So, that’s it for us from Mackay, at the Great Barrier Reef Arena – a rare stadium named after a world heritage site whose caretaker government is content to see it destroyed for fossil fuel profits. Ah, the beauty and the wonder of the Adani balance sheets. The third and final match will also be here on Sunday. We’ll see you then.
Three catches for the sub fielder Bosch, which is unusual. Ngidi got the star figures in the end, 5 for 42 after cleaning up the tail. But Nandre Burger started them off with a frugal spell and Head’s wicket, before coming back to get the important Carey. Burger took 2 for 23 from six. Muthusamy took 2 for 30 from eight. No wickets for Maharaj tonight after his haul in game one, 0 for 40 from eight, while Mulder took 1 for 31 from five. The South Africans have been the more stable outfit, twice putting together a solid score before defending it by a big margin, even if they dropped a lot of catches tonight. Australia have some thinking to do about their ODI approach. Honestly, it just feels like they’ve been flat in these games, perhaps struggling to get enthused about a winter series without a lot of context.
South Africa win by 84 runs, and go 2-0 up to win the series
Josh Inglis aside, that is a weak batting performance from Australia. No application from the lower order, with Barlett, Ellis, Zampa all giving it away, and no results from the top order. Head continues to struggle, Labuschagne’s shot was poor, Marsh didn’t click, Hardie may not be a seven, and they were all out in 37.4 overs.
WICKET! Zampa c sub (Bosch) b Ngidi 3, Australia all out 193
There will not be a lengthy bat. Nice off-drive from Hazlewood for three to start the over, but Zampa lets him down with a cross-bat slap that goes straight up.
37th over: Australia 189-9 (Zampa 2, Hazlewood 0) So, 89 runs to go. Or, a rare opportunity for Zampa and Hazlewood to enjoy a lengthy hit in one-day cricket.
WICKET! Ellis st Rickelton b Muthusamy 3, Australia 189-9
Probably didn’t need to do that, I’m going to suggest? Not with so many overs to go. A miracle would have required Ellis to bat time, accumulate, pick the odd ball to attack. Ellis decides to gallop at a spinner and try to plant him over midwicket. Stumped.
36th over: Australia 187-8 (Ellis 1, Zampa 2) Off the mark with two through cover is Zampa, but he’ll need another 91 with Ellis. Not sure that’s within their collective gift.
WICKET! Bartlett c sub (Bosch) b Ngidi 8, Australia 185-8
Two in the over for Ngidi, six and out for Bartlett. Tries another big shot, slaps his pull up in the air for a straightforward catch.
WICKET! Inglis c Rickelton b Ngidi 87, Australia 184-6
That’s the game. No hundred and no finishing the job for Inglis today, who once again is on the walk at the bowling, this time to Ngidi, and nicks his drive through to the keeper.
35th over: Australia 184-6 (Inglis 87, Barlett 8) The President is here to swing! Barlett looks at Muthusamy a couple of times, then pulls six runs over midwicket. This could be fun.
34th over: Australia 176-6 (Inglis 86, Barlett 1) Six down, more pressure on.
Updated
WICKET! Hardie c & b Ngidi 10, Australia 175-6
Another twist! Another return catch. Slower ball from Ngidi, as most of his deliveries have been tonight, and it sticks in the pitch enough to draw the leading edge from Hardie’s poking shot. Simple catch. Drinks.
33rd over: Australia 170-5 (Inglis 83, Hardie 8) Maharaj again, eighth over for him, four singles from it but still hasn’t taken a wicket tonight.
Australia need 102 from 102!
32nd over: Australia 170-5 (Inglis 83, Hardie 8) Gentle touch as well as power from Inglis, finding his one boundary an over from Ngidi with a late cut, placing it to beat the fielder at deep third. Seven from the over.
31st over: Australia 163-5 (Inglis 78, Hardie 6) Maharaj to continue. A couple of dots to Hardie, his sixth and seventh balls, then he finally gets going from his eighth, tall player but down on one knee for a powerful reverse, using his reach to make contact well down the pitch. Four through backward point, rotates the strike to long off, then Inglis backs him up with four more! Charges and slots him straight, over the umpire, the ball curving in the air slightly towards long on.
115 to win from 114.
30th over: Australia 154-5 (Inglis 74, Hardie 1) Inglis trying to take some sting out of the chase before it gets late in the innings. Manufactures another four first ball of an over, scooping Ngidi away, then rifles a straight drive but Ngidi gets a hand in the way, keeping it to one.
We’re down to a T20 innings remaining, with 124 to get – easy, if not for the fact that Australia are starting five wickets down.
29th over: Australia 148-5 (Inglis 69, Hardie 0) At five down, Inglis decides that he needs to get moving, even with Maharaj coming back on. Charges down to smear him over midwicket, then gets down to sweep behind square. 11 from the over helps the Australian equation, 130 to win from 126.
28th over: Australia 137-5 (Inglis 58, Hardie 0) A big job remaining for Aaron Hardie, a further 145 runs from 132 balls. That starts off well, involuntarily or not, by Hardie getting his pad onto a ball angling down leg, sending it for four leg byes.
WICKET! Carey c Brevis b Burger 13, Australia 133-5
Huge wicket! Carey is so often the rescue team, but Gary Sweet’s chopper has gone down. Not a special delivery, some width outside the left-hander’s off stump from the left-armer, but Carey smokes the square drive in the air, and Brevis is there to get his hands in the way at backward point. Shows his teammates how to hold onto one.
27th over: Australia 132-4 (Inglis 57, Carey 13) Muthusamy keeps burrowing through his overs. Driven back to him, bowls the next right away. Cut badly to mid off, bowls the next right away. Four singles, 1 for 20 off six.
26th over: Australia 128-4 (Inglis 55, Carey 11) Nandre Burger is back after a good opening burst, but he’s welcomed with an Inglis pull for four. Short but not short enough to be nasty, angled in at the body from the left-arm around the wicket line, and Inglis loves to stand and swivel. Single, wide, Carey charges and flat-bats but bottom edges into the ground.
Half century! Josh Inglis 50 from 46 balls
25th over: Australia 121-4 (Inglis 50, Carey 10) Some good fielding from Brevis, who hasn’t made any runs in the ODIs after that T20 ton. Runs and dives at cover to save two from Carey. Muthusamy is doing a great job so far, five overs, 1 for 16.
24th over: Australia 117-4 (Inglis 49, Carey 7) Almost top-edges a catch, Inglis. Pulls Mulder and miscues it entirely, but it lands safely on the way to deep third. No such problems for Carey, who smokes his fourth ball over midwicket. Length ball, banged away, one bounce about two metres inside the rope. Later in the over, charges Mulder, and doesn’t get the lofted cover drive perfectly, it goes higher than long, but the field is up on the off side so it still gets him three. Make that a dozen from the over, as Inglis flays the last ball behind point for four.
Good for Australia, it’s now 161 needed from 156.
23rd over: Australia 105-4 (Inglis 44, Carey 0) So it’s the tale of two keepers now. Inglis and Carey, as Muthusamy finishes an over that costs only two runs.
172 needed, 162 balls remaining, six wickets in hand.
WICKET! Green c & b Muthusamy 35, Australia 105-4
Good piece of bowling. Flight, makes Green wait, trying to turn it through midwicket he gets a leading edge back to the bowler, takes it down by his boot heel. Got fingers underneath it before having them sandwiched against the turf.
22nd over: Australia 103-3 (Green 34, Inglis 43) Oh, dropped again. South Africa are bungling this fielding effort. Not Stubbs this time, Tony de Zorzi, dreadlocks flying as he pushes to his left at cover, gets hands on the lashed Inglis drive, but puts it down.
21st over: Australia 99-3 (Green 31, Inglis 42) Muthusamy again, and the Australians are taking no risks against frontline spin after the other night. Four singles, very ODI energy.
20th over: Australia 95-3 (Green 29, Inglis 40) Markram gives himself another, Inglis keeps attacking! First ball, cover drive in the air clears the boundary and clears the fence. A big pull to follow only gets one, but the last ball of the over is a deft reverse sweep, much gentler than his first such effort, for four. That’s 14 from the over.
19th over: Australia 81-3 (Green 27, Inglis 28) Muthusamy now on from Maharaj’s end, looking to continue the other spinner’s tidy work while saving some of his overs for later. Does the job, conceding three singles.
18th over: Australia 78-3 (Green 26, Inglis 26) Since spin seems to be working, Aiden Markram brings himself on. It’s not as easy as Maharaj makes it look though. Getting a slightly short ball, Inglis plays a powerful reverse for four, then a wide plus some singles equal nine from the over.
Australia need 200 from 192.
17th over: Australia 69-3 (Green 24, Inglis 20) A drinks break, then more Maharaj. The holding pattern continues. Three singles, Green walking down at the bowler after moving back to a previous delivery. Trying to break up the pattern.
16th over: Australia 66-3 (Green 22, Inglis 19) Time for more left-arm spin, from Muthusamy. Interesting bowler, strange jerky action, really shoulders the ball down the other end. The Aussies just have a look at him first up, three singles.
15th over: Australia 63-3 (Green 20, Inglis 18) Green finds the first boundary from Maharaj, just short enough to cut and placed correctly to beat the field. Still, 13 from 4 overs is good going for the spinner.
14th over: Australia 56-3 (Green 14, Inglis 17) Finally Inglis has a swing, getting Mulder over mid on. Then nearly plays on next ball, inward movement, inside edge past his leg stump. Gets a lucky two. Nothing lucky about the next shot though! That’s the one that got him out in Barbados, the lean-back pull, but tonight he nails it for six. Out of nowhere, a big over for Australia netting them 12.
Updated
13th over: Australia 44-3 (Green 14, Inglis 5) Maharaj keeps skidding the ball in at the stumps, very straight, very accurate. Green starts trying to use his feet to break that up, but it’s an over giving up three singles.
Australia need 234 from 222 balls.
12th over: Australia 41-3 (Green 13, Inglis 3) Now it’s Inglis taking a turn for a block-a-thon, trying nothing against Mulder until the last ball, tucked away for one.
11th over: Australia 40-3 (Green 13, Inglis 2) Maharaj keeps the bag over the Australian head. Attacking the stumps, making them anxious, Green blots out five balls after an initial Inglis run. The required rate is up past a run a ball now.
10th over: Australia 39-3 (Green 13, Inglis 1) Josh Inglis is next, who has played so well for Australia since 2023 but has had a very dry run just lately, since his Test outing in Barbados. Gets away here with the carve behind point but there’s protection back. Two runs from the Mulder over, and 39 from the first ten. The lid is firmly on.
WICKET! Marsh c sub (Bosch) b Mulder 18, Australia 38-3
The bowling change brings the wicket, and Marsh’s recent bogey shot gets him again, the big pick-up shot over the leg side. The line is too wide to play that, when he’s going well he picks it up off his hip, not from off stump. The ball goes up for a simple catch at midwicket on the circle.
9th over: Australia 37-2 (Marsh 18, Green 12) An early turn to spin, with Maharaj, the destroyer from the other night. The Aussies are very watchful here, poking a couple of singles.
8th over: Australia 35-2 (Marsh 17, Green 11) Square drive four from Green, standing up tall even for him, hitting it square, then follows up with another drive further in front of square, through the covers.
7th over: Australia 27-2 (Marsh 17, Green 3) Oh, no. Stubbs puts down another one. At cover this time. Straight to him from Marsh, not taken, and Burger this time is the bowler who is let down. Marsh makes the most of it with another off-drive four.
6th over: Australia 22-2 (Marsh 13, Green 2) Marsh decides it’s time to keep throwing the bat. Another boundary sliced over the cordon, a third without great timing over mid on, but enough power to trickle into the rope. Ngidi the bowler.
5th over: Australia 11-2 (Marsh 4, Green 0) After four overs, suddenly Mitchell Marsh is away! Smokes a cover drive for four off Burger.
4th over: Australia 7-2 (Marsh 0, Green 0) And Green is dropped first ball! Ngidi drops to his knees and presses his head to the ground, though he comes up laughing. It would have been a good take had Stubbs done it. Full and wide, Green throws the drive at it, edged low near the toe and flying wide of second slip. Stubbs throws himself to his right and gets two hands near the ball but knocks it away. Very much catchable for a top fielder, would have been a good catch rather than a screamer.
WICKET! Labuschagne c Rickelton b Ngidi 1, Australia 7-2
That one run is all that Labuschagne will get. The same way he’s been getting out in the Tests, goes at one wide outside off stump, and Ngidi gets the ball to shape away and seam away off the pitch. Big drive rather than a defensive push, but the nick behind is there.
3rd over: Australia 7-1 (Marsh 0, Labuschagne 1) Just the single steered behind point by Labuschagne to add to the over, after Head had smacked the first ball over cover and got out to the second.
WICKET! Head c Markram b Burger 6, Australia 6-1
That’s ugly. Head has been completely out of sorts through this whole white-ball series, and again today. Weight going nowhere, leaning back, cramped for room, as he tries to smear a drive down the ground from a ball angled into his pads. The loft goes up rather than across, and Markram at mid on gets under it just outside the circle.
Updated
2nd over: Australia 2-0 (Head 2, Marsh 0) Ngidi causing trouble, has Head skewing one ball up to drop near cover, then clipping another near midwicket, two near catches in two balls. Head gets off strike with a fumble from the latter on the bounce. It’s the only run, as Marsh defends Ngidi.
1st over: Australia 1-0 (Head 1, Marsh 0) Don’t fear, that score is one run for no wicket, for our Australian readers – we go global style here. Nasty quick first over from Nandre Burger, who squashes Travis Head’s gloves with a bouncer deflected for one run, which is the only score.
Thank you, Jeans Pants Howcroft. Interesting day out for the Australian bowlers, with President Bartlett the future prospect they’re most excited about, and Adam Zampa continuing to be targeted by South Africa although he took the important wickets of set players. On we go.
To see if 277 is, in fact, par, I’ll hand you over to Geoff Lemon. Thanks for your company.
South Africa 277
An innings that fluctuated wildly ends with South Africa closing on what feels like a par score of 277.
After losing two early wickets to the recalled Xavier Bartlett (2/45) the Proteas must have feared they would not get close to a total this sizeable, but then at 179-3 in the 31st over it must have been assumed that a score in excess of 300 was on the cards.
The Mackay surface favoured spin and off-pace bowling more than raw speed, which meant Mitch Marsh leaned heavily on Nathan Ellis (2/46) and Adam Zampa (3/63). Marsh auditioned seven bowlers, including Marnus Labuschagne, who rewarded him with a couple of textbook burgled wickets in his spell of 2/19 from five overs. Aaron Hardie’s four-overs did not further his claims for continued selection, while Josh Hazlewood was also below par. Although he is not yet fit to bowl Cameron Green still caught the eye with four catches in the deep.
For South Africa it’s a case of what might have been. Tony de Zorzi (38) looked formidable until he went too hard too soon at Zampa. Matthew Breetzke top scored with 88, in the process becoming the man with the highest number of runs in his first four ODIs. but when he perished South Africa stalled badly. Tristan Stubbs battled to 74 but support around him came and went as 179/3 became 277 all out.
WICKET! Ngidi b Hazlewood 1 (South Africa 277)
It might not have been Hazlewood’s day but he’s still capable of hitting the top of off on command. He does just that to castle Ngidi and bring South Africa’s innings to a close.
49th over: South Africa 277-9 (Maharaj 22, Ngidi 1) Bartlett will bowl the penultimate over of the innings. Maharaj takes the single from the third delivery. Ngidi ducks under a bouncer then gets off the mark with a flick off his pads. What can Maharaj do? Only drill a low drive straight back to the bowler who fields neatly.
48th over: South Africa 275-9 (Maharaj 21, Ngidi 0) Hazlewood returns to mop up the tail – but the big quick is paddle scooped for four by Maharaj! That was an unexpected shot, and it came off the batter’s right thumb, with his eyes scrunched tight! A succession of plays and misses follow until Hazlewood concedes a marginal wide outside off, with salt rubbed into the wound next ball by a neatly whipped pull for four. Australia are then not alert to the match situation and allow Maharaj a single from the final delivery of the over and keep the strike. A rare poor over from Australia. It has not been Hazlewood’s day.
47th over: South Africa 265-9 (Maharaj 12, Ngidi 0) Maharaj declines singles from the first three deliveries of Ellis’s tenth over before belatedly allowing Ngidi the strike. The number 11 competently protects his stumps and allows Maharaj another heave. Ellis, the pick of the home attack, ends with 2/43.
46th over: South Africa 264-9 (Maharaj 11, Ngidi 0) It’s been nip-and-tuck all afternoon but if Australia can keep South Africa under 280 they will be very happy with their work. The Proteas must have expected 300+ at the 30-over mark.
WICKET Burger c Green b Zampa 8 (South Africa 264-9)
Some pretty unconvincing tail-end swishing keeps South Africa moving, until Burger mistimes a lofted drive that Green snaffles running around from long-off. That’s the big lad’s fourth outfield catch for the day. That’s only the eighth time that’s happened in ODIs for Australia.
45th over: South Africa 260-8 (Maharaj 10, Burger 6) Labuschagne will not improve on his two wickets as Ellis replaces him in the attack. Neither Maharaj nor Burger look completely equipped to pick the variations but they scramble three singles between them to keep the scoreboard moving.
44th over: South Africa 257-8 (Maharaj 8, Burger 5) The new batter Burger squirts a couple off the inside edge, then three off the outside, before Maharaj goes downtown and gets just enough on a clean straight hit to clear the jumping giant Green on the rope at long on.
WICKET! Stubbs c Green b Zampa (South Africa 245-8)
Stubbs decides it’s time to kick-on, but he picks the wrong Zampa delivery and can only hoist a moonball that Green handles with aplomb running in from long off. The wheels are coming off for the Proteas late on in Mackay.
43rd over: South Africa 245-7 (Stubbs 74, Maharaj 1) What a spell from Australia’s latest legspin wizard: five overs 2/19. Labuschagne has changed the complexion of South Africa’s attempt to push their score in excess of 300.
WICKET! Muthusamy c Hardie b Labuschagne 4 (South Africa 243-7)
Labuschagne gets a fifth over! AND HE BUYS ANOTHER WICKET! Miraculous stuff from the Aussie all-rounder, floating up a full toss that Muthusamy cracks towards the midwicket fence, where it’s intercepted on the full by the perfectly placed Hardie.
42nd over: South Africa 243-6 (Stubbs 73, Muthusamy 4) It’s legspin from both ends with Zampa accompanying Labuschagne in the attack. Neither batter fancies the tonk so the scoreboard ticks over slowly.
41st over: South Africa 237-6 (Stubbs 69, Muthusamy 2) Labuschagne is tossing the ball up, inviting the big shot, and even landing his wrong’un! Excellent over from the bowling all-rounder. Keep him on skipper!
WICKET! Mulder c Green b Labuschagne 26 (South Africa 233-6)
Labuschagne has talked his way back into the attack, and with figures of 0/13 from three overs, why not? Make that 1/13 from 3.1 as Mulder deposits a length delivery straight to Green’s safe hands at long-on! Australia gambled and they won big. South Africa continue to give away their wickets softly at crucial moments.
40th over: South Africa 233-5 (Stubbs 67, Mulder 26) Hazlewood is proving uncharacteristically costly, gifting Mulder a full toss to drive square for four as South Africa regain momentum ahead of a late dash. 300+ is still on the cards.
39th over: South Africa 225-5 (Stubbs 65, Mulder 20) Excellent white ball bowling from Bartlett, adapting to the conditions and switching from a new-ball burst of line-and-length from over the wicket, to a spell digging the ball in short from around the wicket. Hmmmm, maybe I spoke too soon. After four deliveries worth two runs the final couple go for nine as Mulder steps to leg and carves through point then digs out a fuller deliver that races towards the sight-screen. There’s a leg-side wide in between.
38th over: South Africa 214-5 (Stubbs 64, Mulder 11) Labuschagne must be wondering why he’s been pulled from the attack as he watches Stubbs sashay down the track and whip Hazlewood through midwicket for the first boundary in eight overs. Mulder adds to Marnus’s chagrin by belting a boundary of his own straight past the bowler in his follow through.
37th over: South Africa 204-5 (Stubbs 59, Mulder 6) The man who did the early damage, Bartlett, is back into the thick of things, and Mulder escapes again! This time he pulls in the direction of square-leg where Labuschagne just can’t get his fingers under the dipping ball at the extension of a full-length dive. Like Ellis before him, Bartlett is operating from around the wicket to Stubbs and targeting the batter with short deliveries.
South Africa have stalled since those two quick wickets. Australia have done a very good job reining things in since the 30-over mark.
36th over: South Africa 201-5 (Stubbs 57, Mulder 5) Labuschagne stays on – and he nearly buys a wicket! Mulder rocked back to larrup a long-hop and his sweet connection went straight to Marsh at a shortish midwicket but the power of the shot made it burst through the skipper’s fingers. That was like trying to catch a scud missile. Technically a drop, but more realistically a decent two-run save.
35th over: South Africa 196-5 (Stubbs 55, Mulder 2) Ellis continues, but he has to go through a nine-ball over after conceding a back-foot no-ball from around the wicket, then slanting a free-hit wide across the right-handed Stubbs. Both were marginal calls. The bowler responds by moving over the wicket, only to concede another marginal wide for a bouncer that ends up passing the batter down the legside. Despite all that, South Africa still struggle to get Ellis away.
34th over: South Africa 188-5 (Stubbs 51, Mulder 1) Keeping Zampa back for the business end of proceedings Marsh turns to Labuschagne to buy him a quick over while South Africa regroup, and the feisty Queenslander rewards his skipper, going for just three singles.
WICKET! Brevis c Green b Ellis 1 (South Africa 185-5)
Ellis does it again! Two overs in a row. Two right-handed batters caught in the deep hooking short balls from around the wicket! Ellis’ variations deny his opponents any consistency, so when he slips in that quicker bumper he can catch them off guard.
South Africa’s strong platform now risks going to waste with five down already before the late-over assault.
33rd over: South Africa 185-5 (Stubbs 49)
32nd over: South Africa 184-4 (Stubbs 48, Brevis 1) Zampa continues after drinks and South Africa are predictably circumspect.
WICKET! Breetzke c Carey b Ellis 88 (South Africa 179-4)
Unsurprisingly, Hardie did last just the single over with Ellis switching ends to partner Zampa. His variations prove tough to get away, with just three singles from five deliveries. Ellis then moves from over to around the wicket, aborting his first effort with a poorly timed run-up. Ellis reloads, Breetzke steps to leg, the bowler drops in a skiddy bouncer, the batter aims to pull but can only top edge a skier to the safe hands of Carey at deep square leg! Massive wicket for Australia against the run of play.
Time for a drink.
31st over: South Africa 179-4 (Stubbs 44)
30th over: South Africa 176-3 (Breetzke 87, Stubbs 42) With South Africa starting to move into an ominous position Marsh returns to his key man Zampa. Neither batter looks fully in control, but with the field spread any discomfort is accompanied by little jeopardy. Then when the leg-spinner drops short Breetzke is alert enough to rock back and slap a four straight back over the bowler’s head. The Proteas are building very nicely into this innings.
29th over: South Africa 168-3 (Breetzke 81, Stubbs 40) The bowling rotation continues with Hardie invited back for another spell (presumably one that’s only one over long). It’s an innocuous over that is contributing to an inauspicious match, with a bunch of singles preceding a disdainful clonk over extra cover for four from the increasingly confident Stubbs.
28th over: South Africa 159-3 (Breetzke 79, Stubbs 34) Breetzke now has the most runs of any batter through their opening four ODI innings. He’s passed 50 in all of them, and he’s in sight of his second century. He picks up four more with a sweetly timed flick off middle-and-leg that dispatches Ellis inches short of the long-on rope.
27th over: South Africa 150-3 (Breetzke 74, Stubbs 30) Marsh’s musical chairs continues with Head back into the attack. A couple of singles ease South Africa into the over then Stubbs nails a perfectly executed reverse sweep for four. More singles extend a nice period for the Proteas, who are setting themselves up nicely for a back half assault.
26th over: South Africa 141-3 (Breetzke 72, Stubbs 23) Marsh is now in T20 captaincy mode, rotating his bowlers every over, recalling Ellis to his attack. His first delivery beats the bat with an outswinger, his second traps Stubbs on the crease with one that nips back. There’s a hearty call for LBW but it was likely doing too much and Marsh wisely opts not to review. Two dots become three, then four, the pressure building each delivery. Finally Stubbs rotates strike and Breetzke nurdles a couple behind square on the off side.
25th over: South Africa 138-3 (Breetzke 70, Stubbs 22) Marsh calls on bowler number seven! Marnus Labuschagne is the man, after Head was offered only one over in the attack. South Africa deal in singles, with only one bold stroke from Breetzke threatening to ruffle any feathers but his lofted drive off an outside edge lands safely.
24th over: South Africa 133-3 (Breetzke 68, Stubbs 19) Consecutive boundaries for Breetzke! Neither stroke was particularly pleasing on the eye; the first a dragged sweep, the second a back-foot force through wide mid-on, but they keep the scoreboard moving after accepting a period of rebuilding following the dismissal of de Zorzi.
23rd over: South Africa 121-3 (Breetzke 58, Stubbs 17) Hazlewood takes another breather and Marsh opts for spin from both ends with Head coming on to chuck his darts from around the wicket at the pair of right-handers. He races through his work for the concession of just three singles.
22nd over: South Africa 118-3 (Breetzke 56, Stubbs 16) The ticker climbs to 43 deliveries since the last boundary as Zampa continues to tie up Stubbs… until the South African picks the wrong-un and hits with the spin over long-on for an effortless punched six. That’ll help break the shackles.
21st over: South Africa 110-3 (Breetzke 55, Stubbs 9) With Hazlewood and Zampa bowling in tandem Australia are putting the squeeze on South Africa. It’s been a fair old while since the last boundary and Breetzke tries to force the issue with a drive aimed towards cover that skews off his outside edge and on the bounce to third in the deep.
20th over: South Africa 103-3 (Breetzke 50, Stubbs 7) Both right-handers are having to use their feet well to Zampa because he’s getting some nice drift into the pads and he’s varying his pace subtly. Breetzke drives through the off-side to bring up his half-century, his fourth score over 50 in his fourth ODI. Not a bad start to an international career. It’s almost 50 and out but a faint under-edge allows Breetzke to survive a wild sweep.
19th over: South Africa 100-3 (Breetzke 49, Stubbs 5) Hazlewood comes back into the attack for his second spell as Marsh senses an opportunity to chip into the South African middle order before Stubbs is set. The number five defends a couple then gets off strike with a gimme off his hip. Some more strike rotation follows as this partnership rebuilds in singles.
18th over: South Africa 97-3 (Breetzke 48, Stubbs 3) Three balls, three singles from the start of Zampa’s second over, the last of which a squirty inside edge from a delivery that outfoxed Breetzke in the air. A rare full toss doesn’t get put away by Stubbs, who retains strike with another single. Not for the first time in his ODI career Adam Zampa looks the key man for Australia.
17th over: South Africa 93-3 (Breetzke 46, Stubbs 1) Hardie continues, and his ugly figures are made prettier by South Africa dropping anchor for an over following the loss of de Zorzi.
WICKET! de Zorzi c&b Zampa 38 (South Africa 90-3)
Key moment in the innings now with Zampa brought into the attack for our first look at spin for the day – and it almost buys a wicket after three balls! De Zorzi played back, misread the spin and jagged a leading edge that tempts the bowler in his follow through but doesn’t elicit a dive. Not to worry, three balls later almost exactly the same thing happens and this time it lobs straight back to the bowler! Brilliant from Zampa. De Zorzi had absolutely no idea how to play his five deliveries and eventually perishes. That’s a massive partnership-breaker straight after drinks.
16th over: South Africa 90-3 (Breetzke 44)
15th over: South Africa 89-2 (de Zorzi 38, Breetzke 43) Another close shave for de Zorzi! This time he crunches the returning Hardie straight to Bartlett at midwicket but the ball arrived to the fielder on the half-volley. Now another close shave for Breetzke! He aimed a leg-stump half-volley over square leg but got through his shot too quickly and instead has to accept his boundary over third, off a massive loopy leading edge.
South Africa take drinks in a decent position thanks to this partnership, following Bartlett’s early brace. The pitch is a bit two-paced so it’s still hard to tell what a decent score looks like.
14th over: South Africa 82-2 (de Zorzi 37, Breetzke 37) Oooooh, three close calls for this pair with de Zorzi cutting off the back foot just in front of the diving point, then Breetzke almost picks out mid-off with a forehand smash from a very very very slow bouncer. Ellis then lands his quicker ball perfectly and is unfortunate to beat the stroke without finding the inside edge or the top of middle stump.
13th over: South Africa 75-2 (de Zorzi 36, Breetzke 31) Right on cue, Breetzke heralds Bartlett’s sixth over by walking down the track and top-edging a massive hoick that careens over Inglis and away for four. Five busy singles complete a textbook ODI over.
12th over: South Africa 66-2 (de Zorzi 34, Breetzke 23) Short from Ellis so de Zorzi clubs a short-arm pull that runs away for four through midwicket. A single rotates strike then Breetzke is dotted up before scampering through a leg-bye after being beaten on his inside edge. It’s been an odd knock from the ‘keeper so far. He’s looked very scratchy either side of three mighty whacks.
11th over: South Africa 60-2 (de Zorzi 29, Breetzke 23) South Africa ended their powerplay 56-2, in Cairns they were 56-0. Bartlett continues and the Proteas continue to struggle to get him away, despite the seamer only bowling around 130kph.
10th over: South Africa 56-2 (de Zorzi 27, Breetzke 21) Marsh doesn’t risk a second over from Hardie so Ellis is brought into the attack. Out come the variations: the back of the hand floater, the full paced bouncer, the length legspinner, the slower bouncer… but de Zorzi is patient, waiting for the off-paced delivery outside off that he can crunch to the cover boundary.
9th over: South Africa 51-2 (de Zorzi 23, Breetzke 20) Bartlett is straight back into the fray, now from the end Hazlewood was operating from, and the two-paced pitch troubles Breetzke from the crease. Not so de Zorzi who absolutely marmalises a line drive that scuds away for four, almost taking out bowler and umpire like tenpins along the way. That was a brutal smear of a hit.
8th over: South Africa 45-2 (de Zorzi 18, Breetzke 19) Hardie replaces Bartlett, who dots up Breetzke with a couple of deliveries full and straight, then the South Africa sprints out of his crease and lofts a massive drive straight back over the bowler’s head that plugs just short of the rope and rolls over for a four. He goes again next ball, this time getting through his wallop earlier and dragging a six over square leg! AND AGAIN! What on earth was that? Line and length from Hardie so Breetzke raises his front leg and whips an effortlessly timed flick up and over for six more.
Looks like South Africa’s whiteboard had ‘Target Hardie’ double underlined.
7th over: South Africa 29-2 (de Zorzi 18, Breetzke 3) Hazlewood squares up the right-handed Breetzke but the Aussie quick’s stock length is probably a fraction too short for this pitch with the extra bounce he generates. Hazlewood is such a class act he recognises this, pushes his length up and draws Breetzke into an awful shot that loops through the vacant covers when it could have easily gone to hand.
6th over: South Africa 26-2 (de Zorzi 17, Breetzke 1) Bartlett has 2/10 from three overs and a ludicrous ODI average of 4.80. He’s not done a lot to earn his success today, but he’ll doubtless have days where he bowls beautifully and can’t buy a dismissal.
WICKET! Rickleton c Inglis b Bartlett 8 (South Africa 23-2)
Bartlett continues to get away with the occasional bad ball, suggesting off-pace deliveries might have the most success this afternoon. De Zorzi mistimes a booming drive to a wide half-volley, then a boundary ball is stopped superbly by Nathan Ellis at extra-cover. South Africa jog a single regardless, but may regret the run because Rickleton is out next ball, driving an edge behind the wicket to a stock delivery angled away from him. Excellent keeping from Inglis, showing quick footwork to move sharply to his left and take first slip out of the equation.
Bartlett has two early. The Proteas are in a pickle.
Updated
5th over: South Africa 21-1 (Rickelton 7, de Zorzi 14) Another lovely stroke from de Zorzi, this time only worth three, playing the ball away square from the crease, riding the top of the bounce. Hazlewood takes it personally and rips a change-up bouncer through South Africa’s first drop’s attempted pull. But after returning to his stock length de Zorzi repeats the trick – only with even better timing – sending a beautiful crisp back-foot drive to the point boundary.
4th over: South Africa 12-1 (Rickelton 6, de Zorzi 6) Bartlett continues to bowl dots, even with wide half-volleys, while Rickleton struggles for timing. There is definite carry in this pitch, but it’s probably playing slower than South Africa expect at the moment. Maybe it will quicken up as the day goes on? As if to prove the point Rickleton almost drives a fuller delivery straight to point off the outside half of his blade. De Zorzi then shows him how to do it, committing to an expansive drive, hitting through the line and clobbering the opening boundary of the innings through mid-off.
3rd over: South Africa 7-1 (Rickelton 5, de Zorzi 2) To the surprise of nobody, Hazlewood is banging the ball in on a good length for the most part. When he tries to pitch it fuller he strays onto Rickleton’s pads and the left-hander benefits from a Carey misfield to run three. De Zorzi then opens his account with a couple behind square off his hip.
2nd over: South Africa 2-1 (Rickelton 2, de Zorzi 0) A second slip comes in for the new batter, de Zorzi, and they’re both very happy when the number three plays and misses at his opening delivery. Excellent start for Bartlett who begins with a wicket maiden.
WICKET! Markram c Head b Bartlett 0 (South Africa 2-1)
Xavier Bartlett shares new ball duties and he settles into a neat and tidy line and length to Markram, wobbling the ball away from the right-hander from close to the stumps. Then he slips in a rank delivery on the South African skipper’s pads that he clips straight to Travis Head at midwicket. A gift of a wicket and a dream start for Australia.
1st over: South Africa 2-0 (Rickelton 2, Markram 0) Josh Hazlewood takes the new ball and concedes runs from his second delivery with the left-handed Rickleton presenting the full face of the bat and collecting a handsome two. The follow-up has lovely bounce and carry outside the off stump from over the wicket, suggesting there’s something in this straw-coloured deck for the pacemen. That view is reinforced a couple of deliveries later when Hazlewood draws Rickleton forward and beats the stroke with more encouraging carry through to the keeper.
Out march the two sides into the Great Barrier Reef Arena. Australia top to toe in canary yellow with green accents, South Africa resplendent in forest green with gold piping.
Mackay is on the border of central and northern Queensland, which means as winter melts into spring the weather is glorious. It is a flawless afternoon with blue skies and a proud sun overhead leading to temperatures in the early 20s, the heat kept in check by a breeze coming off the Coral Sea. It’s a full house so hopefully they’re treated to more than two deliveries.
South Africa XI
1 Aiden Markram (c), 2 Ryan Rickelton (wk), 3 Tony de Zorzi, 4 Matthew Breetzke, 6 Tristan Stubbs, 6 Dewald Brevis, 7 Wiaan Mulder, 8 Senuran Muthusamy, 9 Keshav Maharaj, 10 Nandre Burger, 11 Lungi Ngidi
The Proteas go into today’s match without captain Temba Bavuma, who has been rested as part of his workload management relating to his recovery from the hamstring strain he sustained during the WTC Final in June. Tony de Zorzi comes in at number three, while Aiden Markram will stand in as captain. Elsewhere, Senuran Muthusamy comes in for Prenelan Subrayen.
Bavuma will be available to lead the side in the third ODI on Sunday if required.
Australia XI
1 Mitchell Marsh (c), 2 Travis Head, 3 Marnus Labuschagne, 4 Cameron Green, 5 Josh Inglis (wk), 6 Alex Carey, 7 Aaron Hardie, 8 Xavier Bartlett, 9 Nathan Ellis, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Josh Hazlewood
One change for the hosts with Xavier Bartlett replacing Ben Dwarshuis. Mitch Marsh assures us he was going to break the habit of a lifetime and bat first had he won the toss.
South Africa win the toss and will bat first
They hardly needed to go through that formality considering Mitch Marsh has won the toss 21 times as captain across T20Is and ODIs and bowled on every occasion.
Updated
Preamble
Good afternoon everybody and welcome to live OBO coverage of the pinnacle of late-winter sport, the nail-biting race for the AFL & NRL finals the second of a three-match bilateral ODI series between Australia and South Africa. Play gets under way in balmy Mackay at 2:30pm.
This is as off-Broadway as men’s international crickets gets on Australian soil. Coverage is available only on pay TV, host city Mackay has a population of just over 100,000, and the magnificently named Great Barrier Reef Arena can accommodate around ten percent of the local community, if they all decided to clock off early on a Friday and enjoy a couple of sundowners.
This is only the second ever ODI at the venue. The first lasted just two deliveries before it was washed out, back when India met Sri Lanka in the 1992 World Cup.
The home side might not mind that attention is elsewhere, considering the thrashing they received a few nights ago in Cairns. For the first time ever, Australia have been bowled out for under 200 in their last three home ODIs.
In the Top End, the top order repeatedly played off the back foot to Keshav Maharaj on a deck that offered both grip and skid to the left-arm spinner. The outcome was inevitable, and not a great indication of the ability of this unit and accompanying brains trust to adapt to conditions.
That was Australia’s sixth defeat in their past seven ODIs, and another win for the Proteas today would secure a fifth straight series win over their hosts.
Following his exploits in Cairns, Maharaj lines up today as the newly minted number one ranked bowler in ODIs. However, he will not have his spin partner from Tuesday alongside him after Prenelan Subrayen was reported for a suspect bowling action on ODI debut. There will now be an independent assessment of Subrayen’s action at an ICC-accredited testing facility to determine if he has to remodel his action. He has faced similar scrutiny three times before, in 2012, 2014, and 2016.
I’ll be back shortly with the toss and line-ups. In the meantime, if you have anything to get off your chest feel free to email me at jonathan.howcroft.casual@theguardian.com.
