Aussies facing 5-0 whitewash

Kyle Abbott set the tone for South Africa at St George's Park yesterday with a devastating opening spell. The Australians never fully recovered as the Proteas romped to a convincing six wicket win and a 4-0 lead in the five match ODI series.

Kyle Abbott set the tone for South Africa at St George's Park yesterday with a devastating opening spell. The Australians never fully recovered as the Proteas romped to a convincing six wicket win and a 4-0 lead in the five match ODI series.

Published Oct 10, 2016

Share

Fourth ODI, St George’s Park

Australia: 167 all out in 36.4 overs

(Abbott 4/40, Shamsi 3/36, Wade 52, Marsh 50)

South Africa: 168/4 35.3 overs

(Du Plessis 69, Rossouw 33, Tremain 2/48)

South Africa won by 6 wickets, lead series 4-0

Port Elizabeth - South Africa are looking for a one-day series whitewash over Australia in Wednesday’s final game at Newlands, after being handed a comfortable win in the fourth match when the tourists' batting unit imploded on Sunday.

Kyle Abbott and Tabraiz Shamsi came into the South African line-up and immediately went about their business in a clinical and efficient manner. The duo collected seven wickets between each other to stun the Aussies, with the tourists bowled out for 167 in just 36.4 overs.

Abbott, in particular, was very good with the new ball despite having not played in the series before the St George’s Park tie. He certainly showed the Aussies that South Africa lose nothing in terms of quality even when their premier pacemen are rested as Dale Steyn and Kagiso Rabada were on Sunday.

“It is tough not knowing when you are going to get a game,” Man of the Match Abbott said. “But the key is to still tick the boxes at practice and when those opportunities come, there is no time for questioning out there, 'have I done the work'? Coming up against a quality batting line-up like Australia, you need to stay on top of your game even if you are not playing.”

Abbott was certainly “on top of his game”, but so was mystery spinner Shamsi. The Aussies were brazen in their pre-match talk that they had seen the bowler in the West Indies already and that the Titans star player would offer no surprises should he play at St George's Park.

However, talk is cheap until the moment arises, and so it proved with Shamsi picking up the Australian captain Steve Smith and Travis Head within three balls of each other before returning to send John Hastings on his way too. All three batsman were trapped lbw in almost the exact same fashion.

Australian wicket-keeper Matthew Wade sung a different tune in relation to Shamsi after the six-wicket defeat.

He's obviously something different,” Wade said. “When the ball is spinning, like it was spinning today, he's difficult. He's a good bowler, he's quite tough to read early. You need to face a few balls to really get a read on him. We need to play him better, for sure, but if the wicket's got a little bit in it, he's tough.”

Wade certainly knew Shamsi was major threat during the Australian innings, and attempted to unsettle the young South African spinner with a few verbal volleys mid-pitch. With the temperature becoming increasingly warmer out in the middle than it was at a chilly St George’s Park, it was left to umpire Nigel Llong to cool things down a bit when he spoke to both players about their conduct. A notoriously prickly customer, Wade deflected the criticism that he had overstepped the mark and that he was simply enjoying the banter.

“It's just competitive cricket. International cricket is hard work. We had a crack the other night and they came back at us today, so it's fair,” Wade said.

“I suppose it can get blown out of proportion at times, with all the technology around now. There are stump mikes and cameras everywhere. I enjoy that sort of a game, it got me in the contest straight away. We've got to find a way to keep him (Shamsi) out of the contest. I think if he doesn't get in the contest with wickets as quick as he did today, I think we can keep him a little quieter.”

Wade said that the tourists would not roll over in the final tie at Newlands on Wednesday, especially with the threat of being the first Australian team to be whitewashed 5-0 in an ODI series hanging over their heads.

“I think the changes they (South Africa) made suited the wicket; they brought a couple of spinners in. We wanted to really win the last two games and go home on a high, that hasn't happened,” the gloveman said.

“We haven't played anywhere near our best throughout the first four games. We've got to have a long, hard look in the mirror and find a way to produce our best in the next game. We're not in a position where we can just walk out and play under par and win games of cricket.”

Independent Media Sports Staff

Related Topics: