Fifth ODI, Newlands
South Africa: 327/8 (Rossouw 122, Duminy 73, Mennie 3/49)
Australia: 296 all out (Warner 173, Tahir 2/42, Abbott 2/48)
South Africa won by 31 runs, series 5-0
Cape Town - Five-nil! Remember the scoreline for it is the first time in the history of Australian One-Day International cricket that the world champions have suffered such humiliation.
And forever it will read that it was Faf du Plessis’s Proteas side that inflicted the pain. The Aussies – as champion side’s are wont to do – lifted themselves off the canvas and dusted off their bloodied nose from four previous beatings to put up an almighty fight to maintain their record here last night at a packed Newlands, but ultimately it was all in vain.
Not even one of the great One-Day International innings from that one-time bogan David Warner could deny the Proteas’ their magical moment.
Even taking into consideration that Quinton de Kock dropped him when he had just 11, this innings in a different class altogether than the century at Kingsmead two matches ago because it required him to control proceedings almost single-handedly from the start. Australia only ever had a chance of hauling in South Africa’s 327/8 if the feisty left-hander remained at the crease for all of the 50 overs. He ultimately fell 17 balls short and Australia 31 runs.
There were cameos from Mitchell Marsh (35) and Travis Head (35), but this was ultimately “The Warner Show” with the 29-year-old revving himself up for the battle through a heated exchange with Imran Tahir.
But no man, not even a maverick, like Warner can do what no other team has done at Newlands – the highest-ever chase at 258/7 – all by himself.
And that is ultimately what has been the difference between the teams during this series. Every time South Africa has needed someone to step up, there has been a willing and able contributor. With Australia requiring 41 off the final 18 deliveries, it was that man Tahir that ended Warner’s magical innings with a bullet throw from the cover boundary to catch the dynamic left-hander short of his crease.
It was only fitting that Tahir ran Warner out for they duo had earlier required the umpires and former Test captain Hashim Amla to separate them. It was a masterful art of gamesmanship from Warner in a bid to distract Tahir from his primary mission, for the leg-spinner had once again turned the game on its head, with the double strike of Aaron Finch and captain Steve Smith within three balls of each other early on in the run chase.
Tahir’s celebrations, running almost high up into the North Stand, certainly showed he was revved up for anything the Aussies might have in store for him.
With Kyle Abbott and Kagiso Rabada also chipping away with two wickets apiece while Warner was at the non-striker’s end, the Proteas bowlers ensured a record 178-run partnership for the fourth wicket between centurion Rilee Rossouw and JP Duminy did not go to waste.
The two southpaws came to the crease with South Africa in a spot of bother at 52/3 in the 11th over after the beleaguered Australian bowling attack appeared to finally have found a way to make inroads into the Proteas batting line-up.
But just as David Miller rose to the occasion in Durban a couple of game ago, it was Rossouw who took upon the role of aggressor here by striking his third ODI century from exactly 100 balls.
There were some sublime shots square of the wicket, with Rossouw unleashing a flurry of cut shots, while he also pulled with authority. However, the feature of his innings was how he transferred his weight on to the front foot, driving straight down the ground with extreme power.
Content for his partner to take on the Australian bowling attack, Duminy quietly accumulated at the other end through elegant late cuts and an understanding of the field and he eased the ball through the gaps without exerting much power. The pair complemented each other perfectly, most notably when they took 17 runs off Mitchell’s Marsh’s first over from the Kelvin Grove End.
It was a statement of intent that not only swung the momentum of this contest, but showed off the confidence that this South African team will head Down Under with for the real business of the summer in just about a month so when these two teams meet again in a three-match Test series.
And although Australia in Australia with Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazelwood charging in with a red ball is an entirely different proposition, the Proteas could not ever have dreamt of a better send-off.
Independent Media