South Africa Seal ODI Series Victory Over Australia at Wanderers

by Devesh Jaganath | by Devesh Jaganath

image South Africa Seal ODI Series Victory Over Australia at Wanderers
The Proteas secured an ODI series victory over arch-rivals Australia with a commanding performance spearheaded by Temba Bavuma and David Miller at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on Sunday afternoon. South Africa now have an unassailable 2-0 lead heading into the final match in midweek.
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Bavuma, Miller Centuries Power Proteas to Victory in Pink ODI 

South Africa marked the 14th edition of Pink Day with a stunning victory over Australia at the Wanderers on Sunday, confirming our cricket predictions and bringing their sixth successive bilateral series win over the world champions. 

After being asked to bat, South Africa were put on the back foot early, with Aiden Markram dismissed for a golden duck by Josh Hazlewood, while veteran wicket-keeper batsman Quinton de Kock followed his opening partner back to the pavilion in the seventh over for 15 runs. 

However, Temba Bavuma stepped to the crease at number three and, following the dismissal of Matthew Breetzke, the skipper and David Miller put on a stunning fourth-wicket partnership of 156 runs to power the home side to an imposing target of 356/9.

South Africa’s 356/9 is the fifth-highest total ever posted at the Wanderers in an ODI!

Bavuma was eventually dismissed for 103 off 166 deliveries in the 38th over, while Miller went on to score a career-best 142 off just 92 balls, his first ODI century at home, including 12 fours and 9 sixes at a strike rate of 152.69. 

Australia got their chase off to a flying start, with Mitch Marsh and Travis Head putting on a 130-run first-wicket partnership in 17 overs. However, following the departure of Marsh, the Australian middle-order struggled to maintain momentum in the second half of their innings. 

Bavuma opted to take the pace off by introducing Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram and Bjorn Fortuin, and between them the trio took five wickets before Lizaad Williams claimed the final scalp in the last over of the match with Australia 32 runs short of the target. 

Rabada In the Mix As Proteas Name Australia Test Squad

While there is still one more ODI to go, South have already clinched the series at 2-0, and their focus will now shift to the Test series against Australia that gets underway on October 9 at Kingsmead in Durban. 

The Proteas have now named a preliminary 18-man squad for the upcoming Test, with the most notable inclusion being star pace bowler Kagiso Rabada, who was forced to pull out of the team’s ODI squad due to an ongoing hamstring injury. 

Anrich Nortje, Gerald Coetzee and Dane Paterson are among the other speedsters who have been included in the selection, but Lungi Ngidi, Kwena Maphaka and Ottniel Baartman are set to miss out as they continue their recoveries from injury.