South Africa vs Australia, 4th ODI

4-0: That is as easy as they come. A thoroughly professional performance from South Africa. The bowlers dominated, and after an early stutter the batsmen fought their way through. South Africa win by six wickets and more than 14 overs to spare.

Remember this was a South African team without most of its regular names. No AB de Villiers, No David Miller, No Dale Steyn, No Imran Tahir, No Morne Morkel, No Kagiso Rabada. And yet to win so comfortably against the number one side in the world shows how confident a unit they are.

4-0 to South Africa now, and one last chance for Australia in the next game to get something out of this series.

Twist in the tale: Mitchell Marsh might just have given the Aussies some late hope. Du Plessis falls in a attempt to take him on, and holes out in the deep for 69.

Update: Du Plessis fifty lifts South AfricaThe captain is leading from the front.
He brings up a nicely-compiled fifty to help his side close in on the win. He is given out caught behind immediately after getting to his fifty, but the review saves the South Africa captain. South Africa need less than fifty to win now.

SPOTLIGHT: Good time to read about an Australian great, too.

Wicket: So my jinxes work, as it turns out.

Duminy departs. Hits a rather innocuous delivery straight to Mitchell Marsh at mid-on. Brings to an end a promising partnership and gives Australia a glimmer of hope

Partnership: Faf du Plessis and JP Duminy are neatly taking the game away from the Australians. The pair brings up its fifty-run stand as South Africa brings the runs needed to double digits. 

Zampa drop: The Aussies all have their hands on their heads. Except Adam Zampa that is. He hangs his head in shame. Faf du Plessis plopped up a front foot shot straight to Zampa, but the leg-spinner puts down a catch most people, non cricketers included, would latch on to. South Africa are slowly inching forward.

Early wickets: 

Australia have made a great start to their defence of a low score. Scott Boland and Chris Tremain pick up one wicket each to send back the openers cheaply and leave South Africa in a spot of bother at 32/2.

Update: Wade goes big, and he brings up a fifty, too. A much needed one from Australia's perspective, but can he carry on and get a much bigger one?

Well, apparently not. He falls immediately after, just like Mitchell Marsh. Phangiso wraps the innings soon after. Australia are bowled out for 167, and need a miracle if they're to stop South Africa from making this 4-0

Nelson strikes: Marsh gets fifty, but it's not nearly enoughMitchell Marsh looked set to ease Australian nerves as he brought up a fifty and stitched together a vital 50+ run stand with Matthew Wade. If his fifty seemed like a harbinger of better things for Australia, it turned out to be false hope as he immediately departed edging Kyle Abbott, who was brought into the attack, behind the wicket.

And as is the norm, one brings two. Shamsi doesn't want to fall behind Abbott. So he evens things by trapping John Hastings LBW for four. Australia reeling at 116/7. Abbott adds a fourth wicket to his tally, uprooting Adam Zampa's off-stump after he made five.

Australia are unravelling quickly here. Wade needs to go big soon.

Fightback: Marsh and Wade counter-attack as Australia try to claw backMitchell Marsh and Watthew Wade are taking the Australian way out of this mess. The duo has switched in to attack mode and as quickly as that South Africa are in a slight spot of bother. Faf is ringing in the changes, with the partnership goes past 50

Wickets: Shamsi strikes dent Australia further

Just when Australia looked to be regrouping after the early setbacks with the Smith-Marsh stand, they slip further. Tabraiz Shamsi takes two in three balls to leave the visitors reeling at 49 for 5. The credit for Smith's wicket though, must go to keeper Quinton de Kock. The keeper coaxed the bowler and his captain into taking a review for what on first impression looked like an uninspiring LBW shout. What do you know... It's three reds and the skipper has to back.

Two balls later, the left-arm spinner had a befuddled Travis Head play inside the line and pinged him plumb in front of the stumps. Half the side down inside 15 overs!

Dwayne Pretorius is in to the action now. George Bailey is felled by a scrambled seam delivery from the youngster. Comes in with the angle to thud into the pads. As plumb as you can get. Australia are tottering rather early. Here's Mitchell Marsh joining skipper Steven Smith.

AUS 167 (36.4 Ovs)

RSA 168/4 (35.3 Ovs)

 

South Africa won by 6 wkts.