New guys have been unbelievable: Ponting

Australia clinched the series over South Africa to remain the No. 1-ranked Test team in the world, beating the Proteas by 175 runs Tuesday to lead 2-0 with one match left to play.

Fast bowler Peter Siddle and part-time wrist spinner Simon Katich took three wickets each as South Africa lost seven wickets for 126 on Tuesday to be dismissed for 370 just before tea at Kingsmead, with captain Graeme Smith unable to bat due to a fractured right little finger.

Australian captain Ricky Ponting praised the new players in his team. One of three players who made their debuts in the first Test in Johannesburg, Phillip Hughes, won the man of the match award for his 115 and 160 in Durban.

"It's very exciting guys like Phillip have done very well right from the start," said Ponting.

"His temperament is absolutely marvelous. When the bowlers were coming hard at him he just had a smile on his face and he would say he's loving it.”

"The new guys in the team - Phillip, Marcus North, and Ben Hilfenhaus - have been unbelievable for us," Ponting added.

He said he rated the series win in South Africa as highly as other significant achievements in his career. "It's as special a win as I've experienced, certainly right up there with the 5-0 Ashes comeback win (in 2006-07) and winning World Cups," he said.

"Whenever you lose a couple of matches, to bounce back the way we did against a side that no one expected you to beat is always very special."

Smith complimented the Australians on their discipline and the pressure they were able to maintain in the first two Tests. "We did all the same preparation as when we won in Australia but the same intensity and execution just wasn't there," said Smith.

"We never reached the same levels we did in Australia. We did not have the same levels of hunger or desperation."

The South African selectors made three changes to the squad for the final Test in Cape Town. Smith is injured, but opener Neil McKenzie and fast bowler Morne Morkel were dropped. Ashwell Prince, out of the team since injuring a thumb ahead of the Perth Test in December, has been recalled, as captain.

The other players to earn call-ups are new caps Imraan Khan, an opening bat from Durban, and Wayne Parnell, a seamer from Port Elizabeth.

Resuming on 244-2 on Tuesday, South Africa needed Jacques Kallis and A.B. de Villiers to occupy the crease but both were out in the first hour of play.

Kallis was out in the sixth over for 93, edging a climbing delivery from Johnson slanted across him to captain Ricky Ponting at second slip to end a 187-run stand with De Villiers in 57 overs. Kallis had been dropped the previous over on 88, Michael Clarke uncharacteristically spilling a sitter at point off the bowling of Ben Hilfenhaus.

De Villiers was beaten by a leg cutter from Siddle and was caught on 84 by wicketkeeper Brad Haddin, three overs after Kallis' departure to leave the hosts on 279-4. De Villiers had hit nine fours in four hours.

JP Duminy, who was given a life on 6 when Haddin failed to hold a low, diving chance off Siddle, was eventually out for 17 to a brute of a ball from Hilfenhaus. The left-hander could not get out of the way of a bouncer and it touched his glove on the way to Haddin.

In the final over before lunch, Paul Harris was out for 5 as the Proteas went to the break on 307-6, still 239 runs short of victory, although survival for a draw was their objective on the final day.

The South Africans were bowled out seven minutes before tea with three wickets falling for 63 runs in the final session.

Mark Boucher was caught and bowled by part-time spinner Marcus North after scoring 25 in 158 minutes. Morne Morkel was then caught on 24 by Haddin off Katich when the ball became stuck between the keeper's legs, and Dale Steyn was stumped for 7 in Katich's next over to end the match as Australia avenged the recent 2-1 series loss at home to the Proteas.

The third Test starts March 19 in Cape Town.