They continued to display their stroking bowling under pressure and beguiling strategic mind. The game was play at the gorgeous Centurion Park. South Africa completely outplayed Australia in every department, dismissing them for only 160 and winning by an innings.
Keshav Maharaj lived up to the attacking tags as South Africa’s trump card bowler, exhibiting his class across his full ten overs. He was simply untouchable, as he took the five wickets while only giving up 33 runs, destroying the entire Australian batting order. He delivered early blows by sending Cameron Green back for a three-ball duck. He bowled Josh Inglis out for five runs and Marnus Labuschagne for just one run. Maharaj’s uncompromising pressure had the Australian batsmen on the ropes as he continuously picked up timely wickets to erase their progress.
Along with Maharaj, Nandre Burger and Lungi Ngidi had great showings, providing South Africa’s success in the play-offs. Burger was an economical bowler, bowling 8 overs and conceding just 54 runs while taking 2 vital wickets. One of those was Mitch Marsh, who made 88 runs and was Australia’s standout performer. Ngidi was the pick of bowlers, bowling 4.5 overs with the figures of 2 wickets for 28 runs. He dismissed Nathan Ellis and Adam Zampa, confirming South Africa’s dominance of the game.
Furthermore, Prenelan Subrayen and Aiden Markram were instrumental to the bowling onslaught. Subrayen bowled ten overs, giving away 46 runs and taking one wicket, stumping Travis Head to return figures of 1/46. Tayamai Markram bowled eight overs without a wicket, however, kept the pressure on with tight, economical bowling that cost just 35 runs.
It was hard for an Australian innings to ever get going with a number of key Australia players succumbing to South Africa’s unyielding bowling. Aaron Hardie was bowled by Maharaj for four runs, while Ben Dwarshuis was caught by Dewald Brevis off Burger’s bowling for 33 runs. The Australian batting order folded under the Indian short ball assault and the Australians were eventually restricted to a paltry total of 160 runs.
South Africa’s brilliant fielding backed up some top notch bowling. Ryan Rickelton was instrumental behind the stumps. He performed two key stumpings, with one of his catches winning his team the championship.
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