Victory At Newlands - Third Test

The most beautiful sports ground in the world, with Table Mountain as the backdrop, gave us a full test match for the third and final for the Australian tour of South Africa - with an Aussie win, right to the wire.

We arrived at Newlands with the series even after the first two tests, and found that our Waving The Flag crew had the best seats in the house - in a little triangular patch of grass on the bottom tier of the stand. Perfect.

The Aussies won the toss, and set out on a cracking batting pace, to set a target in the first innings. This ran across into Day 2, our traditional Chick Pink Day, where many of us managed a photo in the middle of the pitch, with the SA Lion.

(This photo, and the last one, are from Colin's collection)

Rain, would you believe, ended Day 2, allowing for many Third Session drinks in the nearest pub - where we met Saffas dressed as Smurfs. Almost as weird as wearing pink to the cricket!

South Africa got to have a bat on Day 3, but did not last the day, with Johnson and Harris having great days at work, 4 and 3 wickets respectively.

Setting the South Africans a target of 511, the Aussies declared in their second innings, and set up the remainder of the test as a race the the win/draw.

The task of just 10 good balls to win always sounds easy, but this last day delivered on drama and tension, before the Australians claimed those last wickets to win the series.

A month in South Africa, with three cricket matches, and so much to see, our tour was topped by a visit out to the pitch after the crowds had left. Our group in the centre of Newlands, soaking it in. It was pretty amazing!