3 weeks ago
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42nd over: Australia 328-2 (Green 43, Carey 27) The runs have come even quicker for Australia since Head and Marsh departed. Green glances fine for four and twelve runs are taken off Corbin Bosch with ease.
41st over: Australia 316-2 (Green 38, Carey 22) Maphaka back into the attack and Green swats him away over cover for four as eleven runs come from the over.
40th over: Australia 305-2 (Green 30, Carey 20) The Proteas continue to chase leather, Green pings Corbin Bosch to the cover fence. That’s 300 up for the Aussies and 10 overs to give it some humpty.
39th over: Australia 296-2 (Green 22, Carey 19) Shot! Carey punches down the ground for four and Green matches him with a smoked drive. A big last 10 overs coming up.
38th over: Australia 284-2 (Green 17, Carey 12) Mulder slips in a beamer by accident and apologises to Carey. The batter is not fusseed though as a fine lap for four and a carve past point bring two boundaries. Carey is a dangerous player in these situations, SOuth Africa need to switch on or risk staring down the barrel of a 400 plus score.
37th over: Australia 269-2 (Green 14, Carey 1) Just who you want to see arrive in the middle if you are South Africa. Not. Alex Carey strides out to meet Green.
WICKET! Mitchell Marsh c †Rickelton b Muthusamy 100 (Australia 267-2)
100 and out! Marsh top edges and is caught on the dive by the keeper.
Mitch Marsh notches up century
36th over: Australia 264-1 (Marsh 100, Green 10) Mulder returns. Green clips for three and… Marsh scampers two down to long on to notch up a fantastic hundred! Its been patient and brutal, Marsh salutes the crowd and the team balcony. That’s the Bison’s fourth ODI ton.
35th over: Australia 256-1 (Marsh 96, Green 6) Cameron Green comes out at number three. Where’s Marnus?
Green drives for four off Maharaj to open his account. Maharaj ends with 1-57 from his 10. It’s been hard yakka.
WICKET! Travis Head c Brevis b Maharaj 142 (Australia 250-1)
All good things … Head is caught in the deep to end a superb innings and even better opening stand. The ground rises to him as he walks off. Have we actually seen a wicket?! I mushht be dreaming.
34th over: Australia 250-0 (Head 142, Marsh 96) Head carries on in merry fashion, four down the ground and SIX swiped over midwicket. Such clear striking. Head slog sweeps out of the ground! That was a monster! the 250 partnership comes up, nineteen off the over.
33rd over: Australia 231-0 (Head 123, Marsh 96) No ton off this one for Marsh as Maharaj rattles through his ninth.
32nd over: Australia 229-0 (Head 122, Marsh 95) Four singles picked off Markram… Marsh one big hit away.
31st over: Australia 225-0 (Head 120, Marsh 93) Head marches into the nineties with a square drive off Maharaj and Head follows up with a sweetly timed clip over midwicket. Penny for Marnus’ thoughts… maybe he won’t even get a bat?!
30th over: Australia 215-0 (Head 115, Marsh 88) This piece from Daniel Gallan feels apt for today’s match. *Googles synonyms for crunched*
29th over: Australia 205-0 (Head 109, Marsh 84) Maharaj returns. Mitch Marsh has seemingly broken his bat and calls for a new blade. He doesn’t look too crestfallen.
Australia bring up 200-run opening stand
28th over: Australia 201-0 (Head 107, Marsh 82) Head celebrated his ton by placing his helmet on the end of his bat handle and hoisting it skyward. He’s now batting in his cap against Markram, lovely to see. Four off the over, can Marsh make his hundred too. South Africa look flat as a Bolivian pancake.
Travis Head salutes seventh ODI century
27th over: Australia 197-0 (Head 105, Marsh 81) Head goes to 99 with a clip for two off Muthusamy … and there it is! Travis Head goes to his seventh ODI hundred. Form is temporary … He celebrates in muted fashion but looks mightily pleased. A cut for four brings him another boundary. He might go through the gears now. Gulp.
26th over: Australia 188-0 (Head 97, Marsh 79) Markram returns for his second spell, four runs off it. Travis Head one shot away from three figures…
25th over: Australia 184-0 (Head 96, Marsh 77) A slight breather for South Africa with just three off Muthusamy. Australia half way through and a monster total on the cards.
24th over: Australia 181-0 (Head 94, Marsh 76) Two huge sixes swiped off Maphaka by Marsh! A drive down the ground and then a cut square up and onto the roof! Carnage.
23rd over: Australia 168-0 (Head 93, Marsh 64) Head marches into the nineties with a drive over cover but Marsh is trying to catch him…
22nd over: Australia 160-0 (Head 87, Marsh 62) Marsh beginning to open his shoulders now. South Africa not looking likely to get a wicket in Mackay.
21st over: Australia 153-0 (Head 86, Marsh 56) Marsh drives for four off Muthusamy.
20th over: Australia 148-0 (Head 86, Marsh 51) South Africa currently paying the price for fielding a weaker bowing attack in this third game. Marsh goes to a run a ball fifty with four through cover.
19th over: Australia 142-0 (Head 86, Marsh 46) Muthusamy rattles through his second for just two singles. Time for a drink and a head scratch for South Africa.
18th over: Australia 140-0 (Head 85, Marsh 45) Bosch is Boshed! Forgive me, it’s early here. Head slaps over square for SIX and drives down the ground for four more to march towards an effortless hundred.
17th over: Australia 127-0 (Head 74, Marsh 43) Left arm spinner Muthusamy is into the attack and greeted with a flay over cover for four by Head. Three easy singles keep Australia ticking along.
16th over: Australia 120-0 (Head 68, Marsh 42) Another neat over from Bosch, just three singles.
15th over: Australia 117-0 (Head 67, Marsh 41) Sparkling footwork from Head who dances down to swipe Maharaj over mid off for four and then repeats the shot even more sweetly for SIX. Wonderful batting.
14th over: Australia 106-0 (Head 56, Marsh 41) The bustling Bosch slows things down a little with just a single and a leg bye off his first over.
Bad news for Lance Morris:
Australia bring up 100 run opening stand
13th over: Australia 104-0 (Head 56, Marsh 40) Head lofts Maharaj into the deep for a couple that brings up the 100 run opening stand. It’s been all Australia so far. The pleasingly onomatopoeic Corbin Bosch is coming into the attack to replace Markram.
12th over: Australia 98-0 (Head 53, Marsh 38) Markram gives a smidge too much flight and is driven high and handsome for SIX by Marsh. Gah, a loose delivery down the leg side from Markram and Rickelton can’t collect it so it is three freebies to the Aussies.
11th over: Australia 88-0 (Head 52, Marsh 32) Maharaj goes for just two singles off his fourth.
10th over: Australia 86-0 (Head 51, Marsh 31) Marsh bunts Markram inside out over cover for four and the openers rotate strike with ease as the field is spread.
Travis Head reaches half century
9th over: Australia 79-0 (Head 50, Marsh 25) Head backs away to give himself room and carves Maharaj over cover for four. He goes to a quick 50 with a single clipped to leg. He’s had a quiet time of it recently and will want plenty more.
8th over: Australia 72-0 (Head 45, Marsh 24) Spin from both ends as Markram replaces the beleaguered Mulder. A tidy first over, just two singles off it. Stating the obvious but South Africa need to break this partnership or risk plenty of leather chasing this afternoon.
7th over: Australia 70-0 (Head 44, Marsh 23) Head drives Maharaj down the ground for four but the current number one white ball bowler in the world shows his canny wiles by mixing up his pace and flight to get out fo the over for just three more singles.
6th over: Australia 63-0 (Head 38, Marsh 22) Shot! Glorious on drive from Head as Mulder’s struggles continue. Pick that out! Mulder drops short and is swivelled on the pull into the crowd by Travis Head. Four more off a meaty outside edge as the scoreboard continues to clatter. Scintillating stuff from the Walrus-tached opener. Australia off to a flier!
5th over: Australia 45-0 (Head 22, Marsh 21) Maharaj gets the ball to spin off the straight, Marsh lofts for two into the leg side and collects a couple more past mid on. Maharaj slows things down though, just four off his first
4th over: Australia 41-0 (Head 22, Marsh 17) Marsh takes a couple of steps out of his ground and larrups Mulder for SIX over mid off! Maharaj is being summoned already as the Proteas look to get some control in this match. Australia will look to smash him out of the attack.
3rd over: Australia 32-0 (Head 20, Marsh 10) Head goes onto his tippy-toes and punches another boundary. danger signs for South Africa as both openers look to be in fine fettle. Maphaka goes short and Head baseball swats back down the ground for four, following up with a rasping cut shot that clatters the hoardings. A play and a miss finishes another eventful over.
2nd over: Australia 20-0 (Head 8, Marsh 10) Wiaan Mulder to share the new white ball. Mitch Marsh is not messing about – the big fella cracks his first ball through cover and then pulls the fourth ball emphatically for SIX. Ten off the second over. Look a decent toss to have won for the home side.
1st over: Australia 10-0 (Head 8, Marsh 0) Head takes strike to Kwena Maphaka with Aussie captain Mitch Marsh stationed at the non-strikers. South Africa have two slips in place. Head opens his account with a clip off the pads that goes fine and Muthusamy dives over the ball in the field to gift four! Scrappy start from the visitors. Maphaka slings down a couple of wides before getting one straight that Head duly pings back past him for four more.
The players head out to the middle under true blue skies, let’s play!
The cheers could have been because of this! A change is as good as a rest?
Australia win the toss and choose to bat first
A few cheers around the ground as Mitch Marsh calls the coin toss correctly. I don’t think they were sarcastic but Australia fans would be forgiven for raising an eyebrow or two as the batting card has failed to fire in ODIs of late. Can they make 200 for the first time this series. We’ll soon find out.
Teams:
Australia: 1 Mitchell Marsh (c), 2 Travis Head, 3 Marnus Labuschagne, 4 Cameron Green, 5 Josh Inglis (wk), 6 Alex Carey, 7 Cooper Connolly, 8 Xavier Bartlett, 9 Sean Abbott, 10 Nathan Ellis, 10 Adam Zampa
South Africa: 1 Ryan Rickelton, 2 Aiden Markram, 3 Temba Bavuma (c), 4 Tony de Zorzi, 5 Tristan Stubbs, 6 Dewald Brevis, 7 Wiaan Mulder, 8 Corbin Bosch, 9 Keshav Maharaj, 10 Senuran Muthusamy, 11 Kwena Maphaka
Changes afoot! Sean Abbott and Cooper Connolly are in for Australia with Hazlewood and Hardie ‘rested’. South Africa have allowed Matthew Breetzke, Nandre Burger and Lungi Ngidi to put their trotters up with Corbin Bosch and Kwena Maphaka coming in. Bavuma confirms he is rotating his men with that tour of England next up, he also admits he would have batted first on a decent looking track.
The coin will be flipped imminently in Mackay.
Get up to speed in the meantime:
Preamble
James Wallace
Hello and welcome to the third and final ODI between Australia and South Africa from the fantastically named Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay, Queensland.
Dead rubber? Pffft no such thing between these two sides. After sealing the series on Friday with a second thumping win the Proteas are aiming for a series whitewash whilst Australia will be desperate to reverse their anvil-strapped nose dive of seven defeats in their last eight ODIs.
South Africa head over to England after this series for more white ball action, they’ve been very impressive in the last few matches with Lungi Ngidi and Keshav Maharaj starring with the ball and Matthew Breetzke peppering the fence with the bat.
Play gets underway in a little over half an hour – at 2.30pm AEST and an eye-bag inducing 5.30am here in Blighty. I’ll bring news of the teams and toss very shortly. Do get in touch if you are tuning in. Let’s do this.
