Australia somehow lost the second T20 in South Africa overnight after needing just 35 from 28 balls with eight wickets in hand and David Warner on 59 not out.
The Aussie bowlers did a terrific job to set up the match for their batsmen, limiting the home side to just 158. That total looked to be well short of a winning score as Australia cruised to 1-98 with stars Warner and Steve Smith in control.
But Australia fell apart in the closing overs, unbelievably scoring just 22 from their final 28 balls despite Warner remaining unbeaten.
Between them, Australia’s new-look middle order of Mitch Marsh, Matt Wade and Ashton Agar scratched together just eight runs from 15 deliveries faced. So poorly did they bat that they could not even manage regular singles, denying Warner the strike as the required run rate sky rocketed. Yet even when Warner did get away from the non-striker’s end he too laboured badly at the death.
(AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
It was a terrible finish to the game for Australia, who were easily the better of the two teams for the first 90 per cent of the match. The joy of T20s, though, is that odd events occur more frequently than in ODIs or Tests. This unpredictability is the greatest strength of the format.
In hauling themselves off the canvas, SA have revived a series that looked headed for a dead rubber in Cape Town on Wednesday. Now Australia will enter that match under pressure after choking in Port Elizabeth.
What made last night’s ending so unexpected was that Australia had batted with impressive fluency and confidence for the first three-quarters of the chase. Opening pair Warner (67* from 56 balls) and Finch (14 from 12 balls) got after South Africa’s express pace new ball combination of Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje, carving 36 from the first four overs.
When Lungi Ngidi bled 12 runs from his first three balls Australia were running rampant. At 0-47 after 4.3 overs, the required run rate had plummeted to just 7.2 runs per over. SA captain Quinton de Kock was admonishing fielders and the home side looked rattled.
The very next ball Ngidi castled Finch and the Proteas had a moment to breathe. While they lacked penetration over the next 40 minutes, as Smith and Warner chipped away at the deficit, SA managed to at least reduce Australia’s momentum.
Left-arm wrist spinner Tabraiz Shamsi was crucial, giving up just 17 from his four overs. Even when Smith (29 from 26 balls) was caught at long on off a Dwaine Pretorius slower ball, Australia maintained control of the contest. Carey was looking in good nick on 14 from nine balls, and the equation was a simple one for Australia with just 35 needed from 28 balls with eight wickets in hand.
Then Carey was bowled by Ngidi as he looked to give himself room before Australia’s middle order was baffled by SA’s use of slower balls. Anyone who had watched the Proteas’ recent T20 series against England would know that their quicks rely very, very heavily on slower balls at the death. In this phase slower balls become their stock delivery and they send down only the occasional full-pace ball.
But somehow all of Marsh, Wade and Agar seemed to be expecting a regular supply of fast deliveries and were surprised by the slower offerings. All three of them were out playing ungainly swipes against slower balls they didn’t seem to pick. Surely the side’s data analysts had warned the Aussies they would be facing mostly slower balls in the dying overs. Yet in the final five overs all of the visiting batsmen, including Warner, consistently appeared to be surprised by off-pace deliveries.
This lack of nous stood out as starkly as their inability to find the boundary. This is not to deny credit to the Proteas’ bowlers, who did a solid job at the end. It is impossible, though, to ignore just how badly Australia handled what was a simple equation with less than five overs left.
Even the well-set Warner lost his composure in that final half an hour. His innings lost all momentum in this period and, with his batting partners floundering, Australia disintegrated. The series is of course still up for grabs and Australia would have gladly accepted a 2-1 series win a week ago. They may live to regret, though, not finishing the Proteas off when they had the chance.
Rob
Guest
Almost every shot was a cow corner swing. They didn’t get to cow because everytime. Funny thing is you only have to watch highlights as Marsh’s innings Is extremely short.
Targa
Roar Rookie
They had plenty of warm ups. India A (with several test players) played 4 dayers vs NZ A and the white ball players had T20 and ODI series before the test. Then India played a NZ XI
qwetzen
Roar Rookie
"Honestly he was swinging like a dunny door with cow corner his only go to option." Having watched, I'd opine that if frantic fingers are to be pointed then D Warner should have some pointing his way for his very Bevanesque effort. But let's not forget, it's T20. A format which means that winning every game is virtually impossible.
ojp
Guest
the other guy wait... Jose Carreras was in the dressing room ?
ojp
Guest
well played :cricket:
Gee
Roar Rookie
Nice. And with Mitch Marsh getting matches & not bowling they can't use Greens sore back as an excuse not to pick him.
Gee
Roar Rookie
We are a middle order batsmen short. With Maxwell injured Wells should of taken over the #4 slot.
Kopa Shaamsu
Guest
I doubt it. The slower ball SA bowlers were bowling, even gayle,andre russ ,maxwell wouldn't make much from those.
Kopa Shamsu
Guest
You comment makes me wonder how many short format games,both 50 & 20 overs,you have watched recently? It seems you are still in 2015. If you watched wc19 games, almost all matches that were predicted to be high scoring ended up with sub standard scores. One of the main reason was the pitches were slowing down half way. All the teams who applied this formula of keeping wickets in hand, fell short,specially in chase. Go back to second ODI in india series,same case. Going for runs in last 5 overs work fine in typical t20 condition. Not on those pitches like one yesterday. It is the power play & first half that determines the outcome. If you can't get underneath the ball,it wont go long doesn't matter how much force you put onto it.
"Although it was fine the previous game. That team could win the World Cup. Last night’s team can’t…yet it is the same team." Your words Don hahha
Mitch '25 test average' Marsh will save the day. Gee it must be joyful being this delusional
Of course Marsh can do no wrong!!!
Cari
Roar Rookie
Really? I wonder how much 20 x 20 you have watched. The last five overs of most 20s are almost always a run feast, not a slow meander to defeat.
Shellbell
Roar Rookie
The least cared about one day matches in Australian cricket history are happening in mid-march. This fellow should be given a go. https://www.msn.com/en-au/sport/cricket/green-ton-gives-wa-upper-hand-in-shield/ar-BB10jySj?ocid=spartanntp
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Morgan and Moeen? The Aussies did it 2 days ago. This is the second game they have lost in 12 outings. Boy! talk about unforgiving!
Glenn
Guest
Why did Marsh come in before Wade? 6 from 8 balls at the most crucial time of the game, starving Warner of the strike resulting in Aus needing to much at the end. Marsh needs to build an innings and can not rotate the strike or go hard from the start. He is a good cricketer but not as a specialist T20 batsman who doesn’t bowl. Smartest BBL batsman at the death, who finds gaps and rotates the strike is Wells now Maxwell is out.
Cari
Roar Rookie
I’ve got to say that in years of watching Australia, I have never seen a display like that. It should never have got to needing twenty in the last two overs then to make just eight is frankly pathetic. Morgan and Moeen slaughtered virtually the same bowlers only a week or too ago. Loved to be a fly on the wall when Warner and the other guy got back to the dressing room.
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
Kamran Akmal?
Shellbell
Roar Rookie
https://www.theroar.com.au/2016/06/30/mitch-marshs-critics-clueless/ How many MOM's has Marsh won once since this puff piece was written?
Simoc
Guest
Yes Ronans a bit out of his depth on NZ cricket test form though nothing has changed across the World apart from Sri Lanka and England beating South Africa in South Africa, which points to something amiss in South African test cricket. At present the problem middle order in T20 won't be solved by Marsh or Wade. I thought Wade had weaknesses exposed in the recent test series and bowlers know how to unsettle him now. Similarly Handscomb is finished at international level having been exposed and unable to mend his ways. Now struggling at Shield level. I think a guy like Travis Head is a better equipped bat to take on any situation in T20.