, while AC Smith was officiating in his
11th match as ICC Referee.South Africa was playing a ODI at home soil without Hansie Cronje
for the first time. Cronje had appeared in all the 72 matches played by
South Africa in South Africa since 07-12-1992 at CapeTown against
India.Dave Callaghan was making a comeback into South African side
after a gap of more than five years. He last appeared for South Africa
against New Zealand at Christchurch on 24-02- 1995, thus missing 121
matches in between. Only Pakistan' Sajid Ali (154), India' Robin Singh
(146), Australia' Matthew Hayden (142) and West Indies Clayton
Lambert (131) have missed more matches in between two consecutive
appearances.Shaun Pollock was captaining South Africa for the second time and
first time in South Africa. His only other assignment as captain came in
the last league match of recently concluded Coca-Cola Cup in Sharjah
against Pakistan. He became third player after Hansie Cronje (51) and
Kepler Wessels (21) to captain South Africa on home soil.This match was 40th for Jonty Rhodes against Australia,which takes
him past Hansie Cronje' tally of 39 matches. Incidenatally West Indian
Desmond Haynes holds the record of playing most matches against
Australia- 64.Adam Gilschrist has now made 20 fifty plus scores (including six
hundreds). He thus surpassed Alec Stewart' tally of 19 fifty plus scores
as wicketkeeper.Now only Zimbabwe' Andy Flower has made more fifty
plus scores as keeper than Gilchrist 36 (including one hundred) in 131
matches.Mark Boucher became second South African and sixth keeper to
effect five dismissals in a match on two occasions after India's Nayan
Mongia, West Indian Ridley Jacobs (thrice each), Zimbabwean Andy
Flower, Pakistan's Moin Khan and compatriot Dave Richardson (twice
each).Boucher presented the 26th instance of a 'keeper effecting five
dismissals in a match.A total of 18 'keepers have now performed this
feat. The break-up : five Indians,three West- Indians and SriLankans
apiece, two Pakistanis and South Africans apiece and one Australian,
New Zealander and Zimbabwean apiece.Boucher also became third 'keeper to make five dismissals in a
match against Australia after SriLanka's Guy deAlwis (five catches) at
Colombo PSS on 13-04-1983 and Pakistan's Moin Khan (3 cts+2st) at
Melbourne on 23-01-2000. The previous record for South Africa was also
on the name of Boucher who held four catches at Birmingham on 17-06-
1999.Infact Boucher would have created a new world record had he held on
a simple catch offered by Brett Lee of the first ball of 49th over (off
Pollock' bowling).The ninth wicket partnership of 55 runs between Damien Martyn and
Brett Lee was Australia' best for this wicket in South Africa. This
obliterated the previous record stand of 29 runs between Adam Dale and
Jason Gillespie at Cape Town on 02-04- 1997. The pair however just
failed to beat Australia' ninth wicket record stand against South Africa
home or abroad which still remains as 57 between Ian Harvey and Andy
Bichel at Perth on 18-01-1998.Gary Kirsten was dismissed for the second time in nervous nineties.
He had made 93 against India at Faridabad on 15-03-2000. He became
third South African after Hansie Cronje (thrice)and Lance Klusener (once)
to be a victim of nervous ninety against Australia.The total was South Africa' highest against Australia batting second
to win a match. The previous highest was 239 for 2 in 45 overs at
Guwahati on 01-11-1996.The victory was South Africa' first in last five matches between
these two countries. South Africa had last beaten Australia at Melbourne
on 23-01-1998.The Man of the Match award was 12th for Gary Kirsten in ODIs.