Australia steps Runs and Salvage Pride with enormous victory in South Africa

Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh and Cameron Green struck hundreds of South Africa steamed through and in Australia with 276 points in the third and last one-day international of the Mackay series.

South Africa had already recorded the series, making the 50-over world champions in the last game for pride. The opening couple of Australia set the tone with a 250-run partnership between player-of-the-match Head (142) and Marsh (100), before a bricked unbeaten 118 from Green Powered Australia to a Mammoet 2-431.

The hosts reached 18 Sixes when they placed them in the second highest total in the ODIs of Men only their 434 against the same opposition in 2006. In response, South Africa were all out for 155 in 24.5 overs, with Spinner Cooper Connolly figures of five completed for 22.

“A pretty crazy day, right?”, Said Australia Captain Marsh. “A complete version of the boys. Shame, it was a bit too late, but the full credit on South Africa. They played extremely well in the first two games.”

Now that Kagiso Rabada missed the series due to an injury and Lungi Ngidi rested for the last ODI, the pace of South Africa was missing his usual firepower. After choosing Bat, milking head and swamp 86 runs of the first 10 overs to identify the intentions of Australia.

Australia raced to the 100-run mark in the 13th and Head reached its hundred out of 80 balls, and took a single spinner Senuran Muthusamy to reach the milestone. The hosts reached 250 in the 34th but immediately lost its head, who was caught on Spinner Keshav Maharaj after touching five sixes and 17 four.

Marsh, who also hit five sixes, brought his hundred before he fell a slog sweep to Muthusamy, but there was no delay for South Africa, because Green hits a sensational representation of power.

The all-rounder ran to a 47-ball hundred, his girl and the second fastest by an Australian in an ODI for men, and shot eight six in his undefeated 118 out of 55 balls. Alex Carey did not contribute 50, because Australia set a huge target.

In answer, South Africa was over to 50-4 in the ninth and never recovered. Dewald Brevis (49) and Tony de Zorzi (33) caused short resistance, but Connolly, supported by fantastic catching his teammates, ran through the middle order of South Africa.

“We were under the pump of the first ball,” said the South Africa captain Temba Bavuma. “They put us under pressure. They left it on a very good surface. They were much better than we today.”