Replay a classic Australia v South Africa Test finish

You voted and we delivered!

Now cricket fans can enjoy a full replay of the final day of the 2009 SCG Test between Australia and South Africa on our Facebook and YouTube platforms.

It comes after a fan vote last week, where 46 per cent of people picked the finish to this Test as the one to re-live in full.

How to watch

Day five is now available on the will be cricket.com.au Facebook and YouTube pages. It will remain there indefinitely and is available for a global audience.

Setting the scene

Australia 445 (Clarke 138, Johnson 64) & 4-257 dec (Katich 61) lead South Africa 327 (Boucher 89, Siddle 5-59) and 1-62 by 313 runs with one day to play

Australia: Matthew Hayden, Simon Katich, Ricky Ponting (c), Mike Hussey, Michael Clarke, Andrew McDonald, Brad Haddin (wk), Mitchell Johnson, Nathan Hauritz, Peter Siddle, Doug Bollinger

South Africa: Graeme Smith (c), Neil McKenzie, Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Mark Boucher (wk), Morne Morkel, Paul Harris, Dale Steyn, Makhaya Ntini

A generous declaration from Australia late on day four has set up a thrilling conclusion to the 2009 Sydney Test, where the world No.1 ranking and an unwanted piece of history for skipper Ricky Ponting will go on the line.

While South Africa have already secured a landmark series win thanks to come-from-behind victories in Perth and Melbourne, to call this match a dead rubber would be disingenuous. Another victory for the Proteas would see them take the No.1 Test ranking for the very first time and also hand the Australians a first ever 0-3 defeat at home, a record Ponting will certainly look to avoid.

The Australian skipper has ensured all results are possible on the final day after he declared his side’s second innings at 4-257, setting the Proteas – who produced a record chase of 414 at the WACA Ground three weeks earlier – 376 runs to win.

And after the tourists moved to 1-62 at stumps on day four, leaving them 314 runs to get on the final day, another engrossing run chase looms.

But the tourists will have to make do without their skipper Graeme Smith, who has been ruled out for six weeks due to a broken left hand.

On day three, Smith became a victim of the cracking SCG pitch – which will surely play a major role in the fourth innings – when a ball from Mitchell Johnson reared up and struck him on the gloves, forcing him to retire hurt.

Smith, who has a heavy cast on his left arm, was replaced at the top of the order by the unlikely figure of Morne Morkel, who was dismissed for a second-ball duck at the start of South Africa’s run chase.

"If we need 10 to win I'm pretty sure Graeme will go in there, but it all depends on the situation," spinner Paul Harris said of Smith’s chances of playing any further part in the match.

A fighting 138 from Michael Clarke and some late-order resistance had earlier helped Australia to a strong first-innings total of 445, and the hosts grabbed a 118-run lead when Johnson (2-69) and Peter Siddle (5-59) restricted South Africa to 327 in reply.

The Australians made steady progress in their second innings before Ponting’s declaration after tea on the fourth day, with veteran opener Matthew Hayden posting 39 – his highest score in nine innings this summer – as speculation mounts that this could be his final Test.