Australia levels series

[OMEN]

Symonds dispatches Roger Telemachus:
STUART Clark hit his highest score of 16 not out to guide Australia to a dramatic one-wicket win with five balls to spare in the fourth one-day international against South Africa in Durban.
Clark saw Australia home after the tourists slumped to 8-218 in the 44th over.

Andrew Symonds top-scored with 76 including nine fours and two sixes.

The deciding fifth match will be played in Johannesburg on Sunday followed by the first Test in Cape Town on Thursday.

After an opening stand of 87 between Simon Katich (46) and Adam Gilchrist (45), Australia lost 5-53.

Roger Telemachus (3-34) claimed Damien Martyn (1) and Ricky Ponting (7) in the 23rd over to make the score 4-101.

Michael Clarke (7) also did not last long but Symonds added 52 for the sixth wicket with Mike Hussey (19).

Following Hussey's run out, Symonds missed a wild slog attempt against Telemachus at 7-218 and Brett Lee was out next ball for six.

"What an amazing game of cricket," winning captain Ponting said after Clark's late-innings heroics.

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"South Africa really had us on the ropes."

Australia began the match well with Nathan Bracken (2-36) removing Graeme Smith (1) and Herschelle Gibbs (1) as the Proteas struggled to 2-9 in the sixth over.

AB De Villiers scored 38 and Jacques Kallis, making his comeback from an elbow injury, was caught in the deep for 21.

Mick Lewis (2-38) removed Mark Boucher for 19 and Justin Kemp also fell cheaply (1) in the 41st over.

Shaun Pollock ensured South Africa a solid total by smashing 53 not out to guide the Proteas to 9-246.

Pollock reached his 50 off 28 balls and outshone century-making opener Boeta Dippenaar (101) in a seventh-wicket stand of 82.

Pollock bowled five overs for 22 in Australia's innings before going off with a lower-back spasm while Dippenaar spent the second half of the match on a saline drip for dehydration.

Scoreboard

South Africa G. Smith c Gilchrist b Bracken 1
H. Dippenaar c Clarke b Lee 101
H. Gibbs c Gilchrist b Bracken 1
A. de Villiers lbw b Lewis 38
J. Kallis c Hussey b Symonds 21
M. Boucher c Gilchrist b Lewis 19
J. Kemp lbw b Clark 1
S. Pollock not out 53
R. Telemachus run out (Lee) 0
A. Hall run out (Gilchrist) 0
Extras (b1, lb3, w2, penalty runs 5) 11
Total (9 wkts, 50 overs) 246
Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-9, 3-81, 4-118, 5-170, 6-173, 7-245, 8-246, 9-246
Bowling: Lee 10-0-55-1, Bracken 10-2-36-2, Clark 10-1-49-1, Lewis 10-0-38-2, Symonds 6-0-31-1 (1w), Hussey 2-0-15-0, Clarke 2-0-13-0 (1w)
Did not bat: M Ntini. Super-sub (not used): R Peterson
Australia
A Gilchrist c De Villiers b Kallis 45
S Katich c Kallis b Hall 46
R Ponting c Boucher b Telemachus 7
D Martyn c Boucher b Telemachus 1
A Symonds b Telemachus 76
M Clarke c Boucher b Kallis 7
M Hussey run out (Hall) 19
B Lee c Boucher b Ntini 6
N Bracken b Hall 7
S Clark not out 16
M Lewis not out 4
Extras (bl, lb2, nb3, w7) 13
Total (9 wkts, 49.1 overs) 247
Falls: 1-87, 2-99, 3-100, 4-101, 5-140, 6-192, 7-218, 8-218, 9-241
Bowling: Pollock 5-1-22-0 (1nb), Ntini 10-1-50-1, Hall 9.1-1-52-2, Telemachus 10-1-34-3 (2nb), Kallis 9-0-46-2 (3w), Kemp 4-0-17-0, Smith 2-0-23-0 (4w).
Super-sub (not used): B Hogg
Man of the match: Boeta Dippenaar
Series 2-2
Remaining match: Johannesburg, Mar 12
Umpires: K Hurter (RSA), J Lloyds (ENG)
TV Umpire: B Jerling (RSA)
Match referee: C Broad (ENG)

AAP

[JayR]

What a good result, I got annoyed with what Smith said at the press conference. But what Ponting said was better, "He really said that, well we won the game if they thought we choked towards the end, I think they better look at their game"