South Africa staved offAustralia's push for an unlikely victory to bat out for a drawin the first Gabba Test today, though the home team could takeheart from having the better of the encounter.
The top-ranked South Africans lost five wickets andeffectively were six down with injured JP Duminy unable tobat, but the Australians frustrated by calls going againstthem could not make further inroads.
At the close after trailing by 115 runs on the firstinnings, South Africa were 166 for five with AB de Villiersnot out 29 and Vernon Philander not out one.
The draw ensured that Australia retained their unbeatenrecord at the Brisbane ground which stretches back to the WestIndies' victory in 1988.
The Aussies have now not lost in their last eight Testsunder skipper Michael Clarke, while the Proteas, under GraemeSmith, have not lost an away Test match since India atCalcutta in February, 2010.
The teams head to Adelaide for next week's second matchof the three-Test series all square, but with Australiashading the opening match and having the world's best teamunder pressure on the final day of their showdown.
Clarke was named the man-of-the-match for his thirddouble-century of the year, his unbeaten 259 which turned thematch away from the Proteas over the closing two days.
South Africa lost Alviro Petersen (5), Smith (23) andHashim Amla (38) before tea, but Jacques Kallis and deVilliers restored stability and held up the Australianassault.
Kallis was out one short of his half-century when Clarketook a splendid one-handed catch at slip off spinner NathanLyon in the 49th over.
Jacques Rudolph survived a vociferous lbw appeal offSiddle before he had scored but umpire Billy Bowden wasunmoved amid the excited Australian fielders, but heultimately went lbw to Lyon for 11 heading into the finalhour.
Australia earlier declared their first innings at 565 forfive with a lead of 115 in the hope of grabbing early wicketsto force an improbable victory on a bat-friendly pitch.
Petersen fell before lunch and tempers boiled over asAustralia's bowlers sought a big breakthrough in the middlesession before Smith went after a fiery over from JamesPattinson.
The young firebrand worked over the Proteas skipperbefore getting a thick edge to Rob Quiney in the gully as heattempted to drive outside off-stump.
Amla survived a second review on 20 after Pattinsonappealed for a catch behind and Peter Siddle thought he hadhis wicket on 28.
But the Australians were unable to seek a review becausethey had run out of referrals and umpire Asad Rauf had wordswith a fired-up Siddle after a short sharp exchange with Amla.
Spinner Lyon proved expensive early, going for 26 runsoff his two overs before he was removed from the attack.
But Siddle finally got Amla's wicket when he hit firmlyto Michael Hussey in the covers for 38, leaving his team 102for three.
Clarke declared Australia's innings when he was unbeatenon 259 with wicketkeeper Matthew Wade 19 not out.
Clarke eclipsed England's Alastair Cook's 235 not out twoyears ago as the highest individual score at the Gabba. DonBradman hit 226 at the ground in 1931.
Australia went after quick runs before the declaration.
Hussey had a nervy spell before clinching his 17th Testcentury and was out for 100 on the next ball he faced fromMorne Morkel.