SA beat AUS by 492 runs | South Africa vs Australia, Highlights And Cricket Score 4th Test Match

That's curtains for this Australia's tour of South Africa. Like the earlier game in the southern hemisphere (NZ v ENG), this one didn't get prolonged by a stiff blockathon. Nonetheless, take nothing away from the Proteas. They have just been clinical, as this win is the fourth-biggest Test win by runs. We would love to thank you all, readers, for turning up and keeping up company. Hope we delivered to your liking. See you soon! Till the next time, take care, aficionados! Ta ta, adios!

With that, the entire South African team comes on the dais. They pose with the trophy and have a smile on their faces. Deservingly, Morne Morkel poses with that as well. Some of the players' families are also in the middle. AB de Villiers is seen posing with his wife and his kid, while Faf du Plessis has his little one and his better half for company.

Faf du Plessis, the winning Protea skipper, starts praising Morne Morkel. Says that he is one of the nicest guy in the sport apart from being a funny one in the dressing room. Adds that they will miss him. States that this has been a remarkable series. Lauds his bowlers' efforts for picking up 80 wickets. Reckons that it is not always that you beat Australia and hence they have really played well, making him as well as the country proud. Mentions that the Aussies have a good record in this part of the world and they started well. But the hosts came back well and that has been a good thing. Iterates that the seniors got together and thought that they have to come good and they did. Has a few words of consolation for the opposition saying that although they were beaten by his team, they are a good, competitive side. Opines that they wanted to push Australia to the hilt and hence, batted longer even last evening. Ends stating that he is hopeful of playing golf with some of them later.

Morne Morkel is called up for a chat as well, as this is his last international game. He gets a memento, a golden boot. Shaun Pollock asks him about his injury and coming back from it in this game. The retiring bowler states that he wanted to end his career on the field and not off it. He credits Philander for hastening the end. Thanks his family and fans for their continued support. Talks about this being a comfortable team culture and environment, something that he would miss not being a part of. Ends thanking the officials and the stakeholders for their backing as well.

Kagiso Rabada is the Player of the Series for his 23 wickets. Says that it has been a long tiring summer and that's visible on his face as well. He adds that he looks forward for some rest and getting his energy back. States that Australia is a great sporting nation and feels proud to have come back after being 1-0 down against them earlier. Credits Ottis Gibson, whose bowling tips have helped him improve. Mentions that the game always humbles you and the learning never stops. Opines that this has been a fitting finale for Morne Morkel in his last game.

Vernon Philander is the Man of the Match. He says that they way he started this morning is a good way to end the game. Jokes about asking his captain why he didn't get to bowl earlier from where he took wickets then. Says that they would miss Morkel especially his jokes in the dressing room as well as his leadership. Wishes the best for the Giraffe's future endeavors.

Presentation time! Tim Paine, the Australian captain, is first up. He says that it has been a challenging week and yet they put in their efforts. Agrees that there won't be too many series wins without batsmen hitting tons. Adds that the loss of losing guys like David Warner, Steven Smith and Cameron Bancroft also had a part to play in this game. States that irrespective of their own shortcomings, the fact is that South Africa played well. Mentions about taking some time off and then focusing on the upcoming series.

Australia lost their top three pretty cheaply again, with Joe Burns being the only fluent batter for them then. With seven wickets in hand and a final day to be seen off, the game entered Day 5. What then followed pretty much summed up their tour. Vernon Philander struck off his first ball of the day to send Shaun Marsh back and from then, everything was a procession. Philander ended up picking his 13th fifer in Tests, thereby registering his best figures in an innings in Test matches. Although even Morne Morkel was given a chance to cap off his final game, he couldn't add more than two to his tally then.

The captain delayed the declaration by batting for long period, notching up his 8th Test ton in the process. Perhaps he, and his side, were prepared to wait even for the southpaw opener's ton but he fell short. Then the declaration eventually came at Tea on Day 4. At that stage, Pat Cummins had four wickets to his name, which meant that he ended up with his best bowling figures in Tests - 9-141. With a target of 612 in front, a good start would have gone some way in building up confidence for the touring side. That wasn't meant to be...

Unsurprisingly, the Proteas didn't enforce the follow-on, as they had spent a considerable amount of time on the field. They decided to make the visiting team toil hard and spend longer time in the middle. Dean Elgar, a man associated with gritty yet not-so-good-to-the-eye knocks in recent times, was amidst of it again. He ground his way laboriously past a half century. His 170-run alliance with his skipper Faf du Plessis tired Australia out, apart from making the game a bit one dimensional.

In reply, Australia steadily kept losing wickets, before a rearguard partnership between Tim Paine and Pat Cummins gave some respectability to the total. Usman Khawaja also passed fifty, apart from the above duo, but it wasn't enough to avoid the follow on. Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada and Keshav Maharaj shared the spoils for them by picking three wickets apiece. Farewell man Morne Morkel had one to his name, too. This meant that the tourists ended 267 runs behind the hosts after both of them had batted once.

After all that happened off the field in the past week, the Australians seemed to be mentally drained, although they came in this game with a new skipper and some changes. Their mental as well as the physical ability was severely tested after the South Africans posted a big total. Aiden Markram was the pillar of that as he struck a sublime 152, with some able support from the likes of AB de Villiers, Temba Bavuma and Keshav Maharaj. Pat Cummins continued his jolly affair with the venue as he picked up a fifer then, with Nathan Lyon also having three against his name.

Morne Morkel talks to Mike Haysman. He begins saying that it has been a great journey and feels good to finish on a high. States that he didn't think of finishing on a high and hence feels surreal to end up where he has. He talks about not wanting to be bogged down by the injury and sit in the dressing room without bowling. He reckons that he will miss the team environment like the Proteas' but talks about moving forward and playing more cricket.

Dean Elgar is caught up quickly after the win. He says that that it feels good to win in such a way against such a side. About his catch, he says that it just happened and then had to run in to pad up and bat. Talks about feeling nice to contribute for the side and end on the winning side. States that AB de Villiers strengthens their batting line up and is a very competent cricketer.

Wow! What a quick end this has been! Since one wouldn't have ruled out an early finish, this doesn't come across as a surprise. This is the first time that South Africa have beaten Australia at home after their readmission in Test cricket. Also, this is Australia's second-worst loss in terms of runs and fourth-worst in Test cricket.

Morne Morkel to Nathan Lyon. OUT! This is what happens when the last pair is out there. Often there's always a run out around the corner. Lyon punches this one through covers and thinks there's two there. Ambles across for the second run. Du Plessis chases it down from covers returns a good flat throw to de Kock, who collects it and whips off the bails. Doesn't seem too confident even as the appeal is made and taken upstairs. The first replay confirms doom as Nathan is just short of his crease. Joy begins for South Africa AS THEY WIN BY 492 RUNS.

Morne Morkel to Nathan Lyon. On a length outside off, punched straight to cover-point.

Morne Morkel to Nathan Lyon. Wonderful yorker on middle, Lyon digs it out nicely.

Morne Morkel to Nathan Lyon. Outside off, driven nicely through covers for a couple.

Keshav Maharaj to Josh Hazlewood. JUST SHORT! This delivery turns in and goes off the outside edge of Hazlewood's bat and lands before the man at second slip. He survives another over, a maiden.

Keshav Maharaj to Josh Hazlewood. Defended off the front foot by the batsman presenting the full face of the bat.

Keshav Maharaj to Josh Hazlewood. Again. This ball spins in and misses skimming the inside edge of Hazlewood's blade.

Keshav Maharaj to Josh Hazlewood. Lovely flight outside off, Josh lunges in defense but the ball spins in and beats him on the inside.

Keshav Maharaj to Josh Hazlewood. This one is bunted off the back foot.

Keshav Maharaj to Josh Hazlewood. Nicely tossed up outside off, Hazlewood looks to drive against the spin but misses.

Vernon Philander to Josh Hazlewood. Slanting in on a length, Hazlewood works it away through square leg for a single. The Aussies are barely managing to delay the inevitable. Just for academic purposes, they are still 496 runs away.

Vernon Philander to Josh Hazlewood. Fuller on off, stonewalled off the front foot.

Vernon Philander to Josh Hazlewood. Hazlewood moves away as he looks to make room and play this. Tamely pushes the bat at it but finds the ball missing the edge.