Brett Lee has compounded the miserable tour of South Africa captain Graeme Smith by dismissing him for a duck last night as the tearaway paceman bowled Australia to a crushing one-day victory at Melbourne's Telstra Dome.
Lee, who was originally to be rested for this match, claimed three wickets in his eighth over, the first of a new spell, and finished with 4-30 as South Africa struggled to 9-201, losing by 80 runs.
Chasing Australia's daunting 7-281 for victory, Smith was out to the second ball of the innings, leg before wicket yet again to a full inswinger which may or may not have curved down the leg side.
During 11 Test and one-day innings against Australia this summer Lee has now claimed Smith five times and the left-hander has a top score of just 39.
The one-day series has continued a wonderful summer for Lee. He is now the leading wicket-taker in the competition with 14.
Lee was supposed to be the latest big name to take a game off but he was a late inclusion after Glenn McGrath returned home to Sydney unexpectedly yesterday.
McGrath's wife Jane, who has previously suffered from breast cancer, was again diagnosed with cancer and will begin treatment early next week.
As a result the veteran fast bowler's immediate playing future is uncertain.
No South Africa player managed 50 last night. Inexperienced super-sub and off-spinner Johan Botha top-scored with 46.
A disappointing crowd of just 26,309 saw the last international cricket match in Melbourne this season.
South Africa must beat either Australia in Sydney tomorrow night or Sri Lanka in Hobart on Tuesday to be sure of meeting Australia in the finals.
Mike Hussey's extraordinary season continued, as the best finisher in one-day cricket blazed Australia to an imposing score on a wearing pitch used three times in three weeks. Coming to the wicket with Australia struggling at 5-167 in the 37th over, the vibrant and versatile Hussey smashed 62 in just 44 balls before being bowled in the last over of the innings.
Andrew Symonds was almost as destructive, run out off the last ball for 65 from 50 balls. Together the pair had a sixth-wicket partnership of 109 in only 76 balls.
Hussey, who still averages more than a hundred from 28 one-day matches, has now been involved in three of Australia's six century sixth-wicket partnerships.
Ricky Ponting became the latest senior player to benefit from a rest, scoring a bright 53 from 63 balls as Australia's top four batsmen all made starts but could not push on for a big score.
Just last Sunday Adam Gilchrist credited a mid-tournament rest for with his blazing return to form, scoring a century in Perth, while leading the side in Ponting's absence.
Off the field the racial abuse debate continued to simmer, with South African batsman Herschelle Gibbs the latest player to express his disappointment.
"It is a touchy subject but I can only comment from a player's point of view," Gibbs said in his column on the Bigstarcricket website. "We've heard it (racist abuse) a few times at a couple of grounds we have played at, and it leaves a bitter taste with the team and how we feel about playing.
"We've heard it before but it's been slightly worse this time. We've also heard it once or twice in New Zealand but not as regular as we've had it here.
"It's been against all races, too. It's not an easy subject to talk about but unfortunately it's happened and Cricket Australia will have to look at it; I'm sure they are already.
"The whole issue must have been difficult for Graeme (Smith) to handle but he's been excellent."
Smith claimed recently that his bowling had improved and he was heading for some useful figures yesterday until Symonds took to the captain's final over, which went for 19 including two fours and a six. Smith finished with 1-59 from his 10 overs.
The inexperienced Johannes Van Der Wath conceded something similar in his ninth over, with Hussey hitting the first four balls to the boundary.
Van Der Wath, part of South Africa's second string attack following a spate of injuries, saw his last two overs go for 29 runs to have final figures of 2-82.
- MALCOLM CONN