King Klusener does it again

If there were those who still harboured a grudge against Lance Klusener for "that" World Cup semifinal run-out, they have surely forgiven him after his match-winning heroics in the third limited-overs international against Australia at the Wanderers on Sunday.

The KwaZulu-Natal all-rounder, in combination with his recently-appointed vice captain, Mark Boucher, overcame a middle-order collapse and, in scenes reminiscent of that fateful day at Edgbaston in Birmingham last year, this time kept his composure to help steer South Africa to 209-6 in reply to Australia's 205 all out.

As chants of "Zulu, Zulu" rang around the jam-packed stadium, Klusener and wicketkeeper Boucher both scored superb half-centuries to take advantage of the fine work by local hero Andrew Hall and Jacques Kallis up the order.

South African captain Shaun Pollock decided to bowl first under leaden skies and on a nippy morning, and he appeared to have been vindicated as the Australians slumped to 114-6 in the face of some hostile pace bowling, the skipper leading the way in his 100th match with an opening spell on 2-14 in six overs.

Combining

Australian captain Steve Waugh, so often a thorn in the side of South Africa, once again showed his class in the face of adversity, combining with Ian Harvey for 34 runs for the seventh wicket. As well as he played, however, Waugh, like his team-mates, found Makhaya Ntini difficult to handle.

The Border paceman had a superb series, capped by yet another impressive performance on Sunday when he finished with 0-30 in 10 overs in which he could have had at least a couple of wickets.

Both Steve Waugh, who went on to top score with 51 for his 40th limited-overs half century, and Michael Bevan were dropped off Ntini's bowling, the former by Boucher when he had two and the latter by Jacques Kallis at second slip when he had 14.

Harvey and Shane Warne, who was booed all the way to the crease, then added 52 runs for the eighth wicket as the Australians, to their credit, maintained a run rate of around four to the over despite the loss of those early wickets.

The fiery Brett Lee and Mr Dependable, Glenn McGrath, ensured Australia's score would be defendable with superb spells with the new ball as South Africa were reduced to 19-2.

Hall, however, in only his second match in South African colours, continued where he left off for Gauteng in the domestic competition with a sparkling innings peppered with memorable strokes.

Kallis, batting at No 4, had also been circumspect early on, but he cut loose when Warne was introduced to the attack, smashing the Australian leg-spinner for three consecutive fours through long off in an opening over that cost 13 runs.

From a position of comfort at 91-2 South Africa then lost three wickets on that total (including that of Hall) as Brett Lee returned to dismiss both Kallis, for 30, and Nicky Boje, for a duck, in the space of four deliveries.

It was left to man of the match and man of the series Klusener, and Boucher, with his third and surely most valuable, to steer South Africa home.