With one game remaining, South Africa defeated the visitors at the Wanderers in the Pink Day match to secure their sixth consecutive bilateral ODI series victory against Australia. David Miller‘s career-high 142 and captain Temba Bavuma’s century, who put on a 156-run fourth-wicket partnership to set South Africa up for a dominant total, were the cornerstones of the victory. As South Africa’s spinners and seamers worked together to destroy the middle and lower order, Australia was bowled out two balls short of their allocated overs in the chase, missing the target.
Ten of the fourteen Pink Day matches at the Wanderers have now been won by South Africa. Jack Edwards’ five wickets in just his second ODI—the first five-for of his List A career—was Australia’s only win from the game. However, Australia had serious worries going into the third match at Potchefstroom because to a side strain Nathan Ellis sustained during his bowling spell and the team’s ongoing susceptibility to spin.
Ten of the fourteen Pink Day matches at the Wanderers have now been won by South Africa
Australia made an early impact as Josh Hazlewood got extra bounce to dismiss Aiden Markram’s opening delivery, with Cooper Connolly scooping a catch at cover-point. Mitch Marsh won the toss and decided to bowl. South Africa was left at 36 for 2 after Quinton de Kock blasted two leg-side sixes off Hazlewood in the seventh over before nicking off. After scoring a century in Durban during the first ODI, Matthew Breetzke combined 57 alongside Bavuma before taking the New South Wales seamer’s first international wicket by edging an Edwards delivery behind.
At that point, Bavuma was on 45 and was still building his innings alongside Miller. After hitting his fifty, Miller accelerated and blasted short balls from Adam Zampa over the boundary. Before holing out to give Edwards a second wicket, Bavuma reached his century off 112 balls, his first ODI century at his home ground. When Bavuma left on 98, Miller sliced the following delivery over point to reach his own century off 73 balls and paid homage to Jenny by pointing to the stands.
Alongside Marco Jansen, who hit two sixes before skying a slower ball to finish a 46-run sixth-wicket partnership off only 27 balls, he continued to score freely, adding 39 runs off the following 20 balls. Before Miller holed out to give Edwards his fifth wicket, Duan Jansen watched Miller hit his ODI best with a six. At the end, South Africa scored the fifth-highest total defended at the Wanderers thanks to Duan’s 27 off 18 balls. For the second straight game, Australia also received a fielding penalty, this time for a single over.
Australia made a forceful start to the pursuit. In 17 overs, Marsh and Travis Head amassed 130 for the first wicket, with a boundary in between. Early on, Marco Jansen, Lizaad Williams, and Duan Jansen bowled too full, making it difficult for South Africa’s seamers to maintain control. Keshav Maharaj was added in the ninth over. The batters took 13 runs off his opening over by using their feet effectively against him. Before being bowled by Bjorn Fortuin, Marsh stole 14 runs off Marco Jansen’s fourth over while playing for a turn that didn’t exist.
Head continued to score after reaching his fifty off 55 balls, but when he was on 66, Fortuin dropped a catch at backward point. Before Markram dismissed Head lbw with an offbreak that Head missed while trying to sweep, the drop cost South Africa eighteen runs.
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Between the 17th and 40th overs, South Africa’s three spinners—Maharaj, Fortuin, and Markram—took five wickets and gave up less than six runs per over, costing Australia six wickets for 121 runs. After dismissing Alex Carey lbw, Maharaj dismissed Matt Renshaw lbw following Renshaw’s futile review. As Australia’s necessary run-rate increased, Cameron Green holed out to long-on.
Australia required 113 runs from the final ten overs and 175 from the second half of their innings. Australia had hope thanks to a 61-run seventh-wicket partnership between Edwards and Xavier Bartlett, who hit fifty off 26 balls. Ellis walked out to bat despite his side discomfort after Marco Jansen took two wickets in two deliveries. After a successful review by Bavuma, Bartlett was dismissed lbw to a Williams yorker. With two balls left, Australia were bowled out, with Markram making the last catch. The Australians failed to reach the target of 366, being bowled out for 333 in 49.5 overs.
