South African vice-captain AB de Villiers said on Sunday the Proteas were not taking anything for granted, despite being in a seemingly unbeatable position in the final Test against Australia at the WACA Ground. De Villiers made 169 as the Proteas piled on 569 in their second innings to set Australia an improbable 632 runs to win in just over two days of cricket. Australia reached 40 without loss at stumps on day three, still 591 runs behind South Africa. It was the second-biggest target Australia had ever been set in Test cricket, and they need to substantially beat the current record run chase to win the match and claim the top ranking in Test cricket off the South Africans. The world record run chase stands at 418, set by the West Indies against Australia in Antigua in 2003.
However, wicketkeeper De Villiers said it was too early for the South Africans to celebrate spoiling retiring Australian batsman Ricky Ponting’s farewell match.
Perhaps mindful that he was part of the South African team that reached a victory target of 414 on the final day in Perth in 2008 for the loss of just four wickets, De Villiers said there was still a lot of work to be done before they won the match and the series.
