THE boundaries of limited-overs cricket were pushed back in Johannesburg yesterday, though not far enough for the Australia and South Africa bowlers. They conceded 872 runs in 99.5 overs of mayhem and, with the result unclear until the penultimate ball, the deciding game in the one-day series will be remembered as the greatest in history.

Australia had stretched the record total for the format by 36 runs as they scored 434 for four from 50 overs, but this new best was overtaken some four hours later when Mark Boucher punched an on drive against Brett Lee to seal the one-wicket win. Fittingly, the game ended with the ball racing over the rope.

By then Boucher’s team-mates were already rushing out of the dressing-room to celebrate. Australia have made no secret of their opinion that South Africa choke under pressure and relations between the countries reached a low point during the recent Test and one-day series in Australia, both won easily by the home side. Australia may be able to convince themselves that South Africa had nothing to lose this time and were never under pressure in chasing a seemingly impossible target. If they are more honest they will realise that Boucher, Herschelle Gibbs and Graeme Smith exposed their evolving attack.

That said, conditions for batsmen were the equivalent of the perfect wave from first to last. Although it is a big stadium with tall stands, the playing area of the Wanderers is relatively small and a short boundary on one side stood little more than the 60-yard minimum from the wicket as laid down in ICC regulations.

The pitch itself had good pace and the outfield was lightning fast. It is also held that the ball speeds quicker through the air in Johannesburg because of the altitude of the High Veldt. Australia lacked Glenn McGrath; South Africa missed Shaun Pollock. “You always get value for your shots at this ground,” Boucher admitted.

Ricky Ponting, the Australia captain who won the toss, knew that better than anybody, having scored 140 not out in the World Cup final at the Wanderers in 2003. He passed that with 164, but was usurped by a more extraordinary effort from Herschelle Gibbs, who made 175 and shared a second-wicket stand of 187 in 21 overs with Smith.

When Surrey set their record in all one-day cricket of 438 for five against Glamorgan in a Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy game in 2002 they were also taken by the way the opposition fought back. On that occasion Glamorgan fell nine runs short, but South Africa had the depth of batting to overcome lost wickets.

With 20 overs left the match aggregate was already an international record and Ponting, perhaps confused, failed to allow Lee his full allocation. Mick Lewis, on the other hand, bowled ten overs, for 113 runs. The big electronic scoreboard seemed to delight in relaying this unwanted record to a partisan 27,000 crowd.

“All credit to South Africa,” Ponting said. “We batted really well and made an unbelievably big score, but Herschelle and their boys were too good.”

Boucher described the win as “one of South Africa’s best moments in cricket”, before adding the rider: “I hope I never have to play in another game like that.”

SCOREBOARD FROM JOHANNESBURG

AUSTRALIA

†A C Gilchrist c Hall b Telemachus 55
S M Katich c Telemachus b Ntini 79
*R T Ponting c Dippenaar b Telemachus 164
M E K Hussey c Ntini b Hall 81
A Symonds not out 27
B Lee not out 9
Extras (lb 4, w 5, nb 10)19
Total (4 wkts, 50 overs) 434
D R Martyn, M J Clarke, M L Lewis, N W Bracken and S R Clark did not bat.

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-97, 2-216, 3-374, 4-407.

BOWLING: Ntini 9-0-80-1; Hall 10-0-80-1; van der Wath 10-0-76-0; Telemachus 10-1-87-2; Smith 4-0-29-0; Kallis 6-0-70-0; Kemp 1-0-8-0.

SOUTH AFRICA

*G C Smith c Hussey b Clarke 90
H H Dippenaar b Bracken 1
H H Gibbs c Lee b Symonds 175
A B de Villiers c Clarke b Bracken 14
J H Kallis c and b Symonds 20
†M V Boucher not out 50
J M Kemp c Martyn b Bracken 13
J J van der Wath c Ponting b Bracken 35
R Telemachus c Hussey b Bracken 12
A J Hall c Clarke b Lee 7
M Ntini not out 1
Extras (b 4, lb 8, w 4, nb 4) 20
Total (9 wkts, 49.5 overs) 438

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-3, 2-190, 3-284, 4-299, 5-327, 6-355, 7-399, 8-423, 9-433.

BOWLING: Lee 7.5-0-68-1; Bracken 10-0-67-5; Clark 6-0-54-0; Lewis 10-0-113-0; Symonds 9-0-75-2; Clarke 7-0-49-1.

Umpires: Alim Dar (Pakistan) and B G Jerling.