As easy as AB (C) as Proteas klap Aussies

28 August 2014 - 02:09 By Telford Vice
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Affies were too good for Australia in Harare yesterday as South Africa surged to a rousing seven-wicket win at the Harare Sports Club.

The triangular series match was decided with 20 balls to spare, when South Africa reached 328/3. AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis scored more than three-quarters of the towering target between them with respective contributions of 136 not out and 106.

Together, they added 206, South Africa's biggest partnership for any wicket against the Aussies and only the Protea's seventh double-century stand in 511 one-day innings. Du Plessis celebrated his first ODI century in his 49th innings. De Villiers made his 18th in the format in his 159th trip to the crease.

De Villiers, whose highest score in his three previous innings on South Africa's tour of Zimbabwe was the 21 he made in the first ODI against the home side in Bulawayo, was reluctant to talk about his own performance save to say he "needed to score some runs".

Du Plessis built his innings largely on orthodoxy and confidence. His innings was chanceless but De Villiers was dropped on 78 by Mitchell Johnson off his own bowling and on 86 by George Bailey at point off Kane Richardson.

Both batsmen reached their centuries by crashing Mitchell Starc through the covers in the 37th over. But Starc's last ball also separated them - Du Plessis tried the front-foot-hook trick once too often and was caught at mid-wicket.

Enter JP Duminy to power the Proteas to victory with De Villiers in an unbroken partnership of 71 in 8.1 overs.

Though South Africa tamed Glenn Maxwell, they allowed Aaron Finch 102 runs, Phillip Hughes 51 and Bailey 66. They also leaked 93 runs in the last 10 overs.

It took fine bowling from leg spinner Imran Tahir to reel in the Aussies, who were 83/0 when he was introduced in the 15th over. He removed Hughes and Mitchell Marsh to reduce the Aussies to 115/2 in the 24th over and Australia needed Steve Smith's 31 off 19 balls and Johnson's 23 not out off eight to get them past 300.

Wayne Parnell was the weak link in attack and it was strange that De Villiers tossed him the ball to bowl the last over of Australia's innings, from which they took 20 runs.

Scorecard

Australia vs South Africa

ODI in Harare

Australia innings

A Finch c JP Duminy b R McLaren 102

P Hughes c AB de Villiers b I Tahir 51

M Marsh lbw b I Tahir 5

G Bailey c Q de Kock b M Morkel 66

G Maxwell c AB de Villiers b M Morkel 7

S Smith b R McLaren 31

B Haddin c H Amla b D Steyn 9

J Faulkner not out 10

M Johnson not out 23

Extras (12lb 10w 1nb) 23

Total (for 7 wickets after 50 overs) 327

Falls: 1/92 2/115 3/229 4/242 5/253 6/268 7/301

Bowling: D Steyn 10-0-54-1 (1w), W Parnell 7-0-66-0 (2w), M Morkel 10-1-63-2 (1nb 6w), R McLaren 9-0-64-2 (1w), I Tahir 10-0-45-2, JP Duminy 4-0-23-0.

South Africa innings

Q de Kock c J Faulkner b M Starc 19

H Amla c S Smith b K Richardson 24

F du Plessis c S Smith b M Starc 106

AB de Villiers not out 136

JP Duminy not out 33

Extras (10w) 10

Total (for 3 wickets after 46.4 overs) 328

Falls: 1/44 2/51 3/257

Bowling: M Johnson 10-0-63-0 (2w), M Starc 8-0-62-2 (2w), K Richardson 10-0-68-1 (2w), M Marsh 5-0-36-0, J Faulkner 8.4-0-59-0 (4w), S Smith 2-0-20-0, G Maxwell 3-0-20-0.

  • SA won by seven wickets.
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