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Australia’s extraordinary ODI slump continued yesterday as they were hammered by South Africa, leaving them with just three wins from their past 20 completed matches.
An error-riddled batting performance was followed by an undisciplined bowling display as Australia lost by six wickets to the impressive Proteas.
Australia still has seven months to turn things around before starting their World Cup defence but, on the evidence of yesterday’s inept performance, they are a long way from becoming an elite ODI side once more.
South Africa’s commanding pace attack made the most of fantastic conditions for fast bowlers on a pitch which offered extremes of pace and bounce, coupled with generous seam movement.
The first 11.5 overs delivered by South Africa were as supreme as you’re ever likely to see in an ODI. They were impeccably accurate, blanketing the Australian batsmen.
The first genuinely loose ball, which also produced Australia’s opening boundary, incredibly did not appear until the final delivery of the 12th over when Chris Lynn on-drove a full toss from Kagiso Rabada.
Rabada may be the world’s best fast bowler but yesterday he was outshone by pace colleagues Dale Steyn (2-18), Lungi Ngidi (2-26) and Andile Phehlukwayo (3-33). Cricket fans worldwide would have been heartened at the sight of Steyn galloping in at full pace.
One of the greatest cricketers of all time, the 35-year-old has missed a ton of cricket over the past two years due to injury but was brilliant yesterday. Steyn pushed the speed gun to 144kmh and earned lovely shape, even in his second spell with an older ball. Yet both of his wickets were gifted to him by Australian batsmen displaying leaden footwork.
First Travis Head stood rooted to the crease and threw his hands at a wide, full delivery from Steyn, offering an easy catch to ‘keeper Quinton de Kock.
Two balls later first drop D’Arcy Short departed in near-identical fashion, with the only difference being that his edge landed in the hands of second slip. Australia were 2-4 and in need of a stabilising stand.
Not satisfied with two self-inflicted wounds, Australia plunged deeper into crisis when new skipper Aaron Finch inexplicably failed to review an LBW decision which always looked to be going over the stumps on a trampoline-style pitch.
D’Arcy Short. (GEOFF CADDICK/AFP/Getty Images)
After the first Powerplay, Australia were left in tatters at 3-19. Then a trio of loose shots from big hitters Chris Lynn, Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis put paid to any hope of Australia scraping to a competitive score of 220-plus.
At 6-66 Australia looked in danger of being rolled for under 100. They managed to edge to 152 thanks to a patient knock from ‘keeper Alex Carey (33 from 71 balls) and a belligerent one from quick Nathan Coulter-Nile (34 from 31 balls).
The home side’s sequence of brain-fades continued when Finch strangely chose not to give the new ball to Mitchell Starc, Australia’s best ODI bowler.
Instead that honour was handed to Coulter-Nile, who promptly released all pressure on the South African openers by bleeding 16 runs off his first over. In contrast to the precise efforts of the Proteas’ attack, the Australian bowlers badly lacked consistency. The odd testing delivery was mixed in with a liberal dose of garbage.
The only Aussie frontline bowler who performed at something approaching their best was Pat Cummins. The 25-year-old delivered several vicious short balls and beat the bat time and again, but had no luck.
Pat Cummins bowls for Australia. (AFP PHOTO / THEO KARANIKOS)
Australia will need a lift from star quicks Starc and Hazlewood if they are to challenge this South African batting lineup. Meanwhile, the home batsmen look set to have a torrid time trying to combat the Proteas’ elite attack. Australia’s ODI slump shows no signs of ending.
