Close Australia 652 for 7 beat South Africa 159 all out (McGrath 3-28, Lee 3-40) and 133 all out (Gibbs 47, McGrath 5-21, Warne 4-44) by an innings and 360 runs
scorecard

South Africa slumped to the most humiliating defeat in their 264-Test history, as Australia's four-pronged attack shredded a feeble batting line-up to record an innings-and-360 run victory - the second-largest of all time.

Resuming on 111 for 4 overnight, 541 runs adrift of Australia's monolithic total of 652 for 7 declared, South Africa crumbled to 159 all out before lunch. Following on, they fared even worse second time round, folding from 89 for 1 to 133 all out in fifteen overs. Sixteen wickets fell in barely two sessions; two to Brett Lee, three to Jason Gillespie, five to Shane Warne - who moved above Kapil Dev into second place on the alltime Test wicket-takers list - and six to the irresistible Glenn McGrath, who wiped out the tail in the second innings with four wickets in nine balls. It was an inevitable, devastating and ruthless display. South Africa mustered fewer runs in two completed innings (292) than Adam Gilchrist and Damien Martyn had pillaged in one single partnership (317), and yet somehow these two teams were billed as equals back in November.

Only South Africa's debutant Ashwell Prince, who added a handsome 28 to his first-innings 49 appeared to have the stomach for any fight whatsoever. Herschelle Gibbs had his moments in the second innings - carving a quick 47 in his carefree manner before falling brainlessly to Warne's flightiest ball of the day - and Neil McKenzie was left high and dry at the end on 27 not out. In the final, messy denouement, numbers 6 to 11 managed just seven runs between them, freezing like nude campers on the highveld.

It was never going to be easy for South Africa, but just how easy they made it for Australia beggared belief. Gillespie struck with his fourth ball of the day, tempting Prince into an indiscretion outside off (113 for 5) - and within four overs the follow-on was inevitable, as Boeta Dippenaar and Nicky Boje slumped back for the addition of one run (114 for 7).

Mark Boucher attempted a salvage operation with some spirited slogging, but Lee blew away the tail and Warne wrapped up the first innings with his 432nd wicket, Andre Nel lbw for 7 (159 all out), to overhaul Sir Richard Hadlee on his rise through the wickets table. Steve Waugh, who has been bitten on the nose by the follow-on in the past, had no hesitation in enforcing it this time.

After Gary Kirsten (12) flapped Gillespie's second-innings loosener to Martyn at gully (20 for 1), Prince and Gibbs put on 69 for the second wicket to give the second innings a semblance of substance, but Warne and McGrath roared back to rip the stuffing out again.

Warne struck first. He bowled Prince via his front pad as he inside-edged an attempted drive (89 for 2), before lobbing a flighty delivery high above Gibbs' eyeline, for Gilchrist to complete an easy stumping (98 for 3). Jacques Kallis then edged a McGrath away-swinger to Gilchrist (98 for 4), before Warne took his Kapil-beating 435th Test wicket - Dippenaar lbw. It was a dubious decision - the ball appeared to be missing off stump - so just for good measure Warne bowled Boucher in the same over, as he fluffed an attempted sweep (109 for 6).

The end had been nigh almost since the first session of the match, but when it came it was swift and spectacular. McGrath had so far been overshadowed by Warne's sense of occasion, but in his 12th over, he struck with a vengeance. Boje fended a jagging lifter to Ricky Ponting at third slip (122 for 7), and off the very next ball Makhaya Ntini was bowled leg stump, looking to flick a full delivery round the corner. Nel prevented the hat-trick, but knew nothing about the next ball, which leapt at his face and popped off the glove to Justin Langer at short leg (122 for 9).

McGrath had taken three wickets in four balls, and made it four in nine in his next over, when Allan Donald - playing out perhaps the final act of a magnificent career - wafted another short ball to Matthew Hayden in the gully. Australia had confirmed their utter and unquestionable superiority over, not just South Africa, but every Test nation in the world.

Andrew Miller is on the staff of Wisden.com

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