SYDNEY, Jan 7: Australia scored a face-saving win in the third and final Test against South Africa in a dramatic finish on Wednesday when paceman Mitchell Johnson bowled South African skipper Graeme Smith with 10 balls to spare at the SCG.

The courageous Smith, coming it at No 11 with a broken left hand and injured right elbow, and tailender Makhaya Ntini (28) held Australia up for 29 minutes and appeared likely to escape with an against the odds draw.

But Johnson — Australia’s best bowler all series — struck at 5.34pm to end Smith’s 17-ball resistance before being swamped by delirious and relieved team-mates.

Chasing an improbable 376 for victory, the Proteas were all out for 272.

The hosts won the match by 103 runs, with paceman Peter Siddle, who claimed match figures of 8-113, named Man-of-the-Match.

Smith, who amassed 326 runs at 65.2, was named Man-of-the-Series for his inspiring leadership that guided South Africa to their first series win in Australia.

Although the Proteas won the series 2-1 after winning in Perth and Melbourne, Australia’s victory meant that they retained their position at the top of the International Cricket Council’s official Test rankings.

In a dramatic final hour of an enthralling match, Ntini was dropped twice on 16 but held on to play the innings of his life.

Dale Steyn (28) and Ntini had earlier frustrated Australia’s push for victory with a ninth-wicket partnership of 50 before Andrew McDonald trapped Steyn lbw.

That opened the way for the courageous Smith to make his entry with 7.2 overs left. Hayden dropped Ntini off Doug Bollinger (2-53) in the next over as Australia’s chances of victory appeared to be evaporating.

But in a series containing plenty of unexpected turns, Johnson produced the final twist as the noisy last-day crowd of 9,075 went into raptures.

South Africa entered the final day needing a further 314 runs to pull off an improbable win — and a series clean sweep — having progressed to 62-1 at stumps on day four.

The first session did not go as planned for the tourists with Neil McKenzie (27) falling with the total only moving forward by six runs. Jacques Kallis then fell for just four and Hashim Amla went for 59.

A.B. de Villiers (56), J.P. Duminy (16) and Mark Boucher (four) fell after lunch and it appeared the home side was coasting to a comfortable victory.

De Villiers showed some resistance with a solid knock but was eventually bowled by Siddle, leaving his side on a precarious 193-7 at the tea interval.

But Steyn, Ntini and Smith had other ideas, ensuring a tremendous series finished on an appropriately dramatic note.

Scoreboard

AUSTRALIA (1st Innings) 445 (M.J. Clarke 138, M.G. Johnson 64).

SOUTH AFRICA (1st Innings) 327 (M.V. Boucher 89, H.M. Amla 51; P.M. Siddle 5-59).

AUSTRALIA (2nd Innings) 257-4 declared (S.M. Katich 61, R.T. Ponting 53).

SOUTH AFRICA (2nd Innings, overnight 62-1):

N.D. McKenzie c Hussey b Bollinger 27

M. Morkel c Johnson b Bollinger 0

H.M. Amla c Katich b Hauritz 59

J.H. Kallis c and b McDonald 4

A.B. de Villiers b Siddle 56

J.P. Duminy lbw b Johnson 16

M.V. Boucher lbw b Siddle 4

P.L. Harris lbw b Siddle 6

D.W. Steyn lbw b McDonald 28

M. Ntini not out 28

G.C. Smith b Johnson 3

EXTRAS (B-12, LB-18, W-4, NB-2, PR-5) 41

TOTAL (all out, 114.2 overs) 272

FALL OF WKTS: 1-2, 2-68, 3-91, 4-110, 5-166, 6-172, 7-190, 8-202, 9-257.

BOWLING: Siddle 27-12-54-3; Bollinger 21-5-53-2 (2nb, 1w); Johnson 23.2-7-49-2 (2w); McDonald 13-6-32-2; Hauritz 28-10-47-1; Clarke 2-1-2-0.

RESULT: Australia won by 103 runs. South Africa win series 2-1.

UMPIRES: B.F. Bowden (New Zealand) and E.A.R. de Silva (Sri Lanka).

TV UMPIRE: R.J. Tucker (Australia).

MATCH REFEREE: R.S. Madugalle (Sri Lanka).

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Peter Siddle.

MAN-OF-THE-SERIES: Graeme Smith.

FIRST TEST: Perth, South Africa won by six wickets.

SECOND TEST: Melbourne, South Africa won by nine wickets.—Agencies