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SCG Test updates: Australia draws with South Africa, falling eight wickets short of victory on day five, as it happened

Some dogged batting from South Africa has ensured the final Test of the series ends in a draw at the SCG, as Australia settles for a 2-0 series victory. 

Look back on how all the action unfolded in our blog and check out the live scorecard

Key events

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Live updates

Australia vs South Africa at the SCG

By Jon Healy

Pinned

And that is that!

By Jon Healy

The end of an impressive, if somewhat uncompetitive, Test summer for the Aussie men.

There's plenty of cricket to come, with the Big Bash, then a limited-overs series against Pakistan for the women, plus a T20 World Cup for the women's side and the men's Test tour of India in February.

We won't be blogging EVERY moment, but I assure you that me, Simon and the rest of the team will bring you coverage of it all at ABC Sport.

Thanks for hanging out, and we'll see you next time!

Dean Elgar hoping this innings puts South Africa on 'the right road'

By Jon Healy

South Africa captain Dean Elgar says it's good to end a bad tour on a good note, showing some resolve to salvage a draw in Sydney.

"It's going to lead us down the right road.

"A lot of negatives but also a lot of positives out of today."

David Warner is player of the series!

By Jon Healy

Key Event

Really? Interesting choice.

200 of his 213 runs were scored in that mighty impressive knock in stinking heat at the MCG.

Feels like a sentimental pick. You have to feel for the bowlers.

"It's gonna be a massive away tour, with the World Test Championship on the line as well. It's going to be a long tour followed by a World Cup at the end. Looking forward to it."

Man of the match: Usman Khawaja

By Jon Healy

Key Event

Usman Khawaja, with his first-innings 195*, was an easy pick for this one.

"Just enjoying the good times at the moment," he says of his current Test form.

And on Pat Cummins declaring while he was five runs short of his first double century.

"I'd love to have a double ton next to my name but at the end of the day ... it's about winning and you've got to do what's best. Any children out there watching the way Australia play the game, it's always team first."

Eyes now turn to player of the series

By Jon Healy

Man of the match will be Usman Khawaja for his 195 not out, but who gets player of the series?

There's an argument for Pat Cummins as the top wicket-taker with 12 at 17, plus captaining the winning team.

Even further in his favour is the run-scorers' list, where Steve Smith, Travis Head, David Warner and Usman Khawaja all crammed between 231 and 209 runs. Warner and Khawaja scored almost all of their runs in their top innings too, so it didn't really scream 'dominant series'.

I'd give it to Cummins, but we'll see if the selectors agree.

IT'S A DRAW

By Jon Healy

Key Event

Marnus Labuschagne's last ball was called late a front-foot no ball and despite Marnus's pleas for one more ball, Pat Cummins shrugs and shakes hands with Temba Bavuma and Sarel Erwee.

It's an admirable end to a dismal series for South Africa, while Australia strides off the SCG with another unbeaten record this summer - four wins and a draw.

Six overs left - Labuschagne rolling the arm over once more

By Jon Healy

Over the wicket to Bavuma. His first shot at a right-hander.

A full toss is clattered to the rope and stops here...

Seven overs left - Agar to Bavuma

By Jon Healy

Bang! Four on the sweep for Bavuma. Maybe call it now, Pat. Don't need Agar's figures getting worse.

Now more wickets required than overs allowed. Let's call it.

Not spinning it back in out of the rough.

Eight overs left - Bit more Labuschagne

By Jon Healy

Cummins had a quick word to Marnus and umpire Chris Gaffaney. Might be telling him this is the last over.

Marnus is landing them. Can't believe this is his first over of the game.

Erwee goes the big tonk and almost drags it on. He's three good hits away from his first half-ton of the series.

Four. Two more Marnus balls left and Erwee is on 40 after that off drive.

Over bowled. And we're continuing for some reason.

Nine overs left - Agar trying again

By Jon Healy

Pat, what are we doing here, mate?

Must just be for the fans.

Bit of wide garbage from Ashton, and Bavuma cuts for a single into the deep.

10 overs left - And here comes Marnus!

By Jon Healy

About bloody time, Pat.

He's spinning it hard out of the rough outside off. Just trying to get one to come back and take the top of off.

Good luck keeping to this, Alex Carey.

There's an LBW shout, but almost nothing going in its favour. And yet they review. Just playing silly buggers out there.

Way too high, hitting outside off, maybe going down leg?

Edged! To ground. Nathan Lyon is rooting against him here.

37th over - Ashton Agar is getting another turn

By Jon Healy

A wicket would do his confidence and chances of getting picked to tour India a world of good.

One run. Not much threat though.

36th over - Nathan Lyon is having another roll

By Jon Healy

Maybe Pat Cummins wants to let Nathan Lyon get a wicket in this innings.

35th over - We're continuing with Cummins for now

By Jon Healy

Maybe he'll give Agar another go. Chuck it to Marnus or Smudge? Give Renners a bowl?

Oh he's just missed the off stump with a reverse swinger that came in a fair distance from outside off.

Bavuma defends and takes a single to cover. The crowd is just murmuring. Most paid only a dollar or two to get in today, so don't feel too bad for them.

Cummins tries a yorker and Erwee clips off his toes.

34th over - Lyon continues

By Jon Healy

More running drama from Bavuma, as he's called for a short run because he dropped the bat before he got it over the crease. The man just can't jog between the wicket normally.

But it's an otherwise uneventful over.

Everyone's just keeping an eye on the captain between overs. They'll boo when it happens, but this match is a draw. Might as well call it now.

33rd over - All eyes on Pat Cummins

By Jon Healy

Once Pat Cummins decides there's no chance of a result, he can say 'that's it' and the match will be a draw (unless Dean Elgar wants to leave his side out there for some unknown reason) but he's not doing it yet.

And considering how the South Africans have batted on this tour, it's probably fair enough.

Still, eight wickets in 90 deliveries doesn't seem super likely.

Cummins has the ball in hand too.

Erwee punches down the ground for a single. Maybe after declaring on Usman Khawaja, Cummins wants to let Erwee get to his milestone.

He gets a ball to jag back at Erwee and finds an inside edge.

32nd over - Nathan Lyon, 0-30, to bowl his 13th over

By Simon Smale

Solid defence from Bavuma to mid on, then back down to Lyon.

Has Lyon started to tire? He had that really good over a short while ago, but has looked a bit worn out since then.

That ball pops up and Bavuma has to get his hands out the way quick smart to avoid Renshaw swooping down on it like some hellacious-sized sea gull.

Bavuma defends the rest of the over and that will be drinks!

To take you through to the close of the Australian Test summer, Mr Jon Healy.

31st over - Pat Cummins comes in

By Simon Smale

Bavuma has to defend the first.

He does the same to the second, a ball that tailed in nicely with the reverse swing.

Oooo, a slower ball from Cummins, all the tricks coming out now. That was an off cutter that didn't grip.

Fast again, 129kph outside off, defended well by Bavuma.

Bavuma gets rapped on the chest as he fends to the on side. No run and he looks hurt.

A single off the last ball, clipped off his pads down to backward square leg.

30th over - Nathan Lyon comes in once more

By Simon Smale

Erwee defends the first.

Three close catchers, he plays it past silly point for a single.

Same field to the right hander, the massive figure of Matt Renshaw looming large in front of Bavuma at quite silly mid off.

Bavuma drives straight past him and Pat Cummins has to go for another run in the covers and they get three.

Only bat pad and slip for Erwee now, who defends.

BEATEN! So close to the outside edge, Nathan Lyon is crouched over on his haunches. He's had a rough day, to be honest, with no luck.

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