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Summary Graeme Smith and Hashim Amla scored centuries in South Africas eight-wicket win against Australia.
Captain Graeme Smith and Hashim Amla blasted centuries to send South Africa racing to a crazy eight-wicket win over an embarrassed Australia in the first cricket Test on Friday.South Africa won inside two-and-a-half days at Newlands after trailing by a hefty 188 runs on the first innings, completing a staggering turnaround in an amazing match to lead the two-Test series.Smith made 101 not out the fourth time hes made a century in a successful fourth-innings run chase and Amla 112 as South Africa hurried to its victory target of 236 for just two wickets before lunch on day three.The pair shared a dominating 195-run partnership and Australias bowlers took just one wicket on day three in Cape Town.This, after Australia was skittled for 47 in a game-changing collapse in its second innings on Thursday, its lowest score since the 19th century.After that chaotic second day when 23 wickets fell and the game swung wildly in the space of four frantic hours in the afternoon, Smith and Amla restored sanity. The Proteas pair played fluently to take South Africa to an absurd victory.Its quite incredible. Yesterday was a bit of a mind boggle for all of us, Smith said. I think its probably a win I have to give to the bowlers, the way they fought back after a bad batting display and got us back in the game and being able to close it off was terrific.Hopefully the next match is less stressful than this one.Led by 151 from captain Michael Clarke, Australia made 284 batting first and blasted out South Africa for 96 for its 188-run lead, seizing complete control of the match.But Australia suddenly slumped to its worst batting score in tests since 1896 and its fourth lowest total ever to see its dominant position disintegrate.
