Australia v South Africa
At Perth, February 3
15-Apr-2003
At Perth, February 3. Australia won by 33 runs. Australia 4 pts. Toss: South Africa.
The key number was 226. Once South Africa, already assured of a place in the final, had passed
it, a bonus point for Australia was impossible. They knew they had been prematurely dumped out
of their annual tournament, for only the third time in 23 years, and the WACA crowd began to
drift home. Put in, Australia made 283. It was a big total, but they needed a massive one to help
secure the bonus point required to reach the final. Lehmann made a memorable return, after ten
months on the sidelines, and Lee smashed 26 off five balls in one Donald over, but none of the
front-line batsmen reached fifty. Kallis batted in his mechanical but bison-shouldered style; his
century was not artistic, nor enough to claim a win, but it was sufficient to deny Australia's
ultimate objective, and to salve South African pride after their thrashing in the Tests.
Man of the Match: J. H. Kallis.