A century of the highest order from the Player of the Match Aiden Markram, backed up by a terrific bowling display from young right-arm pacer Gerald Coetzee helped South Africa halt Australia's juggernaut on Tuesday, September 12 as the hosts won the third ODI to keep their hopes of winning the series alive.
Asked to bat first and put a score on the board while playing at Sedgars Park in Potchefstroom, South Africa got off to a dream start. Openers Quinton de Kock and Temba Bavuma played some delightful strokes and put up a 146-run stand in 22.5 overs. Both Bavuma (57 runs off 62 balls) and de Kock (82 off 77 balls) made full use of the batting conditions on offer and took the attack to the Australian bowlers. The Australian bowling was a bit thin in the absence of star spinners Adam Zampa and Ashton Agar and the South African batters made full use of the same.
The dismissals of de Kock and Bavuma brought the duo of Reeza Hendricks and Aiden Markram together in the middle. Both Markram and Hendricks picked it up from where Bavuma and de Kock left off and piled on the misery for the Aussies. While Hendricks (39 off 45) was unfortunate to miss out on a big one after he was forced to walk to the pavilion after getting run out, Markram took the the Aussie bowling to task.
He remained unbeaten right till the end of the innings and aggregated 102 runs off just 74 balls. The tempo of his knock never allowed the Mitchell Marsh-led side to make a comeback in the game as South Africa posted a domineering total of 338 for the loss of six wickets on the board.
The Kangaroos got off to an impressive start as well. David Warner (78 off 56 balls) and Travis Head (38 of 24 balls) put together a 79-run stand in just 7.5 overs and had the South African bowlers to their mercy before Sisanda Magala dismissed Head to provide the much-needed breakthrough for the Bavuma-led side.
Warner was unfortunate as he got run out after losing his shoe and Keshav Maharaj put an end to his stupendous knock. None of the other Aussie batters threatened to take the game away as young pace sensation Gerald Coetzee claimed a four-for (4/50) to ensure a 111-run victory for the hosts. The series is now 2-1 with two games to play.
