AUS V SA, 2ND ODI
Chasing a target of 278, Australia were bowled out for 193 inside 38 overs © Getty
Lungi Ngidi stepped up in the absence of the injured Kagiso Rabada, picking up 5/42 as South Africa clinched the three-match ODI series with a 84-run win in the second ODI. This gave South Africa their fifth consecutive bilateral ODI series win against Australia.
After opting to bat, South Africa found themselves in familiar territory at the Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay – rebuilding after early strikes before a dramatic late-order collapse threatened to derail what looked like a commanding total. South Africa lost four wickets for 31 runs in the space of 35 deliveries and went from 233 for 5 at the start of the 41st over to 264 for 9 in the 46th over before being bowled out for 277.
Matthew Breetzke and Tristan Stubbs had led a recovery from the middle-order after two early strikes from Xavier Bartlett. The duo put on a 89-run stand for the fourth wicket which closely followed a 67-run stand for the third between Tony De Zorzi and Breetzke. These partnerships guided South Africa through the tricky phase in the middle overs. Breetzke’s counter-attack including a 16-run over against Aaron Hardie helped turn the momentum with a steady Stubbs at the other end.
But just as they were poised for more, Breetzke miscued a big hit off Nathan Ellis to be out caught for 88. Another short ball got the better of Dewald Brevis in Ellis’ next over leaving South Africa shaky again. But Stubbs managed to guide them ahead before he became part of the collapse in the back-end of the inning.
In the chase, Australia had another bad day out with the bat, with Travis Head falling in the third over, mistiming a loft off Nandre Burger. It got worse as Marnus Labuschagne’s horror run in international cricket continued. Chasing a wide one from Ngidi, Labuschagne fell for 1 for the second time in succession. Skipper Mitchell Marsh survived a dropped catch and hit four fours in his 18 before falling to a mistimed pull.
Cameron Green and Josh Inglis steadied the ship with a 67-run stand for the fourth wicket before the former hit a return catch back to Senuran Muthusamy to be dismissed for 35, Inglis remained as the lone warrior as the innings unravelled rapidly thereafter. Ngidi wrapped up the lower-order including the crucial strikes of Hardie in Inglis in successive overs as Australia were bowled out for 193.
Brief Scores: South Africa 277 all out (Matthew Breetzke 88, Tristan Stubbs 74; Adam Zampa 3-63) beat Australia 193 all out (Josh Inglis 87; Lungi Ngidi 5-42) by 84 runs
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