SA suffer record defeat in dead rubber Down Under

Nevermind ‘one foot on the plane’, the Proteas looked like they were already 33,000ft above sea level winging their way to London by the time the captains tossed at the Great Barrier Reef Arena on Sunday.

Australia, who scored 431/2 — their second highest ODI total — earned a thumping 276-run consolation victory in Mackay, against a South African team missing Lungi Ngidi, Nandre Burger and Matthew Breetzke in Sunday's third ODI in Mackay. 

South Africa, who had wrapped up the series on Friday, were bowled out for 155 in the 25th over suffering their worst defeat by runs in an ODI, eclipsing the loss by 243 runs against India at the 2023 World Cup. 

Breetzke was omitted as a precaution after he picked up a hamstring strain while batting in the second ODI, while Ngidi and Burger were rested ahead of the trip to England.

It left South Africa with a lightweight attack, led by 19-year-old Kwena Maphaka, playing his third ODI, Wiaan Mulder, who really should be a second or third change option but opened the bowling, Corbin Bosch, who was the best of the bowlers, and three spinners. 

On a flat deck, under sunny skies on the Queensland coast and with the series already decided, the Australians batted with total freedom. Travis Head, who’s been blunted by the Proteas over both series’ finally found gaps, and torched the South Africans to the tune of 142 runs, hitting 17 fours and five sixes in an innings in which he faced 103 balls. 

The home side’s captain Mitchell Marsh, who’s been their best batter, scored a fourth ODI century with some typically muscular shot-making. 

The hundreds by the openers were followed by an even more bruising effort from Cameron Green who smashed eight sixes in his innings of 118 not out, off only 55 balls. He didn’t know he was going to bat at No.3 — a position occupied by Marnus Labuschagne in the first two matches — until two balls before Head’s dismissal, but his performance may have provided one answer for Australia as they rebuild their One-Day side. 

As aggressive as the Australians were, they were served up a surfeit of rubbish by the Proteas with Mulder — not quick enough — and Maphaka — too erratic — bearing the brunt of the home team’s assault. 

They conceded a combined 166 runs in 13 overs and for Maphaka, who has been included in both squads for the England tour as cover for Kagiso Rabada, it was a chastening experience. 

He proved to be an effective wicket-taker outside the power play in the T20s, but in the 50-over format, which he’s barely played, even domestically, he’ll quickly learn that he needs to be more consistent in terms of the lines and lengths he bowls. 

Bosch, who bowled well at the death, and the spinners, Keshav Maharaj, Senuran Muthusamy and Aiden Markram, who bowled eight overs, provided some control,   

Though memories came flooding back about the ‘438 Game’ especially as Australia got close to their best ODI total of 434 — made in that famous match — there was little chance of South Africa’s batters matching their predecessors from that memorable March afternoon 19 years ago.

For one thing, unlike at the Wanderers, the new ball swung under lights in Mackay.

Markram, Ryan Rickelton and Temba Bavuma, were all dismissed inside the first six overs. 

Dewald Brevis briefly lit up the evening with five sixes while making 49 off 28 balls.

Despite winning a fifth consecutive ODI series against Australia, Bavuma felt his side was nowhere near its best in the 50-over format. “We still have a lot of time before the 2027 World Cup and we need to improve in all areas,” said the Proteas captain. 

“We don’t feel we played close to 100%, so in that regard it was still good that we could win the series.” 

The Proteas journey to England on Monday, and start the tour with an ODI at Headingley on September 2, followed by matches at Lord’s and Southampton. 

The three T20s will be played in Cardiff, Manchester and Nottingham.