South Africa have sealed the ODI series against Australia with three consecutive victories, with today’s 122-run win rounding off an emphatic bounce back.
It was the final ODI series for Quinton de Kock, who confirmed that the World Cup will be his last appearance in this format.
The Proteas overcame a rocky start – Temba Bavuma was run out in the second over, and the top three were back in the shed before 20 overs.
Heinrich Klaasen dazzled in the previous game, but Adam Zampa had the last laugh today. However, the success for Australia’s bowlers was short-lived, as Aiden Markram and David Miller had a century partnership. This was when SA gradually wrested control of the game.
Markram, unfortunately, missed out on what could’ve been his second ton of the series. Thereafter, Marco Jansen and Andile Phehlukwayo put on an exhibition with a couple of rollicking cameos. Once again, the hosts would successfully cross the 300 threshold.
The Marco Jansen show would continue well into the Australian innings, as he dismissed Warner and Inglis in the 4th over. Stand-in opener Mitchell Marsh and Marnus Labuschagne added 90 runs together, but Jansen returned to send them both back. He got his 5-wicket haul when Alex Carey was also dismissed in the 22nd over.
From that point on, the visitors were in free fall. Keshav Maharaj was soon among the wickets, and mopped up the tail rather quickly.
This series win is a timely confidence boost for the Proteas, as they were comfortably outplayed T20I series and had a rough start to the ODIs. With the World Cup only a few weeks away, they will feel well-prepared and raring to go.
SA 315-9 in 50 overs (Markram 93, Miller 63 – Zampa 10-0-70-3)
AUS 193 in 34.1 overs (Marsh 71 – Jansen 8-1-39-5, Maharaj 9.1-2-33-4)