Steve Smith’s stunning effort with the bat steered Australia to a clinical three-wicket win in the 4th ODI at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday. The hosts also clinched the series 3-1, with one game to be played at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
More than Australia’s win in the series, it was how South Africa lost the match in the last 10 overs, while batting and bowling. The Proteas have a lot to pondering to do, after they surrendered the match in the final few overs, before the forthcoming World Cup.
The South African bowlers, despite dismissing five Aussie batsmen inside 100 runs, couldn’t stop them from chasing the target inside 50 overs. Smith and James Faulkner took the game away in the last overs to steer Australia to the series win.
Earlier, chasing a steep total, Australia lost Aaron Finch, David Warner and Shane Watson cheaply, while Glenn Maxwell and George Bailey also fell on quick successions.
Smith and Matthew Wade started the recovery work and stitched a 121-run partnership for the sixth wicket. Wade (52) fell after making a well compiled fifty, but Smith (104) continued his fine show and made a 48-run partnership with Faulkner (34 not out).
“You need a partnership and myself and Wade managed to do that, put on a hundred,” Smith said. “Disappointed I was left out in the first game. It takes some time to work out what to do and I’m slowly getting there and improving every game. (Faulkner) came out there and hit it from ball one, took the pressure off me.”
Batting first, South Africa posted a competitive total on the board, courtesy AB de Villiers’ fine half-century. De Villiers couldn’t complete his hundred but provided a solid platform to the bowlers, who failed to wrap-up the hosts.
