CWC2023 : Ruthless South Africa thrash Australia after DeKock classic

 

After Quinton de Kock's second consecutive sparking  century,  high class  bowling by the pacers  helped South Africa register its second consecutive win by defeating Australia by 134 runs in the ICC Cricket World Cup at Lucknow  on Thursday.  Chasing South Africa's target of 312 runs, Australia lost  wickets to Rabada (three wickets for 33 runs), Keshav Maharaj (two wickets for 30 runs), Tabrez Shamsi (two wickets for 38 runs) and Marco Jansen (two wickets for 54 runs).  Aussies  lost wickets at regular intervals in front of excellent bowling and the entire team collapsed for 177 runs in 40.5 overs, which is their second defeat in two matches.

 Marnus Labuschagne scored the highest 46 runs for Australia.  He also piled on  a partnership of 69 runs for the seventh wicket with Mitchell Starc (27).  Apart from these two, only captain Pat Cummins (22) could cross the 20-run mark.  30-year-old De Kock, who is going to bid goodbye to the ODI format after the World Cup, earlier played a sparkling  innings of 109 runs in 106 balls with eight fours and five sixes, helping the team score 311 runs for seven wickets, which is the highest in ODI international matches in Lucknow.  DeKock added 108 runs for the first wicket with captain Temba Bavuma (35). DeKock played breathtaking shots in his knock in 

Adam Markram also contributed a fluent 56 runs in 44 balls.  Australia had a very poor start while chasing the target.  The team lost the wickets of both openers Mitchell Marsh (7) and David Warner (13) for 27 runs in the seventh over, while by the 18th over its score reached 70 runs for six wickets.  In the sixth over, Marsh hit Jansen in the air and was caught by Bavuma at mid-off, while in the next over, Warner drove Lungi Ngidi's ball and played straight into the hands of Rassie van der Dussen at point.

 Steve Smith (19) hit two fours in Jansen's over and was looking good .  He welcomed Rabada with two consecutive fours but was LBW on the next ball.  The on-field umpire did not give him out but on taking DRS the decision went in favor of South Africa.  Rabada clean bowled  Josh Inglis (5) in his next over with a beauty that moved away after pitching .  Left-arm spinner Maharaj caught struggling  Glenn Maxwell (3) on his own ball due to which half of Australia's team returned to the pavilion for 65 runs.

.Rabada gave the sixth blow to Australia by getting Marcus Stoinis (5) caught brilliantly by De Kock . It was a controversial dismissal as the replay showed that Stoinis' glove where the ball contacted was not holding the bat . Labuschagne and Starc then put an end to the fall of wickets with a steady partnership .  Both of them took the team's score beyond 100 runs in the 26th over. 

 Labuschagne hit two consecutive fours on Shamsi while Starc also sent Jansen's ball to the boundary.  Jansen broke this partnership by getting Starc caught by De Kock.

 Maharaj also broke Australia's hopes by getting Labuschagne (46)  caught by Bavuma in the next over.  Facing 74 balls, he hit three fours.  Captain Cummins took the team's score beyond 150 runs with three fours off Jansen in the 36th over.  However, Shamsi ensured South Africa's victory by dismissing Cummins and Josh Hazlewood (2) in the 41st over.

 Earlier, Quinton De Kock batted freely on the new pitch of Ekana and scored runs easily against the Australian attack. 

 Together with Bavuma, he gave an effective start to the team.  Australia also had to suffer the consequences of poor fielding and its fielders dropped many catches.  Off-spinner Glenn Maxwell (2 wickets for 34 runs) was Australia's most successful bowler while other bowlers got wickets in the last overs of the innings.  Mitchell Starc (two wickets for 53 runs) took two wickets in the 50th over.

 De Kock, who played for Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL, showed his attitude after a cautious start.  Using Starc's pace, he hit the first six of the innings by flicking it over deep backward square leg in the fifth over.  Along with Bavuma, he deprived the Australian bowlers of initial success.  Australia captain Pat Cummins made continuous changes in bowling to get wickets but did not get success.

Bavuma (35)  was given life by Adam Zampa and substitute player Sean Abbott.  However, he returned to the pavilion after getting caught by Warner while trying to sweep Maxwell's ball.  De Kock completed his century in 90 balls by sending Cummins' ball over deep midwicket for six runs in breathtaking fashion .  Earlier, he also hit two consecutive sixes over fine leg on Josh Hazlewood.  

 However, he surprisingly returned to the pavilion after getting out.  Maxwell's ball hit the back of his bat and hit his chest and caused the wicket to fall.  Cummins also gave life to Markram on his personal score of one run on his own ball.  Markram (56) took advantage of this ,  scored a fluent  half-century and increased the run rate by hitting seven fours and one six in his innings. There were good and brief  contributions from Klaasen (29) , Miller (17) and Jansen (26) but the Australian bowlers did well to restrict the Proteas in the last 7 overs.  However poor fielding had their toll and the Aussies dropped around 5 catches that enabled South Africa to cross 300 .