Aggressive batting key to big run chases: Waugh

Steve Waugh said aggressive batting had been the reason Australia and South Africa had reeled off two of the highest successful run chases in Test cricket in the last seven days.

South Africa made 5-340 to win the third Test in Durban today after Australia had won the series in Cape Town by reaching 6-334.

They rank as the eighth and 10th highest final innings victories in Tests, surging into territory considered almost unreachable by most teams a decade ago.

Australia and South Africa had comfortable wickets to bat on in fine weather but Waugh said positive batting was the most important element.

"We have led the way in run chases and been very positive and you have to be that way if you are going to chase a big score," Waugh said.

"The pitches were flat, the outfields fast and the grounds small and they were also contributing factors."

Australia won the series 2-1, and completed a 5-1 aggregate win over South Africa in Tests this summer, despite the record-breaking loss.

It was the highest winning score made against Australia in the final innings, sparked by Herschelle Gibbs' 104, Jacques Kallis' 61 not out and a solid 48 from rookie left-hander Ashwell Prince.

The 24-year-old was playing in his first Test series and endured a miserable debut when Australia won the first match at the Wanderers by an innings and 360 runs.

Fellow rookies Graeme Smith and Andrew Hall also had bright moments but Waugh said their real standing as Test players could not be determined from this series.

"It's hard to judge players on one or two Tests because it's a bit of a honeymoon period where we hadn't seen them and we're unsure how to deal with them," Waugh said.

"You can judge a player after six to 12 months, not after one or two Tests.

"They showed some mental toughness and the signs are positive. They all played pretty well to come into a situation where the side had been beaten badly in the first Test and to perform in the next two Tests."

The teams move into their seven-match one-day series starting with a day game in Johannesburg on Friday.