AUS VS RSA - 3rd Test, South Africa tour of Australia, 2022-23

That's all for this series. We'll continue to bring you all the action in the future as well. But for now, this is Saurabh Shankar, signing off on behalf of Raju Peethala and Vinod Kumar.

Australia's have dominated yet another home summer and how. They blew away the West Indies and have now outplayed South Africa. Six of their top seven average north of 50, and even in the bowling department they are spoilt for choice. Touring India is never going to be easy, but Pat Cummins and co. couldn't have asked for a better preparation. Bring it on!

This series was built up to be a competition amongst two heavyweights, amongst two of best pace attacks but in all fairness only the hosts turned up. South Africa made the game interesting when we got a spicy wicket at the Gabba, but as the pitches grew tame, so did their attitude. Barring Anrich Nortje, most of the South African bowlers would feel like they could have done better, as they let Australia run away with games. Their batting too has left a lot to be desired, and they'd hope to make amends when they play the West Indies at home, starting with their skipper. Fortunately, this rain induced draw keeps them in the hunt for the WTC final, albeit with a lot of permutations needing to happen, and they'd want to avenge this 2-0 series loss with a 2-0 win against the Windies.

Pat Cummins: (On today's performance) Tried different things, kept putting balls in good areas and hoped the luck would turn. We were up against it, we had 150 overs to take 20 wickets on a good surface. Nathan Lyon bowled brilliantly, over 60 overs without the rewards for it. Most pleasing is seeing everyone contribute, just like the Ashes. This game we didn’t have Mitch Starc, Boland and Cam Green, but happy with the way guys stepped up. Really happy with the way everyone is travelling. I thought Ash (Agar) bowled really well, our next big test is India in a few weeks. Feel good about that. Pretty happy with my performance, happy I could take wickets in different ways. Hopefully, we’ve got 10 big Test matches with India, the Ashes and hopefully the WTC Final. Exciting time ahead.

Dean Elgar: Touring Australia is never easy. The message to the group yesterday was to fight it out on day five. If you think about it, only 3-4 guys have played here before, so a lot of learnings. It is a tough place to tour, maybe the toughest in the world. Test cricket teaches you resilience. When things aren’t on your side, you still have to wake up and try again. That’s why they call it a Test, it tests every facet of your personality. (On his poor form) Something I’ll reflect on. I’m the captain but I’m also the run scorer, that hasn’t worked out this series. But I know I’ll be back. I have the fight to get better from here, no doubt.

David Warner | Player of the Series: (On his MCG double) I spoke about that in Melbourne. Salute to the team, everyone performed well and did their part. Credit to the bowlers as well. (On Anrich Nortje's pace) Credit to Anrich, definitely the last time I have to face him, that’s great. It was tough down there but our boys gave me all the support. (On today's performance)We tried our best but the South Africans held on with their tail end, they have always been difficult to knock over and we didn’t get there but we’ll take the draw anyway. Massive away tour now with WTC on the line. If results go our way and we win a couple of games, that’ll put us in good stead to get to the final.

Usman Khawaja | Player of the Match: (On in this his best cricket he's played)Yes and no, I really enjoyed my cricket. It is a very mental game. Patience is key, it spins big here but if you wait enough, you will get runs. I would have loved to get a double ton to my name, but this is what cricket is about. You play for milestones but you also need to do the best for the team. Any kids watching out there, this is what we wanted to show. This is the way we play cricket in Australia. This is the first time I have beaten a South African team at home. Both teams played well, we had some tough times last series, both on and off the field. But loved the way both teams performed throughout this series.

Steve Smith: We tried a lot out there, I think there were 4 umpire's calls that didn't quite go our way and a couple of half-chances this morning, if we take those things might have been different maybe potentially, but we worked hard all day. I can understand the one (catch) the other day the one that I scooped up with the one hand I think that might have potentially touched the ground, but today's one I was pretty certain that I caught today's one. Deemed the other way, so that happens as well, can't do much about it. It's the umpire's call. I feel really good, got plans in place and feel in good form. Hopefully I can keep that up come India and got a few games of Big Bash now and I'm gonna have fun out there and rejoice in my time with the Sixers. Hopefully, some quality Test match cricket in India. For me it's about working out what I need to do in the middle and playing what's in front of me. Not going with any preconceived ideas saying what I need to do and then playing accordingly. Hopefully I can do that in India as well. It's been a nice Test summer, boys have played really well. I'm sure we will have a bit of a drink in the dressing room with the guys and cap what I guess has been a good summer. Looking forward to the next couple of weeks as well. It's tough to say (whether this has been the best Test team he's been part of for Australia), we are in a very good place and I don't want to say anyone is better than anyone else, it's not fair. It is a really good team, we have a nice balance and everyone is contributing and long may it continue.

Josh Hazlewood: 14 wickets was a hard ask (on day 5). If we didn't lose a day to rain, who knows what might have been. We bowled fairly well the last couple of days. Stump-to-stump bowling, reverse swing and the new ball may swing and then the role of spinners (in India). Playing one Test at a time is a bit frustrating, you probably feel the best when you play the second or third Test in a row, you get those miles in the legs and everything feels a bit better. One off Test matches are quite difficult on the body. Probably doing a bit more hardwork (managing the workload) while you are playing and a bit of gym work or whatever you are doing just to tick that box and get that strength in. Might harm you in the short run, but it benefits in the long run.

This Test match had the slowest surface on offer, and Australia scored big in the first innings. Labuschagne got a fifty, Steve Smith got what felt like a customary hundred while Usman Khawaja notched up his highest Test score, but was left stranded at 195*. This game however will be remembered for the non-stop rain that ate away more than two days of play. If not, South Africa could have lost this series 3-0. Let's hear what the guys have to say about that in the presentations...

17:32 Local Time, 06:32 GMT, 12:02 IST: Right, so this final Test meandered more towards a dull draw than a nervy finish. It started off with Keshav Maharaj taking on the Aussie attack. Anything short and he pulled effortlessly, as he picked up a valuable fifty to frustrate the hosts in the first session. Simon Harmer quietly went about his innings as well. Post Lunch, Australia made inroads as Hazlewood claimed both the Protean spinners, and Rabada chipped one back to Lyon. South Africa ended just 21 runs short of the follow-on score, and were asked to bat again with 45 overs to spare. In the second innings, Elgars problems against short pitched bowling continued, and once again he nicked one to the keeper down the leg side. His partner Sarel Erwee showed more poise in this second innings, and Klaasen come to the fore as well. Nathan Lyon was terribly unlucky as umpire's call denied him an LBW shout thrice in this game. Klaasen's luck eventually ran out, as Hazlewood got one to stay low and swing in to strike timber. That wicket however came too late in the day, as SA had done more than enough to save the day. A few entertaining overs from Marnus Labuschagne followed, while Ashton Agar got some practice for the upcoming India series, but with six overs to spare, Pat Cummins finally decided to call it a day.

Labuschagne to Sarel Erwee, no ball, big leggie once again. Erwee gets closer and defends off his backfoot. Another no ball from Labuschagne and that's where Pat Cummins draws the line. Shakes hands with Bavuma and accepts the draw. Australia win the series 2-0

Labuschagne to Sarel Erwee, no run, flighted leggie outside off, Erwee shows it his pad

Labuschagne to Sarel Erwee, no run, full on off, Erwee blocks behind square

Labuschagne to Sarel Erwee, no ball, 2 runs, full toss on off. Erwee whacks it over mid-wicket. Dosen't have the power to get to the boundary unfortunately. Labuschagne has overstepped

Labuschagne to Sarel Erwee, no run, big leg spinner from outside off, Erwee defends it

Labuschagne to Bavuma, 1 run, short and wide, cut square of the wicket

Labuschagne to Bavuma, no run, flighted onto middle, Bavuma plays the forward defence

Siddharth: Want to place 50 bucks on Smith taking the gloves when Carey bowls

50 bucks on Alex Carey to take off his pads and bowl one of these remaining overs. Who wants a bet?

Agar to Sarel Erwee, no run, short outside off, ignored