SOUTH AFRICA v. AUSTRALIA

They made two changes in the side that gained a convincing victory at Newlands, Lance (Transvaal) and Traicos (Rhodesia) -- a new cap and a student at Natal University --replacing the spin bowlers, Seymour and Chevalier. Freeman for Mallett was the only Australian change.

The match produced a host of new records, pride of place going to Graeme Pollock for his mammoth 274 which gave him the individual record for a South African in Test matches. This was Pollock's first century on the Kingsmead ground; he reached 100 in two hours, fifty minutes and 200 in five hours, seven minutes and altogether batted three minutes under seven hours, before he played a tame return to Stackpole. He hit one 5 and forty-three 4's. His concentration never wavered and he attacked continuously and with merciless efficiency.

The total exceeded by two runs the previous highest total made by South Africa in the 170 Tests played against Australia, England and New Zealand. England's 654 for five wickets in the Timeless Test on the same ground in 1938-39 is the only score for or against these countries to surpass the latest total. Another highlight of the match was Richards' maiden Test hundred in only his second Test. In an exhibition of technical perfection the 24-year-old Natal and Hampshire batsman scored 140 of the 229 runs on the board. He reached his hundred off 116 deliveries and his only false stroke in a three-hour innings was his last one. He had Pollock as a partner for the last hour and the spectators were treated to a superb display as the pair added 103 runs for the third wicket. Between them they scored 414 runs of South Africa's gigantic total. Pollock, with Lance as his partner, also established a new South African sixth-wicket Test record of 200.

The Australians, thoroughly demoralised and with victory out of the question, failed to match the 164 they scored in the first innings at Newlands. Lawry and Stackpole put on 44 in even time and survived some hair-raising moments. The dynamic Barlow was then given the ball and in ten deliveries, with Goddard at the other end, the total slumped to 48 for four wickets. Sheahan batted beautifully, but it was a lone battle as Pollock and Procter accounted for the tail and the touring team followed-on 465 runs behind.

In the second innings Walters, Redpath and Stackpole all reached the seventies and at times the visitors' prospects seemed quite encouraging. Both Lawry and Chappell had succumbed to the fatal touch and Sheahan's batting, during a short stay, bore no resemblance to his first innings effort. In the latter stages Bacher again called on Barlow, whose figures at that point read nought for 50; the all-rounder staged a repeat performance and captured three wickets in quick succession for only four runs. This put paid to Redpath's hopes of assistance and any thoughts of an Australian recovery. Redpath was the hero of the innings but was unable to find a reliable partner and the match ended with South Africa two up and a full day to spare.