Australia put in an all-round performance with bat, ball and in the field to thrash South Africa by 276 runs to end the series on a high. Australia looked like a determined lot and took the attack to the opposition who rested their big stars looking at the bigger picture. Winning the toss and deciding to bat first on a belter, Australia rode on blistering centuries from Travis Head, captain Mitchell Marsh and Cameron Green to post a massive 431/2 in 50 overs which is their second highest score in ODIs.
While defending that total, Cooper Connolly picked up his maiden five-wicket haul as he finished with 5/22 in 6 overs to skittle South Africa out for 155 in 24.5 overs. The other bowlers bowled well as well as Australia showed why they are a force to be reckoned with as this was their biggest win in terms of runs. South Africa rested their main bowlers and were thumped by the Aussies but they still won the series 2-1.
All-Round Batting Display Powers Australia to 431/2.Â
Winning the toss and deciding to bat first on a belter of a surface, Travis Head and captain Mitchell Marsh strode out to bat for Australia while Kwena Maphaka had ball in hand for South Africa. Head made his intentions clear and got off the mark with a boundary and he hit another boundary down the ground off the same bowler. Wiaan Mulder shared the new ball from the other end as Marsh welcomed him with a boundary and very soon the first maximum came off the blade of Marsh against Mulder.
Head continued to target Maphaka hitting him through the point region. He hit back-to-back boundaries off the same bowler as pressure was firmly on South Africa. Marsh was targeting Mulder and hit him for a maximum as it was raining boundaries in Mackay. Keshav Maharaj had to be brought onto the attack and he bowled a tidy over at last. But Mulder leaked runs as Head hit him for a boundary and then the 50 came up in 5.1 overs for Australia.
Head got his first maximum off the day off Mulder and got himself a streaky boundary as well. Head smashed Maharaj as well for a boundary over mid-off. Aiden Markram came and bowled a tight over. Head broke the shackles by hitting a boundary over covers off Maharaj and completed his fifty off 32 balls and it was his 18th ODI fifty. Marsh smashed Markram for a boundary through covers as Australia raced to 86/0 in 10 overs at the end of the first powerplay.
Maharaj bowled a tight over after the powerplay while Marsh slammed Markram over deep extra covers for the maximum. The 100 came up for Australia in 12.1 overs. Corbin Bosch was introduced into the attack and bowled a tidy over. Head finally broke the shackles as he took on Maharaj and hit him over short covers for a boundary. He also smashed Maharaj for a maximum over covers for a flat hit. Bosch bowled another tidy over.
Senuran Muthusamy was introduced into the attack and was welcomed by Travis Head for a boundary through covers. Head smashed Bosch over deep square leg for the maximum and hit a boundary in the same over. Muthusamy bowled a tight over as well keeping things tight. Soon, Mitchell Marsh reached his half century off 50 balls with a boundary off Bosch, his 21st ODI fifty. After 20 overs, Australia were 148/0.
Marsh hit Muthusamy through the covers for a boundary as the 150 came up and of the partnership in 20.2 overs. Maphaka came back and was greeted with a boundary from Marsh. Head hit a beautiful shot over covers for a boundary to enter the 90s. Marsh then launched Maphaka over long-off for the maximum. Marsh repeated the same dose this time over deep point for the maximum. Muthusamy bowled a tight 25th over as Australia reached 184/0 after 25 overs at the halfway stage of the innings.
Aiden Markram came back and delivered a decent over. Soon, Travis Head reached his 7th ODI century and his first against South Africa. He also completed 2000 runs as an opener in ODIs. Head smashed Muthusamy for a boundary through backward point. The 200 came up for Australia in 27.4 overs. Maharaj bowled a decent over while Head broke the shackles and got a boundary away down the ground off Markram. Australia after 30 overs were 215/0.
The boundaries continued to flow as Marsh hit Maharaj for a boundary through deep backward point. Head then took on Maharaj and hit him for a boundary through long-on as he completed 8000 runs across formats for Australia. Markram bowled a tidy over for a change. Maharaj too was trying to contain the runs to create some pressure. Head smashed Markram for a boundary down the ground and a maximum by playing the slog sweep. He hit Markram for another maximum over deep midwicket as the 250 came up in 34 overs and of the partnership.
Finally, Keshav Maharaj ended the marathon opening stand as he got rid of Travis Head for 142 off 103 balls with 17 fours and 5 sixes to his name. Maharaj from around the wicket bowled fuller length tossed up just outside off, Head stepped down the track and looked to go big down the ground. He didn’t get to the pitch of the ball and the ball hit the toe end of the bat to the right of long-off where Dewald Brevis took the catch easily. Cameron Green came out to bat at 3 and got off the mark with a boundary. Maharaj finished his spell as well.
Mulder came back into the attack as Mitchell Marsh reached his 4th ODI ton off 105 balls and he completed 3000 runs in ODIs. Muthusamy then got rid of Marsh for exactly 100 off 106 balls with 6 fours and 5 sixes to his name. Muthusamy tossed it up at the leg stump with pace off the ball, Marsh got down on one knee to go for the slog sweep. He got a top edge that went high in the air and towards square leg where Rickelton called for it and ran to his left to put in the dive and take the catch. Alex Carey came out to bat next and got off the mark straightaway.
Carey joined the party as he hit Mulder for two consecutive boundaries to get himself going. He took the attack to Muthusamy by hitting him for a boundary. Green hit Muthusamy for a boundary as well. Corbin Bosch came back into the attack as the 300 came up for Australia in 39.3 overs. Green crunched Bosch through the covers for a boundary. After 40 overs, Australia were 305/2. Green once again hit Maphaka for a boundary as he continued to leak runs.
Carey hit Bosch for a boundary through fine leg as the 50-run stand came up between the two batters. Cameron Green reached his half-century with a maximum off 28 balls. He managed to get another boundary away off Maphaka and then pulled him over deep midwicket for the maximum. The 350 came up for Australia in 43.3 overs. Carey was put down by Maphaka in the deep to add to his horror day.
Carey then got a top edge off Muthusamy and got a boundary away while Green smashed Muthusamy for a hat-trick of sixes to spoil Muthusamy’s day as 24 came off the over. Australia were racing towards 400 and beyond. Carey managed to get a boundary away through backward square leg. Green then hit Mulder for a maximum despite the best effort from Brevis. Green flicked once again off Mulder for the maximum. Australia brought up their 400 in 46.5 overs.
Cameron Green soon got to his maiden ODI hundred in 47 balls and this is the second fastest ODI ton by an Australian player. Green smashed Mulder for a maximum and hit him for a boundary as runs continued to pile on for the Australians. Carey then hit Bosch for a boundary and got a brace off the last ball of the innings to get to his fifty in 37 balls. Australia finished with a mammoth 431/2 their second highest score in ODIs with Green’s innings having 6 fours and 8 sixes with an unbeaten 118 off 55 balls while Carey was unbeaten on 50 off 37 balls with 7 fours to his name. 21 extras gifted by the fielding side.
Keshav Maharaj bowled well amidst the carnage as he finished with 1/57 in 10 overs. Senuran Muthusamy got the other wicket as he finished with 1/75 in 9 overs. The rest of the bowlers were wicketless and had a day to forget as well. This meant South Africa needs an improbable 432 to win and clean sweep Australia.
Cooper Connolly’s 5-wicket haul skittles South Africa for 155.Â
Chasing 432 for the win, Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton came out to bat while Xavier Bartlett had ball in hand for Australia. Rickelton got off the mark with a boundary. Sean Abbott had ball in hand from the other end. Abbott gave away 4 byes to the batting side. Abbott struck early as he got rid of Markram for 2 off 8 balls. Abbott bowled a good length shaping away from off-stump. It forced Markram to play at that and pushed with hard hands in front of his pads. The edge was found and it went to second slip where Green took the catch. Temba Bavuma came out to bat at 3.
Rickelton managed to drive through the covers crisply for a boundary. Bavuma then took on Abbott and hit him over point for a boundary and got a streaky boundary off Abbott. Bavuma smashed him down the ground as well for a boundary. Bartlett got his first wicket as he got rid of Rickelton for 11 off 12 balls with 2 fours to his name.
Bartlett bowled a fuller length on the stumps, Rickelton flicked it straight down the throat of Cooper Connolly at square leg who did not have to move an inch. Tony de Zorzi came out to bat next and got off the mark straightaway. Bavuma pulled Abbott over deep square leg for a boundary but Abbott hit back getting rid of the South African captain for 19 off 10 balls with 4 fours to his name.
Abbott bowled a hard length delivery outside off nipping back in a shade, Bavuma shimmied down and looked to pull but got an inside edge that hit the back thigh pad and onto the stumps. Tristan Stubbs came out to bat next. de Zorzi managed to get a boundary away off Bartlett. He hit Abbott too for a boundary. Bartlett got another wicket under his name as he got rid of Stubbs for 1 off 6 balls.
Bartlett bowled full on the leg stump, Stubbs stepped down and opened the bat face looking to force it through the off-side and he failed to keep it down as the ball went to the right of the point region where Abbott moved well and took the catch inside the circle. Dewald Brevis came out to bat next and got off the mark straightaway. de Zorzi got a streaky boundary off Bartlett. Nathan Ellis came into the attack next as de Zorzi punched him off the back foot for a boundary. After 10 overs at the end of first powerplay, South Africa were 65/4.
Brevis took the attack to Bartlett smashing him for a boundary and a maximum as he joined in the party. He repeated the dose off the next ball as well over deep backward square leg. Ellis bowled a tight over as Adam Zampa was introduced into the attack as first signs of spin came into play. de Zorzi swept him for a boundary while Brevis hit him down the ground for a boundary before launching him over long-off for a maximum as the 100 came up for South Africa in 13 overs and 50 of the partnership between the two players.
Cooper Connolly came into the attack as de Zorzi slapped him through covers for a boundary. But Connolly hit back getting rid of de Zorzi for 33 off 30 balls with 6 fours to his name. Connolly bowled a back of a length delivery on the stumps, de Zorzi fell into the trap as he pulled it straight into the hands of Alex Carey at deep midwicket. Wiaan Mulder came out to bat next. Australia wasted a review against Brevis off Zampa as there was bat involved. Connolly bowled a tight over after Zampa’s maiden over.
Brevis broke the shackles as he hit back-to-back maximums off Zampa. Connolly got rid of the well set Brevis for 49 off 28 balls with 2 fours and 5 sixes to his name. Full length delivery on the off-stump, Brevis wanted to go over long-off but failed to get the distance required and the tall Cameron Green took a simple high catch. Corbin Bosch came out to bat next and got off the mark. Bosch managed to get a boundary away off Ellis. Connolly got rid of Mulder next for 5 off 12 balls.
He bowled a good length delivery on the stumps. Mulder swung at it flat towards long-on where Marnus came flying in and dived forward to take it mid-air. The TV umpire checked it but it was a clean catch. Keshav Maharaj came out to bat next. After 20 overs, South Africa were 135/7. Bosch managed to get a boundary away off Ellis. But Connolly was on a roll as he now dismissed Bosch for 17 off 15 balls with 2 fours to his name.
Connolly bowled it full and tossed up at the leg stump, Bosch cleared his front leg and looked to hit big down the ground. He mistimed it and it went high towards long-on. Marnus timed his jump to perfection and took a superb catch near the ropes. Senuran Muthusamy came out to bat and got off the mark with a boundary. Zampa came back and bowled a miserly over. Soon, Cooper Connolly got his maiden five-wicket haul as he dismissed Keshav Maharaj for 2 off 13 balls.
Cooper tossed it up nicely and bowled it outside off. Maharaj could not resist himself and decided to dance down the track to go for a big shot. He didn’t get anywhere near to the pitch of the ball as the ball turned away as well. He missed it as Inglis did the rest from behind the stumps. Kwena Maphaka came out to bat at the end. The winning moment soon came when Zampa got rid of Maphaka for a 5-ball duck.
Cooper bowled a length delivery at the stumps, Maphaka attempted a reverse pull but the ball lobbed up off his gloves as Travis Head put in the dive at gully to complete the catch as Australia won by 276 runs their biggest margin in ODIs. Muthusamy remained unbeaten on 9 off 10 balls with a boundary to his name as South Africa were bowled out for 155 in 24.5 overs with 7 extras given by the fielding side.
Cooper Connolly was the pick of the bowlers with his maiden five-wicket haul as he finished with 5/22 in 6 overs. He was ably supported by new ball bowlers Xavier Bartlett who finished with 2/45 in 6 overs and Sean Abbott who finished with 2/27 in 4 overs. Adam Zampa chipped in with 1/31 in 4.5 overs while Nathan Ellis’ 4 overs went for 25 runs. So, Australia win by 276 runs. The Player of the Match Award went to Travis Head while the Player of the Series Award went to Keshav Maharaj as South Africa won the series 2-1.
What Lies Ahead.Â
So, the series between Australia and South Africa has come to an end. Australia won the T20I series 2-1 while South Africa hit back to win the ODI leg 2-1. South Africa will head off to England for 6 white ball games next starting on 2nd September with ODIs first and then T20Is later. Australia, on the other hand, have a break before they host India in October for 3 ODIs and 5 T20Is scheduled from October 19th.
So, we shall see how things unfold for both teams going forward starting with how South Africa does in England as lots of cricketing actions are ahead of all of us.
Also Read:Â AUS vs SA: Will This Series End In A Whitewash Or Can The Aussies Pull Something Off For Morale?