Australia have edged out South Africa in a nail-biter to claim the series.
So that’s that, end of the T20I series. Two one-sided games shared to begin with and then a closely-fought third one on a slowish track. 145 looked under-par tonight but it did go the distance, with Australia winning with a ball to spare.
Cameron White has won the man-of-the-match award while James Faulkner has clinched the man-of-the-series prize.
A comprehensive showing by Australia helped them level the T20I series against South Africa and they will hope to carry that momentum into the third and the final game of the series. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage starting from 7:35pm (AEDT).
To be frank, in a game of T20I, it’s not as much about momentum as it is about how well you play on the given day. This theory was on show in the previous game as well when South Africa who had come off a convincing win from the first game, were proved to be wanting on a quicker, bouncier MCG deck.
So much so that despite losing just seven wickets, South Africa scored just 101 runs after having won the toss and deciding to bat first. First it was Doug Bollinger who controlled the run-flow and then James Faulkner, Pat Cummins and Cameron Boyce chipped in with their own bowling efforts to ensure South Africa would never get away from them.
So when South Africa were expected to get a move after scoring just 51/3 in the first 10 overs, they scraped through to just another 50 runs from the next 10.
Lot of credit to Cameron Boyce. The leggie, who was only in his third international for Australia, had figures of 2/15 from his four. His figures were a more than fair reflection of his spell – the South African batsmen looked a confused lot about whether to work him from the crease or to step out.
As far as the selection is concerned, Australia seem to have got their balance right after bringing in Glenn Maxwell for the previous one in place of Ben Cutting. The question for the selectors now is whether they will want to get someone like Nic Maddinson into the line-up after having not got a chance at all here.
South Africa could look at Marchant de Lange in place of Kagiso Rabada even as Ryan McLaren tries to justify his role in the team in T20I cricket. Robin Peterson or David Wiese are the other two options for South Africa.
In the first game, the shoe was on the other foot. It was the South African bowlers who were doing all the stifling and the Aussies struggled to get momentum in their innings batting first.
With South Africa also finding life difficult batting first, there’s a good chance that the team winning the toss might want to chase down a target this time.
Craig Watson
Guest
So much natural talent has Maddinson. But the kid keeps on wasting it with poor execution. Infuriating!!!
ajay
Guest
oh! wait i think white is miles better batsman then slogswelll
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
That's it then from me for this series. The ODIs begin with a double-header at Perth on Friday & Sunday before the caravan moves to Canberra for the third ODI and they round it off at Melbourne and Sydney. This live blog will be back for the ODIs, and I will be around too. Hope to see you then, have a good evening ahead. Ciao.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
So that's that, end of the T20I series. Two one-sided games shared to begin with and then a closely-fought third one on a slowish track. 145 looked under-par tonight but it did go the distance, with Australia winning with a ball to spare. Cameron White has won the man-of-the-match award while James Faulkner has clinched the man-of-the-series prize.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
White's squeezed one to mid-wicket and a bit of a misfield allows them to take a single! Australia win by two wickets! White ends unbeaten on 41 to take the Aussies to this win, a hard-fought one too. What this means is that Australia have won the series 2-1.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
A single off that one! Whoa, that was creamed and was fielded well by the point fielder, who threw it at the striker's end. White was out by a distance had it hit... ...one needed! Two balls.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Gone! Abbott's gotten rid of Abbott! Two needed from three, it was a yorker from the bowler, something he had bowled a lot of in the first game. Unleashes it well here and Abbott's caught on his toes. Might have been clipping the leg-stump that one but the ump is confident and gives it. What's interesting is that White's not going to get any strike here again.
Shortfineleg
Guest
White should not have taken that single. 2, 4, 6. Silly play.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Abbott swings and misses against Abbott. 2 needed from 4.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
A single for White off the first ball from Kyle Abbott brings Sean Abbott to strike. 2 needed from 5.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Abbott has thumped one down the ground but White's in the way, hits his helmet as he is taking evasive action and that means Australia needed three from the last over.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
White gets a neat tuck away for a single off the penultimate ball of the penultimate over, which pushes the required runs down to three from seven.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Wow, what a shot! Short of length from Parnell and Abbott has just opened the face of the bat, beats the third-man fielder with some ease and it's gone for a four. Poor ball. Parnell's night gets worse. He pulls the next one through mid-wicket for a single. 4 needed from 8. Think Abbott should have bowled this one?
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Parnell gets a dot to Abbott. Nine needed from 10.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Yep, thanks, changed now.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Wayne Parnell will bowl his last and the 19th of the innings. White's nurdled one to the deep square-leg fielder for a single. 9 from 11 needed.
Shortfineleg
Guest
Nightclubber back.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Sean Abbott walks out at nine. Just four fielders inside the circle for him too. Abbott defends the first ball he faces from Wiese. The next one is outside the off and it's pretty wide, called too. Dot to finish it off. 10 needed off 12, three wickets in hand.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
A single off the first and then a couple of dots against Cummins... ...that's probably put the pressure on him and the batsman has hit it back to the bowler! Caught and bowled by Wiese! Seven down, 11 needed from 14.
Shortfineleg
Guest
18th