Key events
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WICKET! Pretorius c Owen b Maxwell 14, SA 40-2
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WICKET! Markram c Green b Hazlewood 12, SA 1-12
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South Africa need 179 to win
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WICKET! Zampa c Brevis b Maphaka 1, Australia 166-9
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WICKET! David c Stubbs b Maphaka 83, Australia 164-7
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WICKET! Dwarshuis c Markram b Maphaka 17, Australia 134-7
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Half century! David 51 from 29 balls
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WICKET! Maxwell c Linde b Muthusamy, Australia 76-6
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WICKET! Owen b Maphaka 2, Australia 73-5
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WICKET! Green c Rickelton b Ngidi 35, Australia 70-4
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WICKET! Marsh c Maphaka b Rabada 13, Australia 30-3
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WICKET! Inglis c Muthusamy b Linde 0, Australia 16-2
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WICKET! Head c Maphaka b Rabada 2, Australia 15-1
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South Africa win the toss and bowl
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Preamble
WICKET! Pretorius c Owen b Maxwell 14, SA 40-2
Maxwell with another Powerplay over, and it bears fruit. A few quiet deliveries, then Pretorius plays a halfway shot, chips it in the air, very little swing or follow through, but times it so well that it sails to long off. Halfway between knocking the single or attempting a six, and he falls into that gap. Out.
4th over: South Africa 39-1 (Rickelton 12, Pretorius 14) Almost a run out! Pretorius is a liability with his pace. Should have been a straightforward single with Rickelton knocking the ball away, he’s slow getting through, and would have been out had Maxwell’s fast flat throw been on a slightly different line from backward point. Very bottom-handed player, diverts a straight ball over backward square for one, then Rickelton drags Dwarshuis away for a couple of leg-side boundaries.
3rd over: South Africa 28-1 (Rickelton 2, Pretorius 13) Hazlewood gets through a good over, pulled for four by Pretorius but he can’t score from the three balls following that.
2nd over: South Africa 23-1 (Rickelton 1, Pretorius 9) So it’s time for Lhuan-dre Pretorius, who was poor in the field and has some ground to make up with the bat. Glenn Maxwell to bowl his off-spin early in the innings. Pretorius dinks him over short fine for three runs, dicey shot that popped into the air. Maxwell goes upstairs for an lbw review against Rickelton that is umpire’s call on leg stump, the ball sneaking through on the angle to hit the left-hander’s back leg, but slightly too much angle. Maxwell around the wicket to him if you’re picturing it. They get a leg bye, and the other left-hander drives two and then four. The over costs 11 including the extra.
WICKET! Markram c Green b Hazlewood 12, SA 1-12
1st over: South Africa 12-1 (Rickelton 0) Oh, skipper. Blazing start for Markram. He times Hazlewood through cover first ball of the innings, flicks off leg stump when Hazlewood changes the line, then pulls when Hazlewood changes the length, three boundaries in the first five balls. But the sixth, Markram tries to punch off the back foot, the ball moves a touch, outside half of the bat, and it spins off the bat face towards cover, in the air. Green goes down on his knees to take the catch.
We’re away with the reply.
South Africa need 179 to win
So… is that good? South Africa bowled Australia out, but 178 looks a very tall score after 75 for 6. Maybe South Africa mow that down in 16 overs, but it gives the home team a proper chance. A bit of grip in the wicket for changes of pace, but it might get more dewy for the Australians and make bowling tougher.
20th over: Australia 178-10 (Ellis 12, Hazlewood 0) Bosch to bowl the last, and Ellis starts it with a crisp straight drive for four. Misses a big swing at a full toss from the next. Now it’s his turn to refuse singles, after hitting down the ground. But he gets another full toss, high, and edges it into his body. No-ball, free hit, but the free hit is a good yorker, inside edged into the toe. Finally Ellis gets onto one, driven straight for six! Front foot out the way and essays the high elbow. Last ball of the innings, dragged into the leg side while a flying chunk of the corner of the bat spins away, takes the first, risks the second, and Bosch nails the direct hit at the striker’s end to deny him an extra run and to bowl Australia out.
19th over: Australia 166-9 (Ellis 1, Hazlewood 0) Two wickets in the over for Maphaka, who dots up Hazlewood with the last ball to finish with 4 for 20 from four overs. Terrific figures for the 19-year-old. Left-arm pace in T20 cricket, it’s a thing.
WICKET! Zampa c Brevis b Maphaka 1, Australia 166-9
Now we’re down to the tail, with Zampa driving a run through the off side, and Ellis allowed to face, though his next ball produces a leg bye rather than a run, off the pad outside leg, deflected to the off. Zampa times a lofted whip nicely behind square, but so nicely that it carries to Brevis.
WICKET! David c Stubbs b Maphaka 83, Australia 164-7
Finally they hold David. First ball of the over, Brevis drops a backspinning ball at deep backward square leg, it was dipping and curving on him. David refuses a run, so the next ball he tries to belt over midwicket, gets it high and straight instead, and Stubbs running in from long on doesn’t make a mistake second time.
18th over: Australia 164-7 (David 83, Ellis 1) Rabada will bowl his last. Driven straight, single refused. Tries the big pull shot but doesn’t time it, slower from Rabada, bottom edge into the body. Gets the next one though! Slower again, had to wait a bit, had to whip the wrists to get any power, but hits it square for four one bounce. Next one he slices over the off side, lands in a gap, thought they had time for two but David doesn’t risk it, accepts one run from the fifth ball. Ellis with a free swing, aims for six over square leg, caught in the deep… but it’s a no ball!
So, free hit, but they didn’t run. Had they taken one, David would have had the free hit. They should have run two on that ball, honestly. That’s basic batting surely, you have to assume that the catch could be dropped. Missed out on two runs there. Ellis slaps the freebie over the bowler’s head, but they would only have got one, so David says no.
17th over: Australia 158-7 (David 78, Ellis 1) Ngidi returns, David punches straight but refuses a run. Digs out a yorker and calls for two, with nobody anywhere near the circle on the leg side. Sharp call. Rabada slips trying to pick the ball up running in, any rate.
David follows it up with six! Straight drive, just to the off side, gorgeous timing. Flat and long.
Drags the following ball and refuses the run, fourth ball. Keeps out the yorker from the fifth. Takes the run to end the over. Ellis has still only faced the one ball when he first came in. Three overs to go. Still time for a David ton if he can connect as desired.
16th over: Australia 149-7 (David 69, Ellis 1) Muthusamy to bowl his last. David turns down a single from the first two balls, he’s going to launch… and he does! And dropped at long on! That went miles in the air, way up, and Stubbs underneath it has too much time to think. Has to lurch back at the last minute, off balance, shells it just inside the rope.
So David puts them on the roof! Next ball, just short enough from Muthusamy, and he belts it flat onto the tall stadium roof here in Darwin. Didn’t run while the catch was being dropped. Kept strike, used it, and uses it again, as Muthusamy goes full, getting cleaned out by David’s drive over wide long on. Another huge hit. Stubbs hides his head behind his arm. David takes a run to keep the strike. He’s 69 from 39.
15th over: Australia 136-7 (David 56, Ellis 1) Nasty short one from Maphaka, Ellis rides the bounce down to deep third, would have been a slip catch if they’d had the fielder in. David finds a run to keep the strike. Five overs to go. When does David launch?
WICKET! Dwarshuis c Markram b Maphaka 17, Australia 134-7
Rotates the strike first ball does Dwarshuis, little bottom edge past his leg stump, David sharp and racing through to beat the keeper Rickelton in a foot race. Thumps the cut shot, but this time Pretorius does decide to do some fielding. He’s not a svelte figure there in the deep, slow across the ground. But when Dwarshuis tries to clear mid off, he scuffs the catch to mid off.
14th over: Australia 132-6 (David 54, Dwarshuis 16) Rabada is back, Dwarshuis does the job with a first-ball single, an edge poke past the keeper. Two runs to cover for David, who then crushes the pull shot along the ground but it’s straight to the deep fielder. Dwarshuis can’t beat point on his first attempt, but does so after a wide, nicely placed behind that position and running away for four. Less ideal that he keeps the strike with a dinked pull shot down the ground.
Half century! David 51 from 29 balls
13th over: Australia 122-6 (David 51, Dwarshuis 10) Ellis, Zampa, Hazlewood, not much batting to come. It’s a weak bottom four by Australian standards. Corbin Bosch trades a few singles, but David finds the six ball eventually, short and not nailed, high on the bat, but still gets the distance to the fence, where a young bloke with a moustache, holding two cans of beer in his right hand, takes the catch casually in the left. David drives two runs past the bowler, then smokes four through cover, and raises his fifty. What a knock in the circumstances. He’s the Solo Man at the moment, bring him a kayak.
12th over: Australia 108-6 (David 38, Dwarshuis 9) “That’s the power of David!” yells the TV, channelling the Book of Samuel. Big Tim hits the shot that Maxwell was trying, sending Muthusamy miles over deep cover onto a nearby roof. Monster hit. The spinner keeps him quiet afterwards though, a couple of singles. Nine from that over, but 1 for 11 from three overs is still a fine night in this format.
11th over: Australia 99-6 (David 30, Dwarshuis 8) “Come on George, just give us your best here, George,” is very wholesome wicketkeeper chat as Linde comes back on. Dwarshuis gets off strike second ball. David gets rid of the helmet, goes bareheaded in the Darwin humidity. Hair shining with moisture. But doesn’t get anything to belt. Can only stab a run off his pads, Linde teasing away at the leg stump. Drops too short to Dwarshuis though who’s able to club a pull for four. What’s going on with Pretorius though? He’s out at deep mid and just trots to pick it up, didn’t make any effort to stop that. “Andre, move!” is the less friendly call from the keeper. Linde is pissed, but follows up with some trash bowling, five wides down the leg side.
10th over: Australia 88-6 (David 29, Dwarshuis 3) And somehow, in this helter-skelter match, Muthusamy bowls an over conceding one run. Dwarshuis soaks up most of it, David can’t keep strike at the end.
9th over: Australia 87-6 (David 29, Dwarshuis 2) Maphaka continues, glided away by Dwarshuis for one. David turns down a single, interestingly. Justifies that next ball when he nails a flat pull shot for six! Barely got off the ground, that one, incredible power over midwicket. Then drives four through the covers with another heavy hit.
8th over: Australia 76-6 (David 19, Dwarshuis 1) Ben Dwarshuis at the crease in the 8th over? Huh. A lot of work for Tim David to do from here.
WICKET! Maxwell c Linde b Muthusamy, Australia 76-6
Maxwell all over the shop against Muthusamy’s left-arm spin. Tries to reverse a ball that is angled towards the leg side and pitching outside leg stump, there’s no way to drag that line to the off side. Tries leaving one in a similar arc, thinking it’s wide, but it hits the back of his boot. Then gets width and drills the lofted square drive, but Linde runs around in the deep and dives to take the catch firmly enough to keep it from jarring out as his elbows hit the ground. Good get.
7th over: Australia 75-5 (David 19, Maxwell 1) Glenn Maxwell to the crease, batting seven, in the seventh over. Steers the pace away for one. David can’t get anything off the last ball, after a wide.
WICKET! Owen b Maphaka 2, Australia 73-5
Maphaka comes on with the fielding restrictions expired. Left-armer, 19 years old, he falls away in his bowling stride and really yanks his shoulder through the action to give the ball energy. After three balls and a couple of singles, that energy produces the pace to go through Owen, backing away and trying to flay through the off side, but playing off his stumps as a right-hander facing a left-armer, and it knocks out off stump. Fierce bowling!
6th over: Australia 71-4 (David 18, Owen 1) Mitch Owen in, another destructive player, who mistimes another slower ball but isn’t trying to mash it, so he gets a run down the ground.
Four wickets and 71 runs in the Powerplay.
WICKET! Green c Rickelton b Ngidi 35, Australia 70-4
My word. Green keeps going. Plays the shot that got Marsh out, but connects so cleanly it goes 20 rows back, off the hip over deep backward. Ngidi pitches up next, so Green smacks four over long off. He’s 35 off 10 balls. Ngidi takes a deep breath, quietens Green down with a slower ball before a perfect yorker, and after those two dots he goes the slower ball again at 114 kph. Big drive by Green, miscues it because of the pace, and it goes off the toe of bat that was already through the shot, and therefore straight up, and the keeper runs around into the off side to claim it.
5th over: Australia 60-3 (Green 25, David 18) So the run rate’s up and the wickets are falling. David doesn’t mind the latter, he maintains the former, thrashing Corbin Bosch’s first ball over backward point for four. It was full and wide but David has the reach to fetch what Travis Head couldn’t earlier. Bosch, tall and blond and built, looks annoyed, bowls the next into leg stump, and has David hitting to his outfielder at deep backward. That’s more the plan. No plan is containing Green though, who makes it look so easy slotting another six over long on. He’s 24 off 7 balls! Then races a single. He’s six foot seventy-three but he’s also quick enough. One ball to come, and David drives it over cover for six!
Oh boy. Three down and they’re going at 12 an over. The ground DJ is playing Chappell Roan. Hot to Go.
4th over: Australia 42-3 (Green 18, David 7) Tim David gets going just like Green. Blocks his first ball from Rabada, but skips down and belts his second off a length for six! Ball angled in at leg stump but he made enough room to swing through and middle it. Drags a single to mid on. Rabada bowls a fat full toss but Green misses it down the leg side. Gets another chance with a wide, and he whacks the replacement delivery off the pads for four through midwicket.
WICKET! Marsh c Maphaka b Rabada 13, Australia 30-3
Rabada strikes again! Gets the other senior opener too. On the hip, Marsh tries to lift a pull shot up and over deep backward. He gets it up, way up, but not over, and Maphaka does a good job in the deep to hold onto the ball coming down with snow on it.
3rd over: Australia 15-2 (Marsh 13, Green 14) No such worries for Cameron Green! Walks in and and ruins Linde’s over immediately. First ball is cracked to the point fielder, so the second ball he corrects and places a similar shot for four. Picks up the next over long on for four, then cleans out the following one for an even bigger hit in the same direction, six. Easy for Green, he’s 14 off 4!
WICKET! Inglis c Muthusamy b Linde 0, Australia 16-2
Golden duck! Early spin for South Africa, if you can call it that, but George Linde gets the slightest bit of purchase with his left-arm ortho dart from around the wicket. Stops in the pitch, perhaps, it’s tight on the line of off stump, Inglis leans away and thrashes an aerial cut, and Muthusamy is jumping and off balance at backward point but holds the catch.
WICKET! Head c Maphaka b Rabada 2, Australia 15-1
2nd over: Australia 15-1 (Marsh 12) Kagiso Rabada to be the other opening bowler, bowls short on the hip and Marsh belts it aerially behind square leg, but it’s slapped down by Ngidi in the deep after it bounces, saving the boundary. One run, then Rabada uses the angle across Head to hide the ball just out of his range, right on the wide line, and Head leaning back has two huge carves and misses both. Tighter line, cracks the cut, but straight to the fielder in the ring. Then again! Almost carries, that one… oh, it did. Flat low cut shot into his hands at ankle height.
But straight away, the last ball of the over, Rabada gets his man. Full, wide outside off, squeezed out by Head reaching for it, and Maphaka at backward point lets the ball bobble off his hands into his stomach, then holds it.
What a great over.
1st over: Australia 14-0 (Marsh 11, Head 2) Starts with a bang! Not a convincing bang, Marsh gets that straight drive low on the bat, near the toe, but still has enough power in his huge shoulders to get it over long off for six. It hung in the air like wet laundry but plopped down in a pile on the good side of the rope.
Lungi Ngidi follows up with a horrible leg side wide, way down and nearly beats the keeper swinging away, then short width that Marsh crunches over cover for four.
Ngidi eventually gets things right, with an in-ducker to cramp Marsh, then the right line to make Marsh and then Head hit to Ngidi’s boundary rider at deep backward point.
Interesting new configuration for Australia, Marsh and Head at the top of the order. Both have had some big returns opening for Australia in one-day cricket in the past couple of years, especially the T20 World Cup, so after some recent experimenting, Australia are going for the tested senior players in the run-up to the next T20 global tournament early next year.
South Africa win the toss and bowl
On a pitch you don’t know, chase. That’s the wisdom.
Australia
Travis Head
Mitchell Marsh *
Josh Inglis +
Cameron Green
Tim David
Mitchell Owen
Glenn Maxwell
Ben Dwarshuis
Nathan Ellis
Adam Zampa
Josh Hazlewood
South Africa
Aiden Markram *
Ryan Rickelton +
Lhuan-dre Pretorius
Dewald Brevis
Tristan Stubbs
George Linde
Senuran Muthusamy
Corbin Bosch
Kagiso Rabada
Kwena Maphaka
Lungi Ngidi
Preamble
Geoff Lemon
Hello! This is a funny sequel to the World Test Championship final that South Africa won. And it’s a funny time to be playing in Australia, in early August. But that’s what we’re doing: Australia v South Africa winter cricket in Darwin, a T20 series, in the tropical north. Let’s slice a pineapple.
