The Australians, never one to back down from a fight, will take on India in what should be a classic final on Sunday.
For a many brief moments, South Africa believed that it could eventually get it right in a ICC World Cup knockout match. But it wasn’t to be, as Australia resisted some painful blows to crop on top by three lattices.
The Australians, no way one to back down from a fight, will take on India in what should be a classic final on Sunday.
A domestic fur trouble, barring a fighting century from David Miller, put South Africa on the backfoot. Australian openers Travis Head (62, 48b, 9×4, 2×6) and David Warner (29, 18b, 1×4, 4×6) also gave the side a flying launch in pursuit of 213- hanging to relegate this semifinal into a one- sided affair.
The South Africans refused to go down still. The baits, Tabraiz Shamsi in particular, applied the pressure with timely lattices. Left- arm wrist incentive Shamsi had Australia in trouble by shortening Marnus Labuschagne and Glenn Maxwell in quick race.
At 137 for five, there was a mild sense of fear in the Australian camp. Steve Smith (30) only made it worse with a shocking slog which ballooned to wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock. There was one further dread in store, when Gerald Coetzee gutted up Josh Inglis( 28, 49b, 3×4) with a yorker.
Australia demanded a farther 20 runs with only three lattices in hand. Mitchell Starc (16n.o., 38b) and Pat Cummins (14n.o., 29b) eased the jitters with a sensible approach, sluggishly purely surely dicing down at the aggregate.
South Africa did itself no favours by dropping no lower than four catches.
South Africa stuck to its favored option of fur first. A horror launch, still, negated any perceived advantage. Skipper Temba Bavuma edged one to the ‘ keeper in the first over, and was followed to the shack by a restless de Kock.
De Kock, the platoon’s loftiest run- arranger in this event, tried to break the impediment with a potent heave. Cummins atmid-off kept his countenance, back- hawked and took a good catch. Rassie van der Dussen and Aiden Markham cracked under the pressure applied by new ball bowlers Starc and Josh Hazlewood.
In only the first hour of the game, South Africa was under the pump at 24 for four. When it looked like South Africa would fold cheaply, Miller stood altitudinous. The southpaw grew in confidence alongside Heinrich Klaasen (47, 48b, 4×4, 2×6). The stage was broken when Klaasen played down the wrong line to lose his wholes to off spinner Travis Head. The part- time tweaker struck gold on the veritably coming delivery, enmeshing Marco Jansen on the pads.
Miller also took charge. His sixth ODI hundred saved South Africa from being dismissed for asub-200 aggregate.
Miller’s redundancy in the 48th over proved pivotal for Australia. However, South Africa could have added another 20 runs to the census, If he’d stuck around for the full essay.
The Australian bellwethers Starc, Hazlewood and Cummins constantly hit the right areas to snare eight lattices between them. It was further than half the job done. Know More Latest ICC World Cup News…
