Peter English

Australia suffocated under a massive total set up by Sanath Jayasuriya's century-making return from a shoulder injury as Sri Lanka won 51 runs

Australia suffocated under a massive total set up by Sanath Jayasuriya's century-making return from a shoulder injury as Sri Lanka won 51 runs

Brett Lee secured a career-best return and Phil Jaques enjoyed a record-breaking one-day entry as Australia easily accounted for South Africa

Cricket support in Australia has boomed over the past week

Jacques Kallis is in danger of missing the home one-day series against Australia next month following the return of a serious elbow injury

South Africa have finally taken the crucial step necessary to beat Australia, with Mark Boucher's unbeaten 63 setting up a five-wicket victory

Graeme Smith came to Australia with a young team and bright hopes. He finished the Test series with a 2-0 loss, but was boosted by a number of strong performances that should benefit South Africa when they face the same opponents in March

This will always be Ricky Ponting's series. He captained Australia to a 2-0 victory, marked his 100th Test with twin centuries and took two individual awards

Australia were buoyed by Graeme Smith's courageous and positive declaration, and when the sun came out and the pitch flattened they cantered to a 2-0 series victory

South Africa needed more from their deputy and their winning bubble may have burst. Kallis has managed to be a great batsman without being a thoughtful one

Russell Crowe was in the stands as Ricky Ponting accepted a huge ovation for his 27th Test century like an all-conquering gladiator

South Africa's batsmen blunted Australia before their bowlers hurt them on a day that drifted before a sting in the tail&

Peter English looks back on a year to forget for Australia

The ball swung for the second Test in a row and the play was riveting. Modern batsmen have grown accustomed to planting their front feet and breezing away at four an over, but significant movement in the air and off the pitch during this series has eased

Ricky Ponting is like a child soapie actor who grew up with the world watching. He has been a fixture of Australian summer lounge rooms for so long that his walk towards cricketing middle age has come as a surprise

A willing, competitive, but inexperienced South Africa start Monday's third and final match needing a win to equal their best result in the country

Graeme Smith has denied Australia's "over-appealing" led to his team's demise in the second Test and has vowed to increase their ruthlessness in Sydney next week.

Glenn McGrath is learning to cope as the attack's second string while sending reminders he's still a reliable force

South Africa shadowed their opponents for eight days before finally losing touch