Shortened to 10 overs per side due to rain in Queensland, South Africa prevailed in the solitary T20I, amassing a strong score of 108/6 before a top quality bowling display saw them round off their tour with a 21-run victory.
Player of the Match Tabraiz Shamsi was fantastic for his 1/12, while Chris Morris (2/12), Lungo Ngidi (2/16) and Andile Phehlukwayo (2/21) all chipped in with excellent contributions as Australia crumbled in their reply, Glenn Maxwell’s 38 the only bright spark for the hosts with the bat.
South Africa beat Australia by 21 runs in a reduced 10 over game!
Tabraiz Shamsi was the Player of the Match for his economical spell of 1/12. #AUSvSA pic.twitter.com/ZHIn5W69YU
— ICC (@ICC) November 17, 2018
Having won the toss and elected to bowl, Australia were immediately under the sword from their opponents. Quinton de Kock smashed Jason Behrendorff for six in the first over of the day, and after conceding 15 from his first offering, he didn’t return for another over.
de Kock batted freely and effectively for his 26 before Maxwell (1/14) had him stumped, but the runs kept flowing. Reeza Hendricks notched a breezy 19 from eight balls, while skipper Faf du Plessis hit a 15-ball 27 as the hosts struggled to plug the run-flow.
Australia had the better of the final two overs though, Nathan Coulter-Nile (2/19) and Andrew Tye (2/18) conceding a combined total of 10 as the Proteas finished on 108/6. It was a hefty total for just ten overs worth of batting, but the Australians entered the innings break with some momentum after their death-bowlers had produced the goods.
The potent opening pair of Chris Lynn and Aaron Finch got off to a flyer, the former taking Kagiso Rabada to all parts with 13 from the first over. Finch then fell to an Ngidi shooter, and what ensued was a combination of accurate, intelligent South Africa bowling, and some poor decision-making from the Aussies.
They lost wickets at 26, 27, 37, 43 and 60, before Maxwell’s dismissal on the last ball of the innings rounded off a weak batting effort.
Morris was in inspired form, firing in yorkers for fun as he pinned both Lynn and D’arcy Short in the third over, and the innings became an uphill struggle with the hosts never really looking like they could turn the game around.
Phehlukwayo saw off the middle order, with Marcus Stoinis skewing one to point for just five, and Ben McDermott (4) perishing via a feeble ramp-shot attempt.
Shamsi prevented a late onslaught with a fantastic spell, masterfully strangling Maxwell and Carey in their bid to accelerate proceedings, and having the latter caught on the boundary for eight.
Maxwell was then left with too much to do, needing 32 from the final over, and Ngidi rounded off a cracking effort from the Proteas with the wicket of Australia’s star performer on the last delivery of the match.
