South Africa 303 & 258 Australia 270 & 294-8 (Australia win by two wickets): Lee and Kasprowicz guide Australia home

A hundred demons were slain here yesterday as the Australian tailenders took their side to victory. As Brett Lee and Michael Kasprowicz set about collecting the 17 runs needed on the final day of the third Test to complete a 3-0 series win their thoughts must have turned to their epic defeat at Edgbaston during last summer's Ashes. Then the same pair took their team to within two runs of the target only for calamity to befall them.

Yesterday the two found the luck and nerve needed. Lee showed no emotion until the leap for joy that welcomed the winning runs. He had not known that Justin Langer, against medical advice after being knocked out in the first innings, had put on his pads with a few runs wanted.

South Africa started well, securing a breakthrough that seemed to turn the match in their favour when Shaun Pollock brought an end to Damien Martyn. Two legcutters took the edge only to land a yard in front of a frustrated cordon. His last delivery was the killer, an off-cutter that darted back into the pads.

With 17 needed Ntini hurled down a lifter and Stuart Clark sent a dolly to mid-on. His dismissal brought together Lee and Kasprowicz, who took their side across the line.

* Twenty wickets fell on the second day of the second Test between Sri Lanka and Pakistan in Colombo. The hosts finished the day on 73 for 8 in their second innings for a lead of 182. Mohammad Asif took his first 10-wicket haul for the tourists.