South Africa v Australia - Third T20I
Australia have wrapped up the T20 series two-nil thanks to Mitchell Starc and Aaron Finch, crushing South Africa by six wickets in Centurion.
Set a modest 129 to win, Finch plundered the wayward Proteas attack to all parts of the sold out SuperSport Park, particularly devastating through the offside across the surface of dewy grass and soaking sawdust.
Australia rattled off 55 from the mandatory six-over powerplay without concern before Finch fell in the ninth over for 39 off 21 balls, attempting to launch Imran Tahir on to the overlooking Gautrain tracks.
From there it was academic, Shane Watson (35) and Glenn Maxwell (17) put on 38 and George Bailey and Brad Hodge the remaining 22 to guide Australia to the target and the series win.
The victory was set-up by Australia’s bowling unit, given first crack in the field after captain Bailey’s second ‘heads’ call came up trumps at the toss.
Limited in game two, Starc went for the jugular in game three, literally, collecting Quinton de Kock on the throat with a vicious bouncer that left the young opening batsman shook up and needing treatment from the Proteas' medical staff.
Consistently above 140kph throughout the night, Starc’s pace and swing had the South Africans reliving their worst nightmare, only this left-arm quick had a white ball, wore canary colours and fashioned a less pronounced moustache.
Striking with the new ball and old, Starc’s booming inswinger was too good for Hashim Amla, trapping him plumb before scattering Albie Morkel’s stumps the ball after being tanked for six.
Australia’s bank of allrounders paid off again, with Maxwell the other star with the ball, producing spin and bounce that accounted for the prize wickets of Faf du Plessis and JP Duminy, in tandem with Moises Henriques who bowled tight in his first match of the tour.
The slow, tacky wicket plus poor shot selection accounted for three South African wickets, Brad Hogg the luckiest, capturing the big wicket of the returning AB de Villiers on the mid-wicket rope with a rank
long-hop, followed by an embarrassed grin.
long-hop, followed by an embarrassed grin.
Watson’s only over went for 11 but he more than made up for it when it was his turn to have a swing, thumping two enormous sixes, the first off Morkel that rivalled the bowlers own monster hit that went 25 rows back.
Australia heads to Bangladesh with five straight wins and two series win under their belt, full of confidence and belief that this could be their year to lift the World T20 trophy.
