Steve Waugh said he hoped his battered Australian cap would still be worn again following his team's five-wicket defeat in the third and final Test against South Africa at Kingsmead in Durban today. Australia, the holders of ICC's official Test Championship, had won the previous five Tests against the second-ranked South Africans. "We're disappointed to lose the final match, but if someone had said four or five months ago, take 5-1, we'd have been pretty happy with that. South Africa played well and they have some good young players, but we played very good cricket for most of the summer."

Waugh deflected speculation about the futures of himself and twin brother Mark, who were both dropped from the Australian one-day side that will play seven one day internationals against South Africa in the next three weeks. Australia are scheduled to start a two-Test series in Zimbabwe on April 25, and Waugh admitted he was not certain whether he and Mark would be back in Africa following moderate performances at home and away against South Africa. "I was pleased with the way I batted in the second innings and Mark played pretty well in both innings. We're trying our best, the rest is up to the selectors."

Waugh wished new one-day captain Ricky Ponting good luck. He said he would enjoy spending time with his family, but added: "I'd rather be playing the one-dayers. It'll be nice to have a break, but hopefully I will be back for Zimbabwe."

The Test side for Zimbabwe is expected to be announced later this week. Mark Boucher, South Africa's acting captain, who clinched the win when he struck Mark Waugh's offbreak over midwicket for six, said he was proud of the way his team had come back. "We've been through some tough times," he said.

Boucher revealed that he received a good-luck call from former president Nelson Mandela before play resumed on the fourth day, with South Africa requiring 71 runs with six wickets standing. "I was a bit astounded to get the call," said Boucher. "He wished us well and told us to keep our spirits high."

Jacques Kallis and Ashwell Prince were mainly responsible for taking South Africa to the highest winning fourth-innings total in their history, and the highest by any country against Australia. Kallis and Prince took their side to within four runs of victory in a fifth-wicket stand of 99. South Africa had been set to make 335 and the scores were level when Boucher made his winning hit.

Kallis made 61 not out and Prince hit 48 before he edged Shane Warne to Mark Waugh at slip. It was Warne's 450th Test wicket, and a record 173rd - and perhaps final - catch for Waugh.

Australia had already won the series, retaining their Test World Championship, by winning the first two matches at Johannesburg and Cape Town. They also won all three matches when the sides clashed in Australia earlier in the season.

South Africa played this series without their injured captain Shaun Pollock, and lost their star fast bowler, Allan Donald, who retired after breaking down in the first Test. They were already without two other fast bowlers in Mfuneko Ngam and Nantie Hayward because of injury. And they went into the second Test without Daryll Cullinan, one of their most experienced batsmen, who withdrew over a pay dispute.

The side that played at Kingsmead included three players making only their second Test appearances, while Prince was playing in his third Test.

Boucher said the turnaround had been a collective effort. "Having been beaten so badly in Australia it was up to each guy to look at himself. The guys needed to perform and to get that pride back. It wasn't me or the management, it was the guys themselves." Boucher said he would be happy to hand the captaincy back to Pollock, who will return for the one-day series.

But Boucher said that today's Test win was important: "We're a young side and we've taken a lot from these guys [Australia]. We haven't come up against that sort of intensity before, and hopefully we can make it part of our cricket in the future."

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