Cape Town - Doubts about the Proteas’ bowling attack at the ICC World T20 will be raised once more after they failed to defend 178 in going down by six wickets to Australia at Newlands on Wednesday night.
South Africa surrendered the three-match series 2-1 after winning the opening game in Durban.
Following the batting difficulties earlier in the international season, the Proteas have largely sorted out that part of their make-up – except perhaps one middle-order spot – as they scored 204 at the Wanderers on Sunday and 178/4 at Newlands on Wednesday.
But they couldn’t finish off the Aussies on both occasions, which also confirms that they are a much better chasing side than one that can set a target and defend it.
The juggernaut Australian batting line-up implemented a deliberate plan to hit Proteas superstar Kagiso Rabada out of the attack, and the ploy worked as he conceded 20 runs in his first two overs.
Openers Usman Khawaja and Shane Watson went hard at Rabada in particular, hitting three fours and a six off his first 12 balls.
They then went into overdrive in the last two overs of the powerplay, dispatching Kyle Abbott for 12 and Imran Tahir for 16 to take Australia to 51/0 off six overs. Watson was dropped on 30, though, as he hit Tahir straight to David Miller at the long-off boundary, and Miller inexplicably put down a simple catch.
It cost the Proteas 12 extra runs, but Tahir came back to claim Watson’s wicket for 42 as Faf du Plessis took a sensational catch over his shoulder at extra cover.
Tahir grabbed Khawaja’s wicket for 33 three balls later when the left-hander swept the bowler to Hashim Amla at square leg, which reduced Australia to 78/2 off 8.5 overs.
But Australian captain Steve Smith and David Warner laid into the Proteas attack, combining for a match-winning partnership of 79 for the third wicket, which took their team to 157 before Warner was run out by Tahir for 33.
Rabada came back and ensured that there was some sort of pressure on the visitors when he got rid of Smith for 44 – a full toss that the batsman tried to paddle, but scooped to wicket-keeper De Kock – but by then it was too late.
Glenn Maxwell smashed 19 not out off 10 balls to take Australia over the line.
Earlier, Amla hit the highest T20 international score at Newlands with 97 not out off 62 balls to steer the Proteas to 178.
Amla made a strong case for a permanent spot in the T20 side as he hit eight fours and four sixes in what was the best score by a South African against Australia in the shortened format.
It was also his third half-century and highest total of his career, surpassing his previous best of 69 not out.
Amla received little support, though, as only middle-order batsman David Miller reached the 30-run mark.
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