I wonder just how many South African selectors had egg on their faces as they watched Paul Adams take his 100th Test wicket against Australia. One bad tour to Sri Lanka and Adams was history. All his detractors came out in force. Well, those self-same detractors should have spent more time looking at his strike rate: 67 balls per wicket, which is close enough to Shane Warne's (63).

Adams and Makhaya Ntini bowled really well today, and proved that forced quota systems are not necessary, just wise selections. But it almost certainly won't be enough. I have a theory that a lead of 90 or more in Test cricket is usually enough to ensure a win. There are always exceptions but during my tenure as coach it seemed usually to be the case.

At 185 for 6 there seemed to be a chance that, for the first time in these back-to-back series, the South African side might be able to put Australia under pressure.

Ntini had plugged away manfully, and his extreme fitness levels make him a force to be reckoned with. He has tremendous upper-body strength and hits the pitch hard, although I would like to see a bit more lateral movement and a change of pace.

He and Adams kept South Africa in with a chance, until the ultimate destroyer came to the wicket and single-handedly took the game away from South Africa. While Glenn McGrath was at the crease, Adam Gilchrist scored 20 off an over from Adams (who deserved better) with the sort of ease a professional cricketer has at a village benefit game.

Watching Gilchrist in full flow really is heady stuff. Chuck in the catches that he took in South Africa's first innings, and somebody will have to do something very special if he is not to be the Man of the Match again.

Bob Woolmer, South Africa's coach from 1994 to 1999, will be writing the Wisden Verdict throughout the series.

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