A record third wicket partnership between Martin van Jaarsveld and Ashwell Prince was not enough to keep South Africa `A' in the seven match series against Australia `A'. Going into the fourth match at the Wanderers without a win, the South Africans came within nine runs of the Australian total.

Winning the toss on a clear but cold morning Neil McKenzie, against expectation, put the Australians in to bat on a hard batting paradise.

An opening partnership of 78 runs between Justin Langer and Ryan Campbell looked to prove McKenzie wrong, but three further wickets falling between 112 and 125 vindicated the South African captain.

Langer and Hussey restored some order to the innings with an 80 run partnership before Prince ran Langer out for an excellent 90. Langer deserving a hundred was unlucky to pick out the best fielder in the South African team.

Hussey, surviving a difficult chance by Thami Tsolekile when still in single figures, ended on 61 while Brad Hogg added 38. A six, from Ian Harvey, off the last ball of the innings took Australia `A' to 268/7.

For the South Africans, Andre Nel captured four wickets, but it was again Robin Peterson who put all the batsmen under pressure, taking the wicket of Hogg he ended giving away 40 runs, 16 of them in his eighth and last over.

Once again the South African innings started in disaster.

Peterson out early, was followed by Jacques Rudolph to leave the South Africans on 31/2.

Then followed the 151 run record third wicket partnership between Martin van Jaarsveld and Ashwell Prince, breaking the previous record of 141 between McKenzie and Dale Benkenstein against Sri Lanka `A'.

By the time Prince was caught on the fence off Clark for 75 the two batsmen had set the South Africans up for the win, needing 87 off the last 15 overs.

Cramps resulted in Van Jaarsveld calling for a runner while McKenzie struggled to 13 off 27 balls before being bowled.

Man of the match, Van Jaarsveld limped to his hundred, the first by any player in the series, before holing out to the bowling of Clark on the cover boundary. An excellent 108 that brought South Africa to the brink of victory and maybe make the selectors take note.

Harvey had been doing a sterling job in keeping the run rate down. Bowling full and mixing up his pace he showed all his experience of bowling at the death. A willing partner in Williams saw the South Africans struggling with overs running out.

Andrew Hall, Justin Kemp and Steve Elworthy tried in vain at the end, all falling to the full pace of Williams who ended with 4/42.

Needing 12 off the last over proved to be too much and South Africa ended the on 259/8 with Australia wining by nine runs and taking the series with three matches to go.

© CricInfo LTD