The Australian cricket team is flying high following their stunning 3-0 victory against South Africa in the three-match T20I series. In the beginning, the visiting nation was at a disadvantage because of unfavorable playing conditions and foreign crowds but with their excellent all-round performance, they quickly changed the tide.
The first T20 International at the Kingsmead in Durban witnessed the Australian cricket team winning by a massive 111 runs after smacking 226 runs in the allotted 20 overs. Chasing the total, the Proteas collapsed at a score of 115 runs in just 15.3 overs. Meanwhile, the second T20 International saw South Africa put to bat first.
There was not much change in the host’s fortune as playing again in Durban they ended up scoring only 164 runs in the first innings. It was an easy target for the visitors and they steered to a win in 14.5 overs only.
On Sunday at Kingsmead, South Africa had a chance to avoid a series whitewash, but they lost the opportunity and endured a defeat by five wickets. The home batters were slightly better with a score of 190 runs, but Australians outshined them by reaching the target in 17.5 overs.
Let us check out the report card of the Australian players:
Top Order
Travis Head (8.5/10): Getting a chance to open the innings for Australia in the shortest format of the game, Travis Head made the most out of the opportunity. He ended up as the second-highest run-scorer in the series with 115 runs in three matches at an average of over 38 and a strike rate of over 169.
Head won the Player of the Match award in the final T20I owing to his innings of 91 runs off just 48 balls to help Australia chase 191 runs.
Matthew Short (6/10): Matthew Short kick-started the three-match series with a knock of 20 runs and ended it by getting dismissed at a duck in the final match. However, he showcased his heroics in the second game by smacking 66 runs off 30 balls.
Mitchell Marsh (9.5/10): Mitchell Marsh had a golden run in the three-match series both as a batter and the captain. Under him, Australia caused a clean sweep while he took the Player of the Series award home.
Marsh took home the Player of the Series Award
Marsh topped the run-scoring charts with 186 runs. It was the first T20I that saw Marsh’s best performance as he hammered not out 92 runs after facing only 49 balls in the middle.
Middle Order
Josh Inglis (4/10): The middle-order batter Josh Inglis batted in all three games against South Africa but failed to churn out even a single good performance. His overall score for the series read 45 runs at an average of 22.50 with his innings of 42 runs off 22 balls in the third T20I standing out.
Tim David (7/10): Coming into the South Africa series, Australia had high hopes for Tim David considering his performance in the Indian Premier League earlier this year. David did his reputation no harm as he played an awe-striking innings of 64 runs off 28 balls that included seven fours and four monstrous maximums.
Also Read: South Africa fails to deliver at home in T20Is: Player Ratings for the Hosts
Ashton Turner (1/10): Aaron Hardie warmed the bench in the final T20 International of the three-match series as Ashton Turner replaced him in the playing XI. Turner did not get a good opportunity to shine as he came to bat at number seven when Australia was chasing 191 runs in the allotted 20 overs. He could face only two balls and ended up scoring as many runs.
All-rounders
Marcus Stoinis (7.5/10): Marcus Stoinis was one of the top performers for the Australian cricket team with the ball. With five wickets from seven overs in three matches, the 34-year-old ended up in second place in the wicket-taking charts.
The power-hitter came into his own in the third T20I to support Inglis from the other end and scored 37 runs off 21 balls at a strike rate of more than 176.
Aaron Hardie (4/10): Before making way for Ashton Turner in the final T20 International, Aaron Hardie donned the Australian jersey for the first two matches. He failed to make an impact with the bat and ended up scoring only 23 runs but at an impressive strike rate of over 164.
His stint with the ball can also be considered lukewarm as the 24-year-old went wicketless despite bowling four overs across two matches at an economy rate of 8.5.
Bowlers
Sean Abbott (9/10): Australia’s veteran seamer Sean Abbott can be rightly considered as the best bowler during the three-match series. He topped the wicket-taking charts by picking a total of eight wickets at an average of under 9.
Abbott’s best performance came during the final match as he dismissed four batters while conceding 31 runs in his four overs at an economy rate of 7.8.
Nathan Ellis (3.5/10): It was a good opportunity for the 28-year-old bowler Nathan Ellis to shine as he featured in the playing XI of all three games. However, the seamer lost the chance as he delivered a below-average performance by picking only three wickets at an economy rate of 8.60 and an average of over 28.
Tanveer Sangha (8/10): Tanveer Sangha missed the second T20 International of the three-match series against South Africa, but he ended up as the third-highest wicket-taker for his team. The right-arm leg-break bowler bowled a total of eight overs and scalped five wickets at an average of 14 and an economy rate of 8.75.
Spencer Johnson (6/10): Spencer Johnson is the other Australian bowler who played two matches against the Proteas. The fast bowler looked in great shape in the first match as he picked two wickets in 3.3 overs at an economy rate of 9.4. However, his outing in the final match did not go as per the plan as he went wicketless with an economy rate of 7.2.
Adam Zampa (0/10): The spin master Adam Zampa found a place in Australia’s playing XI for only one match in the three-match T20I series, i.e. second T20 International. He failed to make an impact in his only outing and ended up conceding an alarming 42 runs in his four overs at an economy rate of 10.5 without picking up any wickets.
Jason Behrendorff (8/10): Though Jason Behrendorff also played only the second T20I against South Africa, he delivered a praise-worthy performance with the ball, unlike Zampa. In his four overs, the 33-year-old managed to dismiss the likes of Rassie van der Dussen and Tristan Stubbs while giving only 25 runs at an impressive economy rate of 6.2.