Mackay (Australia), Aug 24: Australia’s top three batters bossed an understrength South Africa pace bowling attack with blazing centuries to hand the tourists their largest ever ODI defeat in the third and final game here on Sunday.
Travis Head (142), captain Mitchell Marsh (100) and Cameron Green’s (118 not out) maiden ODI hundred powered Australia to its second-best ODI total of 431-2 after the home team failed to cross the 200-run mark while chasing in the two earlier games of the series.
All-rounder Cooper Connolly, playing his first game of the series, took 5-22 to rattle South Africa as the tourists fell to 155 all out in 24.5 overs.
None of the South African batters could score more than Dewald Brevis’ knock of 49 as Connolly ran through the lower order with his left-arm spin and helped lead Australia to its 276-run win.
Fast bowler Shaun Abbott (2-27) had picked up the wickets of Aiden Markram (2) and captain Temba Bavuma (19) inside the batting powerplay before Connolly closed out the game quickly.
Earlier, Australia fell just short of its highest-ever ODI total of 434-4, also made against South Africa in 2006, and had the first three batters score hundreds in an ODI innings for just the second time.
Head and Marsh, who won the toss and elected to bat, pushed the home team to 250-0 in 34 overs and raised Australia’s fourth-highest opening stand against some wayward bowling by an inexperienced South African attack.
Fast bowler Lungi Ngidi was rested for the dead rubber after South Africa had already sealed its fifth successive bilateral ODI series against Australia with convincing 84-run and 98-run wins at Cairns and Mackay.
Kwena Maphaka, playing in only his third ODI, conceded 73 off his six overs, Wiaan Mulder returned expensive figures of 0-93 off his seven overs and spinner Senuran Muthusamy ended up with 1-75 off his nine overs.
Despite Keshav Maharaj going for less than six-an-over, Head and Marsh kept scoring at a rapid pace.
Head, who hit 17 fours and five sixes, raised Australia’s first double-century stand since the 2023 World Cup in the 28th over.
Maharaj finally broke through when Head holed out at long-off and Marsh departed soon after completing his century when he top-edged a slog sweep off Muthusamy and wicketkeeper Ryan Rickelton took a well-judged catch by running to square leg.
Green, promoted ahead of Marnus Labuschagne, then dominated the last 10 overs as Australia scored 126-0 off the final 60 balls.
Alex Carey also played his part in Australia’s massive total with an unbeaten 50 off 37 balls as he added a whirlwind 164 with Green, who hit six fours and eight sixes, at more than 12-runs-an-over. (AP)
