Australia secured a consolation victory over South Africa in the third and final Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Wednesday, winning the match — which had a dramatic finale — by 103 runs.

An exciting final two hours of the match produced some of the most memorable scenes possible from a 'dead rubber', with tailenders Dale Steyn and Makhaya Ntini batting for 17 overs and then Graeme Smith, walking out to bat at number eleven with a broken hand, attempting to save the game for the Proteas.

Despite a valiant effort from South Africa on the final day, it proved a bridge too far as Smith was dismissed with 10 deliveries left in the day to hand Australia a 103-run victory.

Earlier in the day, South Africa resumed their second innings this morning with the score on 62/1, in pursuit of an unlikely victory target of 376.

Struggling opener Neil McKenzie (27) did not last long though, adding just two runs to his overnight score before presenting Michael Hussey with a routine catch in the gully.

The Proteas would have hoped that Jaques Kallis — in pursuit of his 10 000th Test run — would be able to play one of his trademark fourth-innings rescue acts, but it was not to be for the all-rounder this time.

A leading edge off the bowling of new all-rounder Andrew McDonald, with his score on four, popped up in the air and the bowler took a diving catch. Replays suggested, however, that the ball might have touched the ground before McDonald took the catch. But doubts aside, Kallis was on his way back to the pavilion and a massive blow was dealt to the South Africans' ambitions of saving this Test.

Matters got worse for the visitors when the in-form Hashim Amla (59) received a delivery from the otherwise toothless off-spinner Nathan Hauritz that bounced more than the batsman expected and presented a simple catch to Simon Katich at short leg.

Rising star JP Duminy joined AB de Villiers at the wicket with SA's score on 110 /4 and with more than 70 overs remaining in the day for the visitors to try and salvage a draw.

Duminy (16) and De Villiers added 56 in a partnership that last almost two hours to give the visitors hope of securing an unlikely draw once more, before a short Mitchell Johnson delivery kept low and trapped the young left-hander plumb in front.

First-innings hero Mark Boucher (four) was at the wrong end of another howler from umpire Asoka de Silva when he was adjudged lbw after a full-toss from Peter Siddle hit him on the pads. The ball would clearly have gone down the leg side.

Worse was to follow, however, with AB de Villiers (56) the next to go when he chopped on another testing Siddle delivery just before the tea break.

When Siddle got rid of Paul Harris (six) — trapped plumb lbw — shortly after the interval and with the score 207/8, the writing was pretty much on the wall for the plucky South Africans. But new ball bowlers Makhaya Ntini and Dale Steyn had other ideas, offering the Australians some late, stern resistance.

When Steyn (28) was eventually dismissed — yet another lbw decision off the bowling of McDonald — the Australians started celebrating a dramatic late Test victory, but their celebrations were blunted when South Africa's courageous captain Smith strode the wicket in obvious discomfort. Smith received a standing ovation from the appreciative Australian crowd en route to the crease.

Ntini presented the Australians with two opportunities to wrap up the match, but the obviously tired home team were unable to capitalise on their chances.

First, McDonald dropped a difficult return catch when Ntini drove at a full delivery straight back at the bowler.

The second chance went to underfire opener Matthew Hayden at second slip. Ntini got an outside edge and presented the usually reliable Australian with a simple catch to win the match. The disappointment on captain Ricky Ponting's face — standing next to him at second slip — was quite clear to see.

With two overs left in the day, Ponting called on his 'go-to-man' Johnson one more time in an attempt rescue his team one last time in the series. Johnson, who has bowled his heart out throughout, did not disappoint and a defiant Smith (three) was bowled by a brilliant delivery that crashed into the stumps to hand the elated Australians a late win.

Ntini ended with 28 not out, spending more time than normal at the crease in a bid to rescue his team in this exciting match.

All the Australian bowlers shared the load fairly evenly, with Peter Siddle — who took five wickets in the first innings — arguably the best of the bowlers with second-innings figures of 3/54.

Despite losing the final Test, the courageous spirit displayed by Smith, Ntini and co. during the final session, along with claiming the Test series 2-1, was consolation enough for a jubilant South African team.
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