Australia win day-night Adelaide Test; South Africa clinch series 2-1

Warner and the team’s medical staff have dealt with it for some time and he is tipped to continue playing throughout the upcoming one-day global series against New Zealand, three Tests against Pakistan and beyond.

At the close, South Africa were holding on and just 70 runs ahead of Australia heading into Sunday’s fourth day. Smith missed the chance to hit the winning runs when Kyle Abbott found the edge of his bat with two runs remaining to score, and the job was left to Renshaw and the incoming Handscomb, whose single to midwicket sealed the consolation victory. Similarly, the pace bowling – which was nearly unplayable in Hobart – was ragged and unable to sustain consistent pressure on an inexperienced Australian batting line-up.

“I’m really proud and pleased with the way the boys stood up in this game”, Smith said. In Hobart, where the Australian batsmen made the wicket appear unplayable, de Kock scored a century and shared another important partnership with Bavuma that helped set South Africa on course for its massive victory.

Usman Khawaja was the Player of the Match for his ton in the first innings.

This team, led intelligently by Du Plessis, have played for each other and the Proteas badge.

After conjuring two of their greatest ever victories in Perth and Hobart, perhaps a South African letdown in the dead rubber third Test was inevitable.

The feats of Khawaja and Renshaw pleased Australian skipper Smith.

Resuming on 194-6 in their second innings, South Africa added only 56 runs to their overnight score before being dismissed – Mitchell Starc leading the way for the hosts with figures of 4-80.

One of the first things you notice when you have new people come into the set-up is they’re all different characters, and they all bring a different kind of humour.

Starc started the ball rolling, removing Dean Elgar with the fourth ball of his opening over for a duck and fellow paceman Josh Hazlewood had Hashim Amla caught behind for 45.

Australian team physio David Beakley said: “He’s had shoulder pain for probably the previous year really”. Some in the crowd booed when he reached his century. All-rounder, Dwaine Pretorius, has been released from the squad and will travel back to South Africa on Friday.

Speaking at the press conference in the aftermath of the Test, du Plessis said he would fondly remember this series despite the setback in Adelaide.

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Du Plessis praised his bowlers, led by player-of-the-series Vernon Philander, for how they rattled the Australians in Steyn’s absence. “I had to just keep myself grounded and not do something stupid”, Renshaw said.

Smith will next lead the test side out against Pakistan in another day-night match at the Gabba on December 15 and admitted he would retain some unhappy memories of the South Africa series.