Srinagar, Aug 25: Australia’s top-order trio delivered a dominant performance against a depleted South African bowling attack, each scoring blistering centuries to seal a historic win in the third and final ODI on Sunday. The 3rd ODI saw South Africa suffer their heaviest defeat in ODI history, a record dating back to their debut in 1991.
Travis Head (142), captain Mitchell Marsh (100), and Cameron Green (118), who notched his maiden ODI century*, powered Australia to a mammoth total of 431/2 — their second-highest score ever in ODI cricket.
All-rounder Cooper Connolly, playing his first game of the series, took 5-22 to rattle South Africa as the tourists fell to 155 all out in 24.5 overs.
None of the South African batters could score more than Dewald Brevis’ knock of 49 as Connolly ran through the lower order with his left-arm spin and helped lead Australia to its 276-run win.
Fast bowler Shaun Abbott (2-27) had picked up the wickets of Aiden Markram (2) and captain Temba Bavuma (19) inside the batting powerplay before Connolly closed out the game quickly.
South Africa’s bowlers endured a tough day in the field as Kwena Maphaka, in just his third ODI, was taken for 73 runs in six overs, while Wiaan Mulder returned with bruising figures of 0/93 from seven overs. Spinner Senuran Muthusamy didn’t fare much better, conceding 75 runs in nine overs and managing a solitary wicket.
Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh kept the scoreboard ticking aggressively. Head reached his half-century off just 32 balls as Australia raced to 86/0 in the first 10 overs, laying a perfect foundation for a massive total.
Marsh played the anchor role, bringing up a run-a-ball fifty, while Head continued reaching his century off 80 balls with a single off Muthusamy. His knock featured 17 boundaries and five sixes, and he powered Australia to a 200-run opening stand by the 28th over. Head smashed 19 runs in a single over from Aiden Markram, accelerating the momentum.
Maharaj eventually broke the stand when Head holed out to long-off, and Marsh followed shortly after, top-edging a slog sweep off Muthusamy to be caught by Ryan Rickelton, who ran in from behind the stumps to complete the catch at square leg.
Australia plundered 126 runs without loss in the last 60 balls, as Green brought up his half-century off 28 balls, including a pulled six off Maphaka. The young pacer also had a forgettable moment in the field, dropping Alex Carey when the batter was on 29.
Green’s finish included three consecutive sixes off Muthusamy, and he surged into the 90s with two more sixes off Mulder before calmly running two to bring up his maiden ODI hundred.
