Australia have gone to the top of the table in the ODI Tri-Series with a 36-run victory over South Africa in the second match played between the two sides.
REPORT: WARNER’S WINNING KNOCK SEES AUSSIES BEAT PROTEAS
Final score
Australia 6/288
South Africa 252
Australia will be gunning to avenge their previous defeat at the hands of South Africa when the two teams meet in the fourth game of their tri-series in the West Indies. You can follow the live scores and blog of this match here on The Roar from 3am AEST.
It all seemed to be going downhill for South Africa two games into the competition.
They went down to the hosts West Indies after collapsing spectacularly in their opener. The South African batsmen, bar Rilee Rossouw struggled to make any sort of an impact in that game and then Kieron Pollard took the match away with a swashbuckling half-century.
And when the same West Indian team which had beaten South Africa in the opener capitulated to a thumping loss at the hands of Australia in the second game, the writing looked to be on the wall for the Proteas.
They went into their second match against Australia as outsiders by some distance and when they slumped to 6/112 at one stage, things seemed to be going according to the script. On a tough pitch, however, Farhan Behaardien played one of his best international innings – if not the best – and rescued them through to 189 from their 50 overs.
And then the South African spinners, Imran Tahir, Aaron Phangiso and Tabraiz Shamsi combined to finish with figures of 5/101 from their 21.2 overs to set up an excellent bonus-point win for the South Africans. Kagiso Rabada chipped in with three wickets of his own.
Coming into this fourth game of the series and the first of this second leg as the action moves to Basterre, the one thing that could change is the nature of the pitches on offer. The ones for the first leg at Guyana offered a lot of assistance for the spinners, even forcing captains to play two or three spinners and get their part-timers on as well.
By some accounts, this will be a better pitch to bat, which could dictate the playing XIs for both teams. One of Nathan Lyon and Adam Zampa could be benched while carrying all three spinners could be a luxury that South Africa might discard.
Batting will be easier while there could be a lot more help for the seamers too, which should bring Mitchell Starc back into the reckoning for the Aussies. Starc was rested from the previous game.
South Africa have also lost Rossouw to an injury but Faf du Plessis seems to have recovered from his injury while Dean Elgar has been called up to the squad to try and shore up their batting.
David Warner, Aaron Finch and Steven Smith will all be gunning for a lot more time at the crease, South Africa will need the likes of Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers to lead from the front as far as their batting is concerned.
You can follow the live scores and blog of this match here on The Roar from 3am AEST.
Tanmoy Kar
Guest
Australia will go to the Final for sure, but it would be difficult to say who would be their opponent in the Final.
BurgyGreen
Guest
There really is no other word for that SA performance than "choke". Australia very lucky to get away with that.
craig swanson
Guest
Ah the sweet smell of revenge.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Click here to read the full match report from this game That's that from me, I am done with today's game but the live blog of the matches in this series continues as Australia play West Indies in their next game. Someone will be live blogging it for sure...so do follow it! You can also follow me on Twitter @suneerchowdhary - cricket, tennis & soccer is my thing. Ciao.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
A good team effort from Australia. A century for Warner, an excellent end to the innings from Steven Smith and then their bowlers came back well together to stitch a second win of the tournament. South Africa have some thinking to be done about their line-up if Chris Morris is injured. Because Behardien at six, with Parnell and the bowlers to follow isn't going to cut the ice too many times.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
South Africa were 3/210 in the 38th over, with de Villiers going well and settled at the crease. 79 were needed off 74 at that stage, which meant they were the favourites to grab another four points. And then de Villiers fell to Hazlewood, bowled attempting a big one. The rest of them fell away in a hurry and from what looked to be a close finish, the game was easily and convincingly closed out by the Aussie bowlers on what looked like a more difficult pitch to bat on to start things off and when the ball got older. Still, for South Africa to lose 7/44 with a target in front of them, has been sloppy, shoddy.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
And gone, is it? That looked like he's run-out... ...was glanced away to fine-leg by Rabada and they should have gotten the second easily in the end. But Wade collects the throw at the striker's end and shoots it down to the non-striker's end. Tahir was in but he hasn't grounded it and that just means the Saffers have lost their final wicket. Game, set & match Australia.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Josh Hazlewood, the third of the Aussie bowlers with three wickets today, will try to finish this up.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Five singles from Zampa's last over. He also finishes up with three wickets. 9/248 in 47, 41 needed from three.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Matthew Wade has missed his customary stumping here. Very full and Rabada has a wild slog at it, misses and so does Wade.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Adam Zampa will bowl out. Gunning for his fourth.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Another excellent ball to finish off an equally excellent Starc spell. He finishes with 3/43 from his 10. South Africa need 46 to win off 24 balls with just one wicket remaining.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
And another, Starc has Phangiso... ...a collapse of spectacular proportions as South Africa lose their ninth wicket. Phangiso tries to squeeze one over point but only manages to hit it to Maxwell, who jumps high and takes a good catch. Nine down with 49 still to get. 29 balls remain.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
And gone, Parnell falls to Zampa! Parnell was struggling with the bat but with the mounting asking-rate he had to go for it. And with Starc making life difficult for them at the other end, this was his best chance, to try and attack the spinner. Gets a lot of height but not as much distance as he would have liked as he lofts it straight to long-on. Eight down.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
David Warner news: He has damaged the top of his left index finger and is iced up. Will be assessed over the next 24 hours.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
What an over! Starc has just bowled one that costs him a single and gets him a wicket. Is there a way out of this mire for South Africa? It might have to be called a miracle. 51 needed from 36
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Bowled him, no chance for the number eight bat, Abbott's gone. South Africa are folding up here. That was full from round the stumps from Starc and it tailed away from Abbott. He was left with an attempted defensive shot which was quite a few notches below that was needed. Timber. Seven down.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
South Africa look to have played themselves out of this one after being in such a great position.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Mitchell Starc has two overs of his quota left and he will bowl one of them now. Kyle Abbott will face.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Six and out! Duminy has hit a six and then, off the next, has attempted a similar stroke but has been caught at deep square. That's a big, big blow to the South African hopes with the last of the recognised batsmen walking back to the pavillion. 53 needed off 44 now and Zampa suddenly has two wickets.