David Warner's embarrassing moment as Aussies suffer horror collapse in third ODI
South Africa have thrashed Australia to reduce the tourists' lead to 2-1 in the five-match series.
Australia have suffered a nightmare collapse to lose the third cricket ODI against South Africa, with David Warner's bizarre runout sparking chaotic scenes. The Aussies were chasing 339 for victory on Tuesday night after Aiden Markram made 102 not out with South Africa batting first.
Australia were seemingly cruising at 1-140 in reply at JB Marks Oval, before they lost 8-60 and were eventually bundled out for 227 in just 34.3 overs. The 111-run loss marked the third-biggest for Australia in ODIs against South Africa, only eclipsed by a 196-run loss at Cape Town in 2006 and defeat by 142 runs at Johannesburg in 2016.
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Warner was in brilliant touch again and looked to be set for back-to-back centuries, before a chaotic runout in which he lost a shoe and dropped his bat saw him sent back for 78. The Aussie opener set off for a single, but slipped and lost his right shoe before a desperate dive at the non-striker's end found him short of his ground.
The dismissal turned the match in South Africa's favour after Warner and Travis Head (38) had put on 79 from 48 balls in another blistering first-wicket partnership. Head chipped Sisanda Magala to Gerald Coetzee at mid-off, before captain Mitch Marsh (29) holed out to David Miller off Tabraiz Shamsi.
Warner offered tough outfield chances to David Miller on six and Heinrich Klaasen on 60, before his luck eventually ran out in embarrassing fashion. Marnus Labuschagne was dismissed for 15 the over after Warner departed, stumped by Quinton de Kock after being beaten by a magnificent wrong 'un from Shamsi.
Another stumping from de Kock sent Marcus Stoinis packing for 10, before Tim David fell to a contentious low catch from substitute Bjorn Fortuin for eight. Some late swinging from Nathan Ellis and Josh Hazlewood wasn't enough, and the Aussies had no answers for Coetzee's pace and Maharaj's variations.
Coetzee captured a career-best 4-50 after spinners Shamsi (2-29) and Keshav Maharaj (2-37) successfully applied the brakes on Australia's early momentum. Despite the loss, Australia still holds a 2-1 lead in the five-match series ahead of the fourth match at Centurion on Friday.
South African openers De Kock (82) and Temba Bavuma (57) had earlier laid a superb platform, which allowed Markram to tee off late in the innings. The openers put on 146 for the first wicket before de Kock fell to the part-time spin of Head, who was Australia's best bowler with 2-39 off 10 successive overs.
Shambolic batting yet again by Stoinis and Carey! Another collapse.
— Waѕiyullah Budye (@WasiyullahB) September 12, 2023
Too many things went wrong.
Warner , Marnus coulda literally won it— Royal Lord (@RoyalLord25) September 12, 2023
Pathetic display of batting, bowling and everything. I know 338 is a huge target but you just cannot fold out on 227. Absolutely shambolic.
— Avroneel Biswas (@AvroneelBiswas) September 12, 2023
Good on him. Proud of him. He didn’t throw his wicket, just an unfortunate mistake.
— GOATSTRI (@Gayyivan) September 12, 2023
Mitch Marsh under fire over selection blunder
The Proteas crunched 93 off the last eight overs and Markram brought up his match-winning ton when he thumped Hazlewood down the ground for four off the final ball of the innings. Marsh's decision to only play one spinner raised some eyebrows, and the Aussie captain later admitted he "probably misread it (the pitch) a little bit".
Debutant Tanveer Sangha was Australia's only specialist spinner and proved very expensive, taking 1-64 off eight overs as he was out-bowled by part-timer Head. The Aussies rested No.1 spinner Adam Zampa, while Ashton Agar missed the match with soreness.
"Ash wasn't available for selection today, that made it tough to play two spinners," Marsh said after the match. "Zamps has got a big workload coming up so today was a good opportunity to rest him and give Tanveer an opportunity.
"I thought Travis Head bowled exceptionally well. The ball spun in the second innings and their spinners were very good."
with AAP
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