A brutal 222-run stand between Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller followed by seven wickets from the duo of Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi helped South Africa beat Australia by a massive 164 runs in the fourth match of a five-match ODI series in SuperSport Park in Centurion. The series is now leveled with 2-2.
Speaking about the game, asked to bat first, the hosts got off to a great start with both openers toying Australian bowlers scoring 64 runs in 12.5 overs before Nathan Elis drew the first blood for Aussie by cleaning up Reeza Hendricks for 28 while Quinton de Kock got dismissed by Josh Hazlewood after a brisk 64-ball 45. Skipper Aiden Markram’s short stay of 8 was ended by Michael Nesser.
Klaasen and Rassie Van der Dussen added 74 runs for the fourth wicket before Dussen nicked one to the wicketkeeper of Hazlewood’s bowling for 62 runs. The duo of Klaasen and David Miller went berserk against the bowlers scoring 222 for the fifth wicket. Klaasen scored his highest score of 174 which included 13 fours and 13 sixes while Miller played a second fiddle in the partnership scoring an unbeaten 82 off 45 to help Proteas post a massive total of 416/5 in 50 overs. Adam Zampa was taken to the cleaners conceding 113 runs in 10 overs, his last over went for 26 runs.
Chasing 417, Australia’s top-order did not live up to the chase as they were rattled by SA’s pace attack. Warner got dismissed for 12 while Mitchell Marsh got trapped for 6 courtesy of a brilliant bowling display from Lungi Ngidi. Marcus Stoinis (18), Marnus Labuschagne (20), and Tim David (35) all got starts but none of them was able to convert the start while Travis Head was retired out.
Alex Carey was the one batter who took the chase to some extent, but unfortunately got dismissed for 99 courtesy of lethal bowling from Rabada. Australia got bowled out for 252, eventually losing by 164 runs. South Africa, with this win, levelled the five-match series 2-2.
Let us look at the stats and numbers from the fourth ODI between Australia and South Africa.
416 -South Africa registered a total of 416 which is the highest total by any team in SuperSport Park Stadium. The previous best was 392 by SA against PAK in 2017.
222 -Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller registered 222 runs for the fifth wicket, the second-highest partnership by a South African pair for 5th wicket. 256* between JP Duminy and David Miller against Zimbabwe in Hamilton in 2015 tops the list.
174 -Heinrich Klaasen scored 174 runs in this game, the second-highest score by a batter while batting at five or below. Kapil Dev’s 175* against Zimbabwe in the 1983 World Cup tops the list.
2 -South Africa has scored above 400 runs against Australia for the second time in ODIS.
Most times scoring 400 or more against the Opponent in ODIs
2 -South Africa vs Australia
2 -South Africa vs West Indies
2 -India vs Sri Lanka
7 -South Africa have scored over 400 in ODI for a record seventh time, most by any team in ODIs. India is next on the list with 6 times.
113 -Adam Zampa conceded 113 runs in his 10 overs, the joint most by a bowler in an ODI innings. He shares the spot with his teammate Mick Lewis who conceded the same 113 runs against the same opponent way back in 2006.
164 -Australia lost the game by 164 runs, the second biggest defeat for them in terms of runs against South Africa. They previously lost by 196 runs in Cape Town against SA in 2006.
99 -Alex Carey got dismissed for 99, the fourth Australian batter after David Warner, Matthew Hayden, and Adam Gilchrist to get dismissed on 99.
416 -The total of 416 is the second-highest total for South Africa against Australia in ODIs. The first -438 came in Johannesburg in the record chase way back in 2006.
174 -Heinrich Klaasen registered the second-highest score of 174 in SuperSport Park Stadium. 178 runs scored by Quinton de Kock in 2016 against Australia remains the highest score till now.
2 -Klaasen smashed 13 sixes in this game, the second most by a South African batter in an ODI innings. 16 sixes hit by AB de Villiers against West Indies in 2015 is first in the list.