Revisiting a classic Test between Australia and South Africa from 23 years ago today, in which the 'junior' Waugh played arguably the knock of his career
When Mark Waugh silenced his critics with a Test match epic
Australia's Test team has made a habit of losing the close ones in the past 30 years but there is one country in which the opposite has been true: South Africa.
Since 1990, the men in Baggy Green have played eight matches that have been decided by one or two wickets. They've lost five (including four one-wicket defeats), and tasted victory in three, with gripping two-wicket wins coming in Johannesburg (twice) and Port Elizabeth.
Top 10 Test batting rankings, March 1, 1997: 1. SR Waugh (Aus), 2. BC Lara (WI), 3. ME Waugh (Aus), 4. AJ Stewart (Eng), 5. SR Tendulkar (Ind), 6. MA Atherton (Eng), 7. DJ Cullinan (SA), 8. Inzamam-ul-Haq (Pak), 9. Saeed Anwar (Pak), 10. HP Tillekeratne (SL)
The rivalry
Australia and South Africa's rivalry was officially put on ice through the Apartheid period and upon the Proteas' readmission, the two sides played out a pair of three-match home-and-away series that finished one-all in the summer of 1993-94.
Those series marked the last time former teammates turned opposing skippers Allan Border and Kepler Wessels would helm their respective sides; by the time Australia arrived in South Africa for a three-Test series in March 1997, Mark Taylor and Hansie Cronje were in charge.
At that point, Australia were the ICC's top-ranked Test nation, with South Africa sitting in second spot. Two years earlier, Taylor's Aussies had fought out an unofficial 'Test championship' in the Caribbean, and come away with a 2-1 triumph.
Now in South Africa, they were tasked with the same challenge.
The match
Australia had won the series opener in Johannesburg by an innings, and when Taylor won the toss and bowled first on a green top, it was Jason Gillespie who put the tourists in a strong position with his maiden five-wicket haul in Tests. From 7-95, they rallied to post 209, a total that suddenly looked formidable when Australia were rolled for just 108 in reply.
South Africa XI: Gary Kirsten, Adam Bacher, Jacques Kallis, Daryll Cullinan, Hansie Cronje (c), Herschelle Gibbs, Brian McMillan, Shaun Pollock, Dave Richardson, Allan Donald, Paul Adams
Australia XI: Matthew Hayden, Mark Taylor (c), Matthew Elliott, Mark Waugh, Steve Waugh, Greg Blewett, Michael Bevan, Ian Healy, Shane Warne, Jason Gillespie, Glenn McGrath
When the South Africans made their way to 0-87 in their second innings – and a lead of 188 with 10 wickets still in hand – there appeared to be only one winner, however another dramatic collapse left Australia needing 270 to win on the wearing Port Elizabeth surface. Still, it was a difficult ask; in more than a century of Test cricket, they had only chased down more on eight occasions.
The innings
Australia were in early trouble at 2-30 when the reassuring presence of Mark Waugh arrived at the crease. At stumps on day four, he was unbeaten on 54, with Steve Waugh 11 and Australia, at 3-145, more than halfway to a stirring win. But the loss of Steve – then the world's top-ranked batsman – early the following morning turned the tide, and it was left to Mark to take charge. Across 228 deliveries and almost six hours, Waugh stood tall in what he later described as his finest innings. Critics had suggested this type of hand was reserved for his brother, with the questioning of Mark's mental toughness a bothersome theme for him throughout his career, though Steve later wrote the knock had "changed plenty of perceptions – such as that he was always 'casual under pressure' – by the manner in which it was constructed".
<Image Id: D921E69E46694D4F9617F6FB420E488B Image Caption: Waugh cuts on the way to his 11th Test hundred // GettyThe finale
Waugh's brilliant 116 took Australia to within 12 runs of victory but a nervy climax ensued, with the tourists losing 3-7 before wicketkeeper Ian Healy lofted a six over long-on to seal an unforgettable win, and deliver Taylor's team a first series win in South Africa since 1970.
Top 10 Test bowling rankings, March 1, 1997: 1. CEL Ambrose (WI), 2. GD McGrath (Aus), 3. AA Donald (SA), 4. Mushtaq Ahmed (Pak), 5. SK Warne (Aus), 6. Wasim Akram (Pak), 7. HH Streak (Zim), 8. CA Walsh (WI), 9. IR Bishop (WI), 10. Waqar Younis (Pak)
The scorecard
South Africa 209 (McMillan 55; Gillespie 5-54) & 168 (Bacher 49; Bevan 3-18) lost to Australia 108 (Elliott 23; Pollock 2-6) and 8-271 (Waugh 116, Elliott 44; Kallis 3-29) by two wickets
Image Id: 4B5918AAEBE647ED948531D1D1C21ECF Image Caption: Healy celebrates with Gillespie after hitting the winning runs // GettyThe wash-up
"It's undoubtedly the biggest Test win I've played in by an absolute mile," said Taylor post-match. "To climb off the canvas like we did was very special. There is no better Australian side I have played in than this one; I think we're a better side than we were in 1995."
By the end of the series, Waugh had risen to No.2 in the ICC's Test batting rankings – behind only his brother – while four years later, when Wisden released its 'Top 100 Test Innings', Waugh's epic knock came in at No.22.