5 incredible fourth innings centuries in a winning cause

Graeme Smith 108: South Africa vs Australia – Perth, 2008

The man for the fourth innings: Graeme Smith

Graeme Smith always batted like a dream in the fourth innings. He is the only batsman to have scored more than 1000 runs in successful fourth innings run chases. The former Proteas skipper boasts of 4 match winning hundreds in the fourth innings with an outstanding average of 52.

One of his match-winning efforts came at the Perth test when Proteas were faced with a herculean task of chasing down 414 runs to win. Smith being the gritty fighter that he is never backed down and played a stellar role in this famous victory. He dominated the likes of Brett Lee, Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle and like always, peppered the leg side with his trademark boundaries.

Smith maintained a tremendous tempo and scored at a strike rate of 73.46 and the Aussies were all at sea against his aggression. After he departed for an attacking 108 off just 147 balls, AB de Villiers scored a hundred to take South Africa home and ensured that his skipper's innings didn't go in vain.

South Africa defeated Australia by 6 wickets in one of the all-time best chases in Test cricket.