And that is that from us. As far as OBO action goes though, there will be plenty more across most of the following series.
The South African men next go to England in early September, then to Ireland. Australia’s women have a warm-up tour to India before the women’s World Cup from the end of September. Australia’s men have three T20s in New Zealand in October, before England replace them for T20s and ODIs, while Australia return home for India's white-ball tour of Australia. All of this before the Ashes, the original OBO-breaker, begin in late November.
It never stops. We’ll see you somewhere along the way.
One of those strange trophy presentations, with South Africa getting their confetti moment and being asked to celebrated for the cameras after having just been annihilated by the biggest ever runs margin for a South African team against Australia in one-day cricket. And by a distance too, the previous biggest was 135 runs lower.
But South Africa did win the series, and should take heart from that, with a team low on star power, comprised of some young unproven players and some journeymen types alongside the couple of proven operators. Having knocked off Australia in the Test championship final, it’s no small thing to follow that up with a series win in ODIs on Australian shores.
Mitchell Marsh keeps his chat short, stating the obvious about his players doing well today and wanting to avoid a whitewash. Bavuma also concentrates on their shortcomings in this match, before taking the long view towards the home World Cup in 2027. Maharaj is player of the series, Head is player of the match.
South Africa had to go for it from the top, there was no other chance, but it brought them undone. Four wickets during the first ten overs of fielding restrictions just about decided the game. Dewald Brevis kept it alive for a moment, with 49 from 28 balls, but the hill was too steep, and even he couldn’t keep hitting for that long without a mistake.
5 for 22 for Connolly, two wickets apiece for Bartlett and Abbott, and one for Zampa. Everyone but Connolly went at more than a run a ball.
Australia win by 276 runs
An absolute hammering of South Africa by the Australians in Mackay. They lost the series 2-1 but will be cheered up by the sheer scope of that win: 431 runs with the bat, three tons and a fifty from the only four players to have a hit, then five wickets for their very junior spinner, and a quick kill all round with the ball, all done one delivery before the halfway mark of South Africa’s innings.
WICKET! Maphaka c Head b Zampa 0, SA 155-10
Connolly won’t get six though, because Zampa gets his first. Reverse sweep, ambitious from the No11, and the gloves shot goes behind point where Travis Head dives forwards. Ends up flat on his back with the wind knocked out of him, but he’s held the catch.
24th over: South Africa 154-9 (Muthusamy 9, Maphaka 0) Connolly has four more overs left after this one. Might get six. Would be the Australian figures against South Africa if he could…
WICKET! Maharaj st Inglis b Connolly 2, SA 154-9
Connolly does get five! He had one wicket in ODIs before today. Currently, 5 for 22. They don’t come much easier than when you’re defending 400 and more, but it’ll give him a confidence boost going deeper into his Australian career, given he looks a lot more promising batting than bowling at the top level. Huge smile on his face as he gets mobbed by teammates. Good bowling there, to Maharaj on 2 from 11, darting a ball through so that the charge takes the batter straight past it.
23rd over: South Africa 153-8 (Maharaj 2, Muthusamy 8) Zampa gets to sneak a very tidy over, one run from it. Still two wickets available for Connolly to take a fifth.
22nd over: South Africa 152-8 (Maharaj 2, Muthusamy 7) First ball four for Muthusamy, sweeping, but it’s all japes and pranks at this stage.
WICKET! Bosch c Labuschagne b Connolly 17, SA 149-8
Connolly has four! Look out. Gives this ball some air, Bosch aims the wind-up over midwicket, gets it straighter to long on, and Labuschagne takes the opposite kind of catch, going back this time and jumping up inside the boundary to get hold of it mid-air. Excellent again.
21st over: South Africa 143-7 (Bosch 16, Maharaj 1) Ellis continues, and Bosch nails him for one boundary down the ground.
20th over: South Africa 135-7 (Bosch 10, Maharaj 0) South Africa down to their bowlers now. Maharaj blocks out three balls from Connolly, and misses a sweep.
WICKET! Mulder c Labuschagne b Connolly 5, SA 135-7
Terrific catch by Labuschagne! That’s a decent bit of bowling from Connolly too, the best of his wickets: gets the ball to drop on Mulder, who is trying to hit straight but ends up more digging it out than smashing it. The ball drops short of long on but Labuschagne, after a very quiet day not getting a bat, puts in the dive forward, gets the ball in his right hand and then ricochets it to his left, on the move, and manages to keep fingers tucked under it all the while, including while landing. That’s a tough take.
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19th over: South Africa 134-6 (Mulder 5, Bosch 9) Ellis is back, bowling his variations, but Bosch is able to use the shorter ones: two runs pulled, four runs cut, then pulls a single.
18th over: South Africa 127-6 (Mulder 5, Bosch 2) So Connolly gets the reward, with the chances likely to come given the need to attack. Sometimes cricket is just a numbers game.
WICKET! Brevis c Green b Connolly 49, SA 124-6
That’s the game. It was already almost over, but Brevis was the only chance of a miracle. A bit of dip towards the blockhole, he tries that whip-drive like he played against Zampa, but it doesn’t go so straight this time, it goes to long off where Green is loping.
17th over: South Africa 123-5 (Brevis 49, Mulder 3) Another Zampa over, and Brevis is back at him. The Christmas Day truce is over. A little short, planted over deep mid for six. Then a lofted cover drive for six more! Back to back.That ball was the ideal length for Brevis to drive, after stepping back towards leg stump. But Zampa can still beat Brevis, too. Tangles him into an inside edge while angled at leg stump, then beats his cut shot into the keeper’s gloves.
309 to win from 198.
16th over: South Africa 110-5 (Brevis 37, Mulder 2) Another over of spin escapes South Africa, only three from it, but they nearly lose Brevis run out. He sets off, Mulder sends him back. I think it’s Zampa at backward square with the throw to Connolly at the non-striker’s end, fast and flat and beating Brevis back, but the bounce is an awkward length and Connolly can’t handle the pace of the throw. It bursts through his fingers when he would have had Brevis cold.
15th over: South Africa 107-5 (Brevis 36, Mulder 0) How on earth has that happened? That is a maiden over. In a chase for 400. Bowled to Dewald Brevis, one of the fastest scorers in the world, who has just smashed the previous over from the same bowler. But Zampa draws a couple of defensive shots, bowls fast and flat to drive Brevis back, pins him on the pad for a DRS review that shows an inside edge, and escapes a couple of aggressive shots towards point that either find the fielder or miss contact. Remarkable.
14th over: South Africa 107-5 (Brevis 36, Mulder 0) A drinks break, then we finish the over. Three balls, three dots, to Wiaan Mulder.
The chase is now 325 from 216.
WICKET! de Zorzi c Carey b Connolly 33, SA 107-5
No, he wasn’t caught behind. Carey is at deep midwicket with Inglis behind the stumps. Connolly bowls a half-tracker, sitting up all fat and friendly for de Zorzi to wipe, and rather than putting it in the seats he hits it to the man in the deep. Connolly gets his second wicket in one-dayers for Australia.
13th over: South Africa 103-4 (de Zorzi 29, Brevis 36) In which case, Brevis decides to keep going. Adam Zampa comes on, leg-spinner with a great record in his career, but not against South Africa, and not against Brevis. There’s a whip-handed straight drive, dug out off middle stump and pinged straight for four, then a lofted off drive for six, over the fielder on the rope. Risky but effective, and this too after de Zorzi had muscled a sweep for four. 17 from it!
12th over: South Africa 86-4 (de Zorzi 23, Brevis 25) Ellis now, and Brevis takes one immediately, but de Zorzi is not rotating strike today. Takes him three balls to get a cut shot through cover point for one. He’s battling with the Ellis variations. Brevis ends with a couple more, but four from the over undoes some of the good work from the previous.
11th over: South Africa 82-4 (de Zorzi 22, Brevis 22) A change in the breeze from Brevis! Bartlett has been so economical, but Brevis starts the over by lifting a length ball over mid off for four. Very still as he makes contact, quality shot. Bartlett goes shorter, and Brevis murders it. That pull shot goes an absolute mile, high in its arc, over the fence, over a tall eucalypt, bouncing into a field behind the ground, where a kid picks it up and tries to hide it under his shirt until realising that everyone can see him on the big screen, whereupon he obeys the calls to throw it back.
Bartlett doesn’t like that. He reckons he’ll get Brevis with the next pull shot. So he bowls short again. He does not get Brevis with the next pull shot. He goes for six more, flatter and not so far, but six nonetheless.
Then calmly takes a single to long on with two balls to go.
10th over: South Africa 65-4 (de Zorzi 22, Brevis 5) Crazy fielding from Ellis. Off his own bowling, in the follow through, full length dive across the pitch to his right, to stop a ball on the bounce that might have cost him one run. Goes from a slower ball to a 142 kph bouncer, real zing at the helmet. Goes the slow bouncer to follow though, which is a touch higher and gets wided, so de Zorzi is able to back cut a boundary from the replacement delivery.
South Africa need 367 to win, from 240 balls.
9th over: South Africa 59-4 (de Zorzi 18, Brevis 4) Almost a second wicket for Bartlett in the over, de Zorzi with a straight bat squeezing it past his leg stump. The South Africans do better at scoring to follow it up though, getting one or two off every ball of the over bar the boundary and the wicket.
WICKET! Stubbs c Abbott b Bartlett 1, SA 50-4
Stubbs plays into his own demise. Shuffles at Bartlett, wanting to strike on the move, but it means he almost yorks himself, and the ball is too close to the line of his pad to play a lofted drive. It skews squarer than it should have, and hard to get much power, so the ball squeezes out at catchable height to cover rather than clearing mid off. Had he stood still, it might have been a nice length to lift a drive.
8th over: South Africa 50-3 (de Zorzi 13, Stubbs 1) Another over featuring a boundary, de Zorzi cracking a pull shot off his hip behind square, but again the over goes for few runs besides. Six off it, Abbott has 2 for 27 from his four.
7th over: South Africa 44-3 (de Zorzi 8, Stubbs 0) One boundary ball in the over from Bartlett, width smacked through cover by Tony de Zorzi, but otherwise tight in line. Four dots, a single. Bartlett has 1 for 19 from his four, this is crazy good defending 400.
6th over: South Africa 39-3 (de Zorzi 3, Stubbs 0) Three down to end the over.
WICKET! Bavuma b Abbott 19, SA 39-3
That’s what tends to happen in these huge chases. There’s all that pressure to find boundaries and then keep on finding them. Bavuma smears one pull shot over midwicket from Abbott, but falls going for another, under edge into his thigh and back onto the stumps.
5th over: South Africa 34-2 (Bavuma 15, de Zorzi 2) Another left-hander replaces Rickelton, this is Tony de Zorzi, who was opening in the Test team not long ago but has done well in the middle in ODIs. Three runs and a wicket, top over from Bartlett.
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WICKET! Rickelton c Connolly b Bartlett 11, SA 31-2
There’s the other opener gone. Bartlett gets the ball to move in subtly at the left-hander, who plays a flick off his pads with timing but not great power, and straight at the young Australian who is back in the side tonight.
4th over: South Africa 31-1 (Rickelton 11, Bavuma 14) Bavuma lays in! That’s what they need: an early boundary backed up with the hunt for more. A mix of luck and aggression against Abbott. Three catchers behind the bat, so Bavuma flings the bat to get four through point, again to under-edge past the keeper, then over mid off for his third boundary despite a desperate chase and slide from Ellis. Add in two runs through leg and that’s a 14-run over.
3rd over: South Africa 17-1 (Rickelton 11, Bavuma 0) Rickelton wants to keep going after it. First ball of the Bartlett over, smacked through the covers for four. Lovely shot. But he can’t turn that early start into a big over. Barlett keeps getting swing, beats the outside edge at one stage, has Rickelton find a fielder at others, and there are four dots before a brace behind square to end the over. Bavuma still hasn’t faced.
WICKET! Markram c Green b Abbott 2, SA 11-1
2nd over: South Africa 11-1 (Rickelton 5) Oh dear. There’s their biggest player, gone early. Markram wants to get moving, and a team chasing 400 does need plenty from a bowler like Sean Abbott. Four byes early, a couple of singles. Last ball of the over, Markram plays a massive drive, but only nicks it into the cordon.
1st over: South Africa 5-1 (Markram 1, Rickelton 4) President Bartlett opening the bowling, and Rickelton gets going quickly with a clip to the boundary. Not bad, not bad.
Well, goodness me. Thankfully Jim survived that innings. And what a turnaround. After twice being bowled out for under 200 while chasing, the Australians have batted first and made 400 and plenty. The 2006 comparisons are attractive, of course, though what isn’t ringing in my ears is the batting order: there’s no Graeme Smith, no Herschelle Gibbs, no ABDV or Jacques Kallis in this current side. But Markram is a big name already, Bavuma has influenced some special matches, and Stubbs and Brevis might become those names in time. Let’s see.
I’m off for a lie down and to ice my knuckles after that Australian blitzkrieg. Well batted… everyone! Geoff Lemon will be along shortly to call South Africa’s response with Jo’burg 2006 ringing in his ears no doubt. Bye!
Australia post 431-2!
Phew. What an innings from Australia. Centuries from Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh in an opening partnership of 250 set the foundation and Cameron Green finished it with 118 not out from 55 balls. The second fastest ODI century for an Australian. Alex Carey makes an unbeaten 50 from 37 and South Africa are on the floor.
Travis Head speaks:
I probably haven’t got the runs in this series that I would have liked. Nice to get in with Mitch (Marsh). Batting in the day time on a nice wicket, we knew there were runs out there to be had. Nice to contribute. It’s been a bit of a lean series so far.”
and Cameron Green has his say too:
I was sitting down waiting for Marn (Labuschagne) to go in next the whole time. I got the call up probably the ball before Heady (Travis Head) got out. I wasn’t quite ready! A few twos early got me going. The top openers batted beautifully which meant me and Kezza (Carey) could bat with a lot of freedom. It came off today.”
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49th over: Australia 423-2 (Green 118, Carey 43) The chaos continues! 16 runs off the penultimate over from Mulder as Green launches a four and a SIX back past him. This has been a brutal innings. One over of pain left to go for South Africa.
48th over: Australia 407-2 (Green 103, Carey 42) Take a bow Cameron Green! His first ODI hundred is a truly rapid and remarkable one – coming in just 47 balls! Its the second fastest by an Australian in terms of balls faced, only Glenn Maxwell has a faster one (off 40 balls).
47th over: Australia 400-2 (Green 97, Carey 41) Green launches Mulder for SIX! Brevis takes a juggling catch behind the boundary rope that would have previously stood but under the new ruling it doesn’t any longer. SIX MORE! Phenomenal hitting from Cam Green. He takes a single to go within three runs of a remarkable century and Australia rack up 400.
46th over: Australia 383-2 (Green 85, Carey 38) Everyone takes a breath after the madness of the previous over. Bosch goes for two singles but is then flicked for four off his final delivery by Carey.
45th over: Australia 377-2 (Green 83, Carey 34) Three sixes in a row by Green! Remarkable hitting, long levers and clean striking. Muthusamy is at a loss. Green is now just 17 shy of what would be a frankly ridiculous century.
44th over: Australia 353-2 (Green 65, Carey 30) Oh no! Carey is dropped by Maphaka at deep square!
43rd over: Australia 348-2 (Green 62, Carey 28) Cameron Green is going loco! Twenty runs plundered off Maphaka as Green brings up his fifty off just 28 balls with a huge six over midwicket!
42nd over: Australia 328-2 (Green 43, Carey 27) The runs have come even quicker for Australia since Head and Marsh departed. Green glances fine for four and twelve runs are taken off Corbin Bosch with ease.
41st over: Australia 316-2 (Green 38, Carey 22) Maphaka back into the attack and Green swats him away over cover for four as eleven runs come from the over.
40th over: Australia 305-2 (Green 30, Carey 20) The Proteas continue to chase leather, Green pings Corbin Bosch to the cover fence. That’s 300 up for the Aussies and 10 overs to give it some humpty.
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39th over: Australia 296-2 (Green 22, Carey 19) Shot! Carey punches down the ground for four and Green matches him with a smoked drive. A big last 10 overs coming up.
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38th over: Australia 284-2 (Green 17, Carey 12) Mulder slips in a beamer by accident and apologises to Carey. The batter is not fusseed though as a fine lap for four and a carve past point bring two boundaries. Carey is a dangerous player in these situations, SOuth Africa need to switch on or risk staring down the barrel of a 400 plus score.
37th over: Australia 269-2 (Green 14, Carey 1) Just who you want to see arrive in the middle if you are South Africa. Not. Alex Carey strides out to meet Green.
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WICKET! Mitchell Marsh c †Rickelton b Muthusamy 100 (Australia 267-2)
100 and out! Marsh top edges and is caught on the dive by the keeper.
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Mitch Marsh notches up century
36th over: Australia 264-1 (Marsh 100, Green 10) Mulder returns. Green clips for three and… Marsh scampers two down to long on to notch up a fantastic hundred! Its been patient and brutal, Marsh salutes the crowd and the team balcony. That’s the Bison’s fourth ODI ton.
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35th over: Australia 256-1 (Marsh 96, Green 6) Cameron Green comes out at number three. Where’s Marnus?
Green drives for four off Maharaj to open his account. Maharaj ends with 1-57 from his 10. It’s been hard yakka.
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WICKET! Travis Head c Brevis b Maharaj 142 (Australia 250-1)
All good things … Head is caught in the deep to end a superb innings and even better opening stand. The ground rises to him as he walks off. Have we actually seen a wicket?! I mushht be dreaming.
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34th over: Australia 250-0 (Head 142, Marsh 96) Head carries on in merry fashion, four down the ground and SIX swiped over midwicket. Such clear striking. Head slog sweeps out of the ground! That was a monster! the 250 partnership comes up, nineteen off the over.
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33rd over: Australia 231-0 (Head 123, Marsh 96) No ton off this one for Marsh as Maharaj rattles through his ninth.
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32nd over: Australia 229-0 (Head 122, Marsh 95) Four singles picked off Markram… Marsh one big hit away.
31st over: Australia 225-0 (Head 120, Marsh 93) Head marches into the nineties with a square drive off Maharaj and Head follows up with a sweetly timed clip over midwicket. Penny for Marnus’ thoughts… maybe he won’t even get a bat?!
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30th over: Australia 215-0 (Head 115, Marsh 88) This piece from Daniel Gallan feels apt for today’s match. *Googles synonyms for crunched*
29th over: Australia 205-0 (Head 109, Marsh 84) Maharaj returns. Mitch Marsh has seemingly broken his bat and calls for a new blade. He doesn’t look too crestfallen.
Australia bring up 200-run opening stand
28th over: Australia 201-0 (Head 107, Marsh 82) Head celebrated his ton by placing his helmet on the end of his bat handle and hoisting it skyward. He’s now batting in his cap against Markram, lovely to see. Four off the over, can Marsh make his hundred too. South Africa look flat as a Bolivian pancake.
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Travis Head salutes seventh ODI century
27th over: Australia 197-0 (Head 105, Marsh 81) Head goes to 99 with a clip for two off Muthusamy … and there it is! Travis Head goes to his seventh ODI hundred. Form is temporary … He celebrates in muted fashion but looks mightily pleased. A cut for four brings him another boundary. He might go through the gears now. Gulp.
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26th over: Australia 188-0 (Head 97, Marsh 79) Markram returns for his second spell, four runs off it. Travis Head one shot away from three figures…
25th over: Australia 184-0 (Head 96, Marsh 77) A slight breather for South Africa with just three off Muthusamy. Australia half way through and a monster total on the cards.
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24th over: Australia 181-0 (Head 94, Marsh 76) Two huge sixes swiped off Maphaka by Marsh! A drive down the ground and then a cut square up and onto the roof! Carnage.
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23rd over: Australia 168-0 (Head 93, Marsh 64) Head marches into the nineties with a drive over cover but Marsh is trying to catch him…
22nd over: Australia 160-0 (Head 87, Marsh 62) Marsh beginning to open his shoulders now. South Africa not looking likely to get a wicket in Mackay.
21st over: Australia 153-0 (Head 86, Marsh 56) Marsh drives for four off Muthusamy.
20th over: Australia 148-0 (Head 86, Marsh 51) South Africa currently paying the price for fielding a weaker bowing attack in this third game. Marsh goes to a run a ball fifty with four through cover.
19th over: Australia 142-0 (Head 86, Marsh 46) Muthusamy rattles through his second for just two singles. Time for a drink and a head scratch for South Africa.
18th over: Australia 140-0 (Head 85, Marsh 45) Bosch is Boshed! Forgive me, it’s early here. Head slaps over square for SIX and drives down the ground for four more to march towards an effortless hundred.
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17th over: Australia 127-0 (Head 74, Marsh 43) Left arm spinner Muthusamy is into the attack and greeted with a flay over cover for four by Head. Three easy singles keep Australia ticking along.
16th over: Australia 120-0 (Head 68, Marsh 42) Another neat over from Bosch, just three singles.
15th over: Australia 117-0 (Head 67, Marsh 41) Sparkling footwork from Head who dances down to swipe Maharaj over mid off for four and then repeats the shot even more sweetly for SIX. Wonderful batting.
14th over: Australia 106-0 (Head 56, Marsh 41) The bustling Bosch slows things down a little with just a single and a leg bye off his first over.
Bad news for Lance Morris:
Lance Morris could be wiped out for the entire summer with surgery among the options being considered in a bid to end the paceman’s long run of back issues.https://t.co/YmMyTcFqgc @codesportsau @codecricketau pic.twitter.com/J0hK5k1D1z
— Daniel Cherny (@DanielCherny) August 18, 2025
Australia bring up 100 run opening stand
13th over: Australia 104-0 (Head 56, Marsh 40) Head lofts Maharaj into the deep for a couple that brings up the 100 run opening stand. It’s been all Australia so far. The pleasingly onomatopoeic Corbin Bosch is coming into the attack to replace Markram.
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12th over: Australia 98-0 (Head 53, Marsh 38) Markram gives a smidge too much flight and is driven high and handsome for SIX by Marsh. Gah, a loose delivery down the leg side from Markram and Rickelton can’t collect it so it is three freebies to the Aussies.
11th over: Australia 88-0 (Head 52, Marsh 32) Maharaj goes for just two singles off his fourth.
10th over: Australia 86-0 (Head 51, Marsh 31) Marsh bunts Markram inside out over cover for four and the openers rotate strike with ease as the field is spread.
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Travis Head reaches half century
9th over: Australia 79-0 (Head 50, Marsh 25) Head backs away to give himself room and carves Maharaj over cover for four. He goes to a quick 50 with a single clipped to leg. He’s had a quiet time of it recently and will want plenty more.
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8th over: Australia 72-0 (Head 45, Marsh 24) Spin from both ends as Markram replaces the beleaguered Mulder. A tidy first over, just two singles off it. Stating the obvious but South Africa need to break this partnership or risk plenty of leather chasing this afternoon.
7th over: Australia 70-0 (Head 44, Marsh 23) Head drives Maharaj down the ground for four but the current number one white ball bowler in the world shows his canny wiles by mixing up his pace and flight to get out fo the over for just three more singles.
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6th over: Australia 63-0 (Head 38, Marsh 22) Shot! Glorious on drive from Head as Mulder’s struggles continue. Pick that out! Mulder drops short and is swivelled on the pull into the crowd by Travis Head. Four more off a meaty outside edge as the scoreboard continues to clatter. Scintillating stuff from the Walrus-tached opener. Australia off to a flier!
5th over: Australia 45-0 (Head 22, Marsh 21) Maharaj gets the ball to spin off the straight, Marsh lofts for two into the leg side and collects a couple more past mid on. Maharaj slows things down though, just four off his first
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4th over: Australia 41-0 (Head 22, Marsh 17) Marsh takes a couple of steps out of his ground and larrups Mulder for SIX over mid off! Maharaj is being summoned already as the Proteas look to get some control in this match. Australia will look to smash him out of the attack.
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3rd over: Australia 32-0 (Head 20, Marsh 10) Head goes onto his tippy-toes and punches another boundary. danger signs for South Africa as both openers look to be in fine fettle. Maphaka goes short and Head baseball swats back down the ground for four, following up with a rasping cut shot that clatters the hoardings. A play and a miss finishes another eventful over.
2nd over: Australia 20-0 (Head 8, Marsh 10) Wiaan Mulder to share the new white ball. Mitch Marsh is not messing about – the big fella cracks his first ball through cover and then pulls the fourth ball emphatically for SIX. Ten off the second over. Look a decent toss to have won for the home side.
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1st over: Australia 10-0 (Head 8, Marsh 0) Head takes strike to Kwena Maphaka with Aussie captain Mitch Marsh stationed at the non-strikers. South Africa have two slips in place. Head opens his account with a clip off the pads that goes fine and Muthusamy dives over the ball in the field to gift four! Scrappy start from the visitors. Maphaka slings down a couple of wides before getting one straight that Head duly pings back past him for four more.
The players head out to the middle under true blue skies, let’s play!
The cheers could have been because of this! A change is as good as a rest?
Mitch Marsh has won the toss and chosen to... bat first! 😱
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) August 24, 2025
His streak of choosing to field first 21-straight times comes to an end. #AUSvSA pic.twitter.com/5WV0nXhSfr
Australia win the toss and choose to bat first
A few cheers around the ground as Mitch Marsh calls the coin toss correctly. I don’t think they were sarcastic but Australia fans would be forgiven for raising an eyebrow or two as the batting card has failed to fire in ODIs of late. Can they make 200 for the first time this series. We’ll soon find out.
Teams:
Australia: 1 Mitchell Marsh (c), 2 Travis Head, 3 Marnus Labuschagne, 4 Cameron Green, 5 Josh Inglis (wk), 6 Alex Carey, 7 Cooper Connolly, 8 Xavier Bartlett, 9 Sean Abbott, 10 Nathan Ellis, 10 Adam Zampa
South Africa: 1 Ryan Rickelton, 2 Aiden Markram, 3 Temba Bavuma (c), 4 Tony de Zorzi, 5 Tristan Stubbs, 6 Dewald Brevis, 7 Wiaan Mulder, 8 Corbin Bosch, 9 Keshav Maharaj, 10 Senuran Muthusamy, 11 Kwena Maphaka
Changes afoot! Sean Abbott and Cooper Connolly are in for Australia with Hazlewood and Hardie ‘rested’. South Africa have allowed Matthew Breetzke, Nandre Burger and Lungi Ngidi to put their trotters up with Corbin Bosch and Kwena Maphaka coming in. Bavuma confirms he is rotating his men with that tour of England next up, he also admits he would have batted first on a decent looking track.
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The coin will be flipped imminently in Mackay.
Get up to speed in the meantime:
Preamble
Hello and welcome to the third and final ODI between Australia and South Africa from the fantastically named Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay, Queensland.
Dead rubber? Pffft no such thing between these two sides. After sealing the series on Friday with a second thumping win the Proteas are aiming for a series whitewash whilst Australia will be desperate to reverse their anvil-strapped nose dive of seven defeats in their last eight ODIs.
South Africa head over to England after this series for more white ball action, they’ve been very impressive in the last few matches with Lungi Ngidi and Keshav Maharaj starring with the ball and Matthew Breetzke peppering the fence with the bat.
Play gets underway in a little over half an hour – at 2.30pm AEST and an eye-bag inducing 5.30am here in Blighty. I’ll bring news of the teams and toss very shortly. Do get in touch if you are tuning in. Let’s do this.
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