Temba Bavuma: Enjoy the individual performances, then come back tomorrow and find ways to get better
With 9.1 overs remaining, the winning moment occurred but Marnus Labuschagne and Starc put up a strong stand of 69, the second-highest total of the game, with the express intention of protecting NRR while Australia had minimal margin for error remaining in the final seven league games after two consecutive losses.
Australia had won the toss and decided to bowl first. The sharpness of each shot fired in rage was the key component of de Kock’s attack. Starc and Josh Hazlewood each had access to an early swing and seam, which made for a quiet beginning.
The opening batter quickly turned up the volume with a flick for six over square leg off the first and a pair of fours led then driven squarely across the fifth and sixth overs off the latter.
Bavuma contributed 17 of the 53 runs made in the powerplay and 35 of the opening stand’s total 108 runs before falling to Maxwell for a catch at deep midwicket thanks to his steady advancement.
Even though Maxwell was able to follow it up against de Kock with a maiden in the 22nd over, the left-hander made up for it in the 23rd over with a pair of sixes off Hazlewood over backward square leg.
Rassie van der Dussen lost to Zampa after a half-century partnership for the second wicket. He failed to clear straight, and this time, Abbott had enough room between him and the sponge to finish the dismissal himself. Eight deliveries later, de Kock hit his fifth six against Australia, bringing up his third ODI hundred.
With 20 overs left and a score of 171 for 2, the potential for an unbeatable total was beginning to wear on Cummins. This was demonstrated when he burned a review against de Kock, who was on 104, for a speculative outside edge off his bowling.
De Kock attempted to force the matter with a reverse sweep that found its way onto his stumps, but the wicket they desired would eventually come.
It was Maxwell’s second batsman to be bowled out, and he eventually finished his ten overs without giving up a boundary as the ball continued to move elsewhere.
With three boundaries in an over that cost 14, Markram and Heinrich Klassen teamed to inflict additional pain on Hazlewood in the 38th. The two raised a second fifty stand, this one off 41 deliveries. In Zampa’s final two overs being hauled for 25, Markram would take as many to bring up one of his own.
Australia started to slow things down with pace-off deliveries at that time when they were 263 for 3 with 7 overs remaining. In the space of seven deliveries, Cummins caught Markram with a cutter directed to the backward point, and then Klaasen top-edged Hazlewood’s slower bumper through to Inglis.
In the last over, which would yield just one run via a leg bye, Starc would wrap things up decisively with Warner catching Jansen and Miller being yorked. With the damage from the final seven overs being restricted to only 48 runs, Australia appeared to be back in the game.
However, South Africa’s quicks had been taking notes. In addition, there were differences in the movement with the two shiny new Kookaburras that claimed Australia’s openers Mitchell Marsh and David Warner in seven deliveries up until the end of the seventh over.
When Warner smacked a similar ball straight to cover in the second of Lungi Ngidi’s two maidens in the first four overs of his 50th ODI, Marsh had already skied to Bavuma at mid-off after Jansen had caused a delivery to stop in the pitch.
After hitting two precise fours from Rabada, who left no room for interpretation when he squared up Inglis to remove the right-hander off stump, Smith’s disputed LBW claim followed. Australia’s goose was well and truly cooked at 65 for 5, with 247 still needed from 33.5 overs when Maxwell’s leading edge handed Keshav Maharaj with a straightforward return catch.
After Stoinis was dismissed, Marnus Labuschagne and Starc put up a strong stand of 69, the second-highest total of the game, with the express intention of protecting NRR and salvaging any remaining pride before excessive bounce from Jansen and a chip to cover off Maharaj resulted in another two dismissals.
In place of Gerald Coetzee, Tabraiz Shamsi took two in three as Cummins and Hazlewood skyed into the off-side, giving him something to show for his day. Cummins and Zampa then heaved for 32 more runs together.
With 9.1 overs remaining, the winning moment occurred. But in truth, the match was over a long time ago. Australia had minimal margin for error remaining in the final seven league games after two consecutive losses.
Pat Cummins, the Australia Captain:
“Quinny batted well, from where they were we were happy with 310, we felt it was chaseable. It looked like hard work out there at night, zipped around now, but we were well off the mark. If we want to be challenging for this tournament you’ve got to adapt to all conditions. Not much needs to be said tonight, everyone’s hurting. We have a few days until the next one here, so we’ll try to make amends. A few things to tidy up.”
Temba Bavuma, the South Africa Captain:
“311 was a couple over par, 290-300 was par, glad to lose to the toss cos things worked out in our favor. I was scratching around so Quinton needs to be credited a lot. I’d be really greedy if I said there were areas to improve, a near-perfect game with the bat, and with the ball, looking at all the phases, the guys dominated and showed their skills. Got to acknowledge the batting effort, being over-par, and we were clinical with the new ball, then KG following up with intensity, then the spinners. Character is the biggest thing we talk about, and we showed it today. Let’s enjoy the individual performances, then come back tomorrow and find ways to get better and better as a team.”
Quinton de Kock:
“A great win for the boys, assessed conditions well, played accordingly, stuck to our strengths, and came out on top. They were potent up front, so we assessed our scoring options. Definitely thought it was above par, seen from the Lucknow team it gets harder at night and it did prove that. It was sweaty and humid, but the bowlers bowled with intensity, an didn’t give them a sniff up front. We are pretty pleased with ourselves, but only two games in, anything can happen, and quickly, won’t get too high, just take it game by game.”