Key events
Now Mitch Marsh:
Keshav is an outstanding bowler. You just have to take your hat off to him. He won them the game.
It wasn’t a lack of confidence. We’ve played spin well as a group. He bowled well.
No prizes if you guess that Keshav Maharaj would win the player of the match award.
Here’s what he has to say:
I made my ODI debut in 2016 in Australia so it’s a special to get my first five-for [here].
The wicket was a little sticky. We just tried to utilise that and get the reward.
The boys spoke that there was turn as the game went on. I just tried to use the angles.
We’ve always been slow starters in series so it’s great to put the front foot forward.
Shows what I know.
I said that South Africa were perhaps 20 or 30 short. And when the Aussies were cruising at 60-0 loss I was confident in my call.
But thenSubrayen had Head stumped before Maharaj went on the tear, bagging five wickets in five overs – three bowled, two lbw – to leave Australia in tatters at 89-6. That’s six wickets for just 29 runs in the space of nine overs.
Mitch Marsh was brilliant for his 88. But he ran out of partners and fell in the quest of big blows.
Credit to South Africa. They weren’t perfect with either bat or ball, but that is a pretty comprehensive win to get the series going.
South Africa win by 98 runs!
Ngidi rattles the stumps of Zampa! Full, straight and the swishing bat can’t make contact with it.
Australia are bowled out in the 41st over for 198. They did well to fight back from 89-6 after Maharaj bagged a five-for in the blink of an eye, but it was always going to be too much for the lower order.
That’s four in a row for South Africa over the Aussies in ODI cricket.
WICKET! Ellis lbw Ngidi 11 (Australia 197-9)
It shoots low and Ellis is gone! But was this missing leg? It looked like it to the naked eye but there are no reviews left. Labuschagne and Carey burned them both earlier in the piece so Ellis has to go. Yup, missing leg stump.
40th over: Australia 196-8 (Ellis 14, Zampa 10) Subrayen closes out his night with 10-0-46-1. He should have had another wicket and will be annoyed that his last ball is spanked for six down the ground by Ellis who skipped down the track and timed it perfectly. It’s actually quite an expensive over, going for 11. Australia won’t get points for this but if these last two wickets can remain intact they’ll be delighted. Games within a game.
39th over: Australia 185-8 (Ellis 7, Zampa 6) Zampa edges Ngidi for four then bags a single after getting dropped in the covers by Stubbs. This is meandering now. South Africa are not showing a ruthlessness that is needed from them. For all their great work, the Saffas have allowed things to drift at times.
Another drop! Stubbs shells a tough chance diving in the covers. Hmmm, maybe not so tough actually. Zampa drives on the up. It wasn’t a gimme but at this level that has to be taken.
38th over: Australia 180-8 (Ellis 7, Zampa 1) Subrayen returns. This game would have been over by now if Maharaj caught Dwarshuis off his bowling in the 17th over. But here we are. Ellis skips down the track and smears a four over cover. Two singles elsewhere. Can South Africa mop this up. They’ve had some issues with wagging tails. Time to put their foot down.
37th over: Australia 174-8 (Ellis 2, Zampa 0) A wicket maiden from Burger. He’s done superbly after getting serious tap in his opening spell. He’s stuck with this short length and on a deck that’s slowing up a touch he’s been difficult to hit. The wicket of a set Marsh will do his confidence the world of good.
WICKET! Marsh c Rickelton b Burger 88 (Australia 174-8)
The drinks break brings the wicket and that’s the game! I think it’s safe to call this one now. Burger, who has been brilliant in his second spell, banged it in short but crucially got it outside the eye line of Marsh who was always looking to heave this across the line towards the leg side. Marsh has to reach for it and can only feather it behind for a simple catch. A wonderful innings comes to an end and with it Australia’s best hope.
We’ve had an email about the umpire’s call conundrum.
This from Henry North:
I’m interested in what you mean about the review against Ellis. I get the point, but isn’t that presuming the umpire gives it not out because of the edge? Sometimes they indicate that, but it’s not formalised, is it? My memory of umpire’s call when it was introduced – how old we are – was not only that it left agency for the umpires, but that the technology, though good, was imperfect. I think overturning any decision close enough to be umpire’s call gets uncomfortably close to removing any margin for error, or presuming technological perfection. I quite like a margin for error, if it’s not too wide of a margin. Thanks mate.
I guess what I was getting at is that if the umpire gave it as a run off the bat then he thought the batter hit it. Would he have given it out if he thought the batter missed it?
Does that make sense? I’m starting to confuse myself.
36th over: Australia 174-7 (Marsh 88, Ellis 2) It’s getting nervy but there’s hope while Marsh is there. He’s been brilliant. Markram keeps him quiet with some shorter stuff but a spray down the leg side is easily swatted for four behind square. A single farms the strike off the last ball. A single earlier from Ellis – who faced two dots – means that’s six off the set. It’s short of the required rate of 8.78.
35th over: Australia 168-7 (Marsh 83, Ellis 1) Burger is hammering a short length, encouraging Marsh to hook with fielders stationed in the deep. Twice he declines the single, recognising that he needs to farm the strike. Once he skies a pull into the gap at cow corner. He then swivels a pull for two wide of fine leg. A wide over the head adds one to the total before Burger beats him for pace with another bumper. Just five off the over and Ellis will be on strike for the next one. A handy return from Burger who has come back well after an expensive start.
34th over: Australia 163-7 (Marsh 79, Ellis 1) Another great over from South Africa. Just two off it, one a leg-bye after Ellis was very lucky to survive an lbw shout. The umpire thought he hit it. Markram was convinced he didn’t. Markram was correct but the umpire’s call of not-out saved the Aussie. The required rate is now above eight. Marsh is not facing enough deliveries.
Ellis survives the umpire’s call! But he’s given it not-out because he thought Ellis hit it. But the replays show that he didn’t hit it. So shouldn’t it be overturned? One for another day.
There’s a review for lbw on Ellis. They run and it’s been given as a run off the bat. But the Saffas review. They think they’re in business here with Markram turning one back into the right hander…
33rd over: Australia 161-7 (Marsh 78, Ellis 1) South Africa needed that wicket. In fact they’ve done well to tighten things up in the last three overs. Marsh now has to do it all on his own and hope that his bowlers can hang around with him. The required rate is now up to eight. Just one off tha Burger over that also brought the wicket.
WICKET! Dwarshuis c Brevis b Burger 33 (Australia 160-7)
They break the partnership! Burger digs it in short again but this time takes the pace off. Dwarshuis rocks back into position early but has to wait for it. He can’t time it and drags a dolly to Brevis at midwicket. I’d say that’s justice for escaping a stumping shout in the previous over. South Africa now back on top and taking aim at the bowlers.
32nd over: Australia 160-6 (Marsh 78, Dwarshuis 33) Markram beats Dwarshuis past the outside edge and Rickelton whips off the bails behind the stumps. The appea for stumped is sent upstairs and the third umpire makes his mind up very quickly, deciding that it was not-out. I thought it looked out, but what do I know? Three runs from it. Game is in the balance.
31st over: Australia 157-6 (Marsh 77, Dwarshuis 31) Burger is persisting with a short length but it’s not causing much fuss down at the other end. Marsh and Dwarshuis swat singles down in the deep. A diving Brevis twice prevents loose balls from going to the boundary. Just two runs off the over but, once again, it feels like a moral win for the Aussies who are looking more and more comfortable as this partnership swells. It’s up to 68.
30th over: Australia 155-6 (Marsh 76, Dwarshuis 30) This game is drifting away from the Saffas thanks to a wonderful partnership. A reminder that Australia were 89-6. If things continue like this Australia will walk over the line! This Markram over only goes for two runs, but with Marsh waiting for his moment to strike the game is in the balance.
29th over: Australia 149-6 (Marsh 75, Dwarshuis 25) Burger returns with the job of knocking over Dwarshuis but he starts by getting spanked for two fours in a row. Too much width on offer and Dwarshuis can free his hands while staying inside the line. Burger straights but then strays again, giving up an easy single out in the deep. Two more singles means that 11 from the over. The partnership is now up to 64.
28th over: Australia 142-6 (Marsh 74, Dwarshuis 19) Marsh drops to one knee and lifts Markram for four behind square on the leg side. He then leans back and takes two down to deep point. Momentum is shifting towards the home side. Feels like South Africa are just passively waiting for a mistake.
27th over: Australia 136-6 (Marsh 68, Dwarshuis 19) Maharaj signs off with figures of 10-1-33-5. At once stage he had 5-9 from five overs. This final set was worth three runs. Brilliant bowling but the Saffas are letting this drift a little.
26th over: Australia 133-6 (Marsh 65, Dwarshuis 18) It’s starting to feel a little easy for the Aussies. Another Markram comes and goes without any fuss. Seven comfortable runs picked up by the batters. Dwarshuis seems at ease. After Maharaj’s final over coming up I’d be bringing back the quicks.
25th over: Australia 125-6 (Marsh 61, Dwarshuis 16) Maharaj will bowl through. Fair play. Just two runs off that over. Twice Marsh goes back to full balls – one was practically a half volley – and twice he has to jam the bat down quickly to avoid getting trapped lbw or bowled. Is it the flight? Is it the pace? Is it a deliberate ploy that the Aussies have adopted? Not sure it’s the right approach. Something to keep an eye on as we build towards a World Cup in Sri Lanka.
24th over: Australia 123-6 (Marsh 60, Dwarshuis 14) South Africa are rattling through the overs. Either way we’ll be done pretty soon. Marsh is ticking along at more than a run a ball. Just two singles from this Markram over who is tidy without being penetrating. The required rate is now hovering closer to seven than six.
23rd over: Australia 121-6 (Marsh 59, Dwarshuis 13) Maharaj seems to be flagging a bit but he almost gets Dwarshuis. One ripped back into the lefty and clipped the pad. There’s a half appeal but it was turning too much. Then there’s a chance of a catch at short mid-on but it lands just short. A wide down the leg, a couple through midwicket and a single for both batters adds up to five off the over. Maybe time to give Kesh a breather?
22nd over: Australia 116-6 (Marsh 58, Dwarshuis 10) Markram replaces Subrayen. Marsh leans back and pierces the small gap between point and cover, collecting another boundary. Markram gets one to turn back into the right-hander but that over is won by the Aussies who bagged seven runs from it. After the dramatic collapse, they’ve scored 24-0 from the last five overs.
21st over: Australia 109-6 (Marsh 52, Dwarshuis 9) The scoreboard keeps ticking along and Marsh has his half century. So it’s not game over as far as the Aussies are concerned. A four through the covers from Marsh shows that there are runs to be had. Maharaj has bowled seven overs, picked up five wickets and coughed up a miserly 23 runs.
Marsh gets his 50
Job’s not done, but that’s something to cheer. A rare poor ball from Maharaj is duly spanked off the back foot through the covers. Marsh is subdued as he raises his bat. He knows there’s plenty left to do.
20th over: 102-6 (Marsh 47, Dwarshuis 8) Tidy yet again from Subrayen. One was tossed up and beat Marsh in the flight, but the big unit was well forward and could reach it away from his body. He collects a couple with a nicely placed cut into the deep. Three singles elsewhere means the scoreboard ticks along.
19th over: Australia 98-6 (Marsh 44, Dwarshuis 6) Once again a batter goes back to a Maharaj delivery that shoots through from a fullish length. Marsh, unlike his mates, manages to get his bat down and keep it out. Four singles from that over. The required rate is only a touch over 6. But it is climbing.
18th over: Australia 94-6 (Marsh 42, Dwarshuis 4) Subrayen should have had another. But his spin mate shelled a sitter at cover. Dwasrshuis pressed forward and lazily swatted at it. Maharaj must have been thinking of hauling in Imran Tahir’s record figures of 7-45. Just one run off that over, a single to Marsh.
Maharaj drops a sitter!
It’s not a perfect night for Kesh. Standing at extra cover I reckon his mind was elsewhere as he reacted slowly to that Dwarshuis drive to Subrayen.
17th over: Australia 93-6 (Marsh 41, Dwarshuis 4) It’s Marsh or bust now for Australia. Maharaj has a wicket for every over he’s bowled but he leaves this annoyed after new batter Dwarshuis smokes his first bad ball for four through the covers.
WICKET! Hardie b Maharaj 4 (Australia 89-6)
MAHARAJ HAS A FIVE-FOR! It’s his first in ODI cricket. It’s a ripper. Another one. Hardie presses forward, playing down a straight line to cover the drift towards him. But it grips in the surface and spins past the outside edge, clipping off-stump. The commentators are giving the Aussie batters pelters but all the credit should be going to Maharaj who is putting on a masterclass. Sensational bowling. He has 5-9 from 4.2 overs. Unreal.
16th over: Australia 89-5 (Marsh 42, Hardie 4) Marsh rocks back and spoons a pull shot over Bavuma at backward square leg. It bobbles away for the first boundary since the seventh over. Hardie’s outside edge gets him a single which means there’s six runs off that Subrayen set.
15th over: Australia 83-5 (Marsh 36, Hardie 3) Marsh goes back to another full from Maharaj and almost gets trapped lbw. Not sure why the Aussies are so determined to play on the back foot to him. Though it’s easy to question techniques sitting on the couch. There’s a cry of ‘caaaatch’ as Marsh mistimes a drive into the covers. It’s wide of the fielder and they collect a single, one of four through the over. Maharaj has figures of 4-9 from his four overs.
14th over: Australia 79-5 (Marsh 34, Hardie 1) Subrayen isn’t as destructive as Maharaj, but he’s doing a great job keeping things tight at the other end. Marsh works a couple through the off-side after making room and then both batters collect singles.
13th over: Australia 75-5 (Marsh 31, Hardie 0) A double wicket maiden from Maharaj. Brilliant bowling. The Aussies don’t know whether to play forward or back to him. Some are skidding. Some are floating. Most are turning off the pitch. Just brilliant bowling by a finger spinner at the top of his game. Marsh has to play something close to the innings of his life to get his team over the line from here.
