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Australia avoided an ODI series whitewash in South Africa with a 45-run DLS victory in the rain-affected third match in Potchefstroom. Pat Cummins' comeback and returns to form for Adam Zampa and Alex Carey inspired the win.
Australia have avoided a whitewash in their ODI series in South Africa, defeating the Proteas by 45 runs via the DLS method in the rain-affected third and final ODI in Potchefstroom.
Australia Halt South Africa Whitewash
The day-night match was eventually called off under the lights on Wednesday as rain ruined the finale, but Australia could still celebrate a satisfying victory after being vastly improved from their capitulation in chases in the first two matches. Half-centuries from the rejuvenated Alex Carey (74 off 88 balls) and captain Mitch Marsh, plus 48 from Ollie Peake, helped propel Australia to 322-9 after they had been put in.
South Africa at no point then threatened to pull off the highest successful ODI chase ever at the ground. By the time the rain, which had also delayed the start by half an hour, returned to spoil the fun, Australia were already in full control. Pat Cummins made an encouraging comeback, returning as bowler only rather than as captain, with Mitch Marsh keeping the job for the third and final match.
Cummins' return seemed to enthuse everyone, with his 0 for 17 off five probing overs suggesting he will be in fine shape to lead his troops in the first Test in Durban on 9 October. Adam Zampa rediscovered his best after recent struggles, taking 2 for 34 off six overs, while Xavier Bartlett earned a couple of key early wickets with 2 for 25 off five.
Only Ryan Rickelton (71 not out off 81 balls) looked likely to trouble the visitors as South Africa limped to 145-4 off 28 overs. Stand-in captain Marsh again did his bit, leading from the front as he powered to his third half-century of the series with 56 off 42 balls, following his 60 and 84 in Durban and Johannesburg.
Marsh and Peake Anchor Australia
He and Travis Head (24 off 20) again provided an electric start with a 78-run stand at nine runs an over, and this time the middle-order built much more assiduously. South Africa were not helped by resting key spinner and player-of-the-series Keshav Maharaj and captain Temba Bavuma among four changes.
It was not easy to start with after Bjorn Fortuin trapped Marsh lbw and Gerald Coetzee bowled Cooper Connolly (23) with a brilliant yorker, but 20-year-old prospect Peake impressed again with Carey as they put on 73 off 88 balls, the sort of partnership Marsh had been crying out to see. Peake, on 48, looked a bit crestfallen after he must have thought he had cracked a boundary off Corbin Bosch to take him to his landmark 50, only for Fortuin to take a dazzling diving catch behind point to send him packing.
Matt Renshaw (30) and Carey continued the good work with a 66-run stand, but Australia did not get the acceleration they had hoped for in the dying overs, with Carey's 88-ball knock eventually ending at the hands of the excellent Bosch (4 for 60 off nine overs). It was Carey's first international half-century in 17 ODI and Test innings since his Ashes hundred in Adelaide last December.
South Africa Falter Under Pressure
Cameron Green had an eventful time, taking a fearful beamer from Bosch straight into his box, but recovering to hit the next delivery, also a fast full-toss, courageously for six, only to then be bumped out next ball by a short one, seemingly suffering a muscle injury in the process. It meant Green was not fit to bowl, leaving an Australian attack already without the injured Nathan Ellis and Jack Edwards depleted.
But after Bartlett struck to get rid of Quinton de Kock with a poor short ball, and skipper Aiden Markram with a terrific swinging full-ball, South Africa were soon on the back foot under the lights. Zampa was back to his squeezing, probing best, luring the dangerous first-match centurion Matthew Breetzke to be stumped on 25 and trapping Tristan Stubbs lbw for 14.
The result gave Australia a morale-boosting win to end the series after their struggles in the opening matches.
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GuardianAus:Australia deny South Africa series sweep as Carey returns to form in rain-affected third ODIThis story was compiled and edited by the HeadTopics newsroom and HT AI from the reports above.
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