Desk Report,
Australia’s batting collapses again, South Africa wins fifth consecutive series
After 163, 140 and 198, now 193. Australia were all out for less than 200 runs in the fourth consecutive ODI. Today, Mitchell Marsh’s team lost the match by 83 runs after being all out for 193 runs in the second ODI of the series against South Africa in Mackay, Queensland.
Australia’s batting collapses again, South Africa wins fifth consecutive series
With this loss, Australia also lost the series with one of the three ODIs remaining. The six-time world champions lost their fifth consecutive ODI series to South Africa. And they have lost seven of the last eight ODIs that have been played against all opponents. Australia’s target for victory in today’s match was 278 runs. Australia’s score was 7 for 2 after losing Travis Head in the second over and Marnus Labuschagne in the third over. The danger increased when captain Mitchell Marsh also departed, leaving the team at 38 runs. Then, Josh Inglis and Cameron Green stopped Australia’s disaster for the fourth wicket. These two took the team beyond the century mark. However, in the 23rd over, Green was caught by Senaran Mutusamy and the 67-run partnership was broken.
After Green’s departure, which was 35 runs, the Australian innings broke down again. Lungi Ngidi’s batting took the hosts from 133 to 193—the last 6 wickets in 60 runs. Ngidi, who had initially brought Labuschagne back, took 4 wickets in his second spell. In total, 5 wickets for 42 runs in 8.4 overs. Inglis, who was kept at the front for Australia, scored 87 runs off 74 balls before being dismissed as the seventh batsman. Earlier, two middle-order batsmen, Matthew Britzke and Tristan Stubbs, played a role in taking South Africa’s three-and-a-half centuries. Britzke also set a world record by scoring 88 runs off 78 balls.
He is the first cricketer in the history of ODI cricket to score fifty-plus runs in his first four matches or innings. Stubbs made 74 runs off 87 balls in a partnership of 89 runs for the fourth wicket with Britzk.
