South Africa vs Australia LIVE: World Cup result and reaction as Cummins and Starc lead Aussies to victory
Australia beat South Africa by three wickets and reach World Cup final
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Australia will face India in the Cricket World Cup final after overcoming South Africa at Eden Gardens winning their semi-final clash by three wickets.
Proteas captain, Temba Bavuma won the toss and elected to bat only for South Africa to slip to 24-4 as Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc stuck early with the new ball. David Miller recovered the innings with a stylish century finishing with 101 runs as South Africa set a target of 213.
In reply, David Warner and Travis Head got the Aussies off to a flying start, putting on 60 for the first wicket. When Warner was dismissed for 29, Mitchell Marsh quickly followed and wickets continued to fall making Australia’s run chase a tense affair. Gerald Coetzee struck twice late in the innings leaving it to Starc and Pat Cummins to knock off the winning runs.
Australia advance to the tournament showpiece but face India who have yet to lose in this year’s competition and are favourites to claim the title of World Champions.
Relive the semi-final action below and get the latest odds and tips right here:
Australia 5-0 (1), Head 4, Warner 0, Jansen 0-5 (1) (target 213)
Travis Head is in no mood to dally, the hirstute left-hander seldom one to poke and prod. He has a heave-ho as Jansen settles in outside off stump, eyes to the heavens, ball to the keeper with a swish of the bat beneath it.
Jansen’s line errs down leg, forcing Quinton de Kock to spring away to his right and gather. Five off the first.
Australia 4-0 (0.2), Head 4, Warner 0, Jansen 0-4 (0.2) (target 213)
A little wide from Jansen to start, but Travis Head chases it regardless, and is beaten outside off stump.
But that is a fine riposte - lifted with elan over cover for a one-bounce four!
Australia 0-0 (0), Travis Head 0, David Warner 0, Marco Jansen 0-0 (0) (target 213)
And it will be South Africa’s lanky left-armer to open things up wit the ball, Marco Jansen over the wicket and looking to get that brand new ball hooping under the lights.
India await: Australia require 213, South Africa (in all likelihood) ten wickets - off we go!
Australia 0-0 (0), Travis Head 0, David Warner 0 (target 213)
Righty ho. Out they all come, Travis Head and David Warner calm and collected as they survey the Eden Gardens surface. South Africa huddle together for some final words from their captain, nursing that sore hamstring a little as he breaks away.
Australia require 213 to reach the World Cup final
One would presume that Kagiso Rabada will share new ball duties alongside Marco Jansen with Lungi Ngidi omitted. Rabada has excelled in a first-change role during the tournament but this feels like a pitch he’ll enjoy.
If he and Jansen can’t get an early breakthrough, though, I wonder if Temba Bavuma could be tempted to get Aiden Markram into the attack quickly. Both Travis Head and Glenn Maxwell found turn out of the surface and Markram’s extra height and bite might mean his brand of part-time off-breaks might provide a challenge to the two Aussie top order southpaws.
Australia require 213 to reach the World Cup final
Advantage Australia, you’d have to say, but on a tricky surface already taking turn, South Africa are very much in the game. As Miller notes, though, a strong start is a must - if David Warner and Travis Head get away in the powerplay then South Africa will struggle to reel them back in.
How the two left-handed openers set about things will be intriguing. Head, particularly, is unlikely to temper his naturally attacking tendencies and you just wonder if the weight of the occasion and the World Cup history contributed to a slightly timid start from South Africa with the bat.
Speaking of World Cup history, Australia’s first innings total in that game in 1999 was 213...
Centurion David Miller offers his post-innings thoughts
“If we come out on top here, ultimately we want to win at the end of the day. It’s great to get a hundred but only half of the game is done. I thought we fought hard at the end and got a decent score.
“We knew it was going to be a bit slow and turn. We expected those conditions. [From being] four down early on in the powerplay, we were always on the back foot, but we managed to salvage something there with a couple of partnerships at the back end. Hopefully we can get a couple of early wickets.
On his partnership with Heinrich Klaasen: “I think in that position, you are behind the eight-ball, so it is just about staying in the moment and watching every ball, trusting the preparation we had leading into this. Slowly but surely you just keep edging your way forward one run at a time and start building a partnership.”
On how South Africa’s bowlers might look to defend their total of 212: “[We need to] start well in the powerplay, put them under pressure and then get that [required] run rate up. Hopefully through the middle our spinners can put the ball in the right areas and put them under pressure. I do think it is a defendable score, and we’ve got the bowling attack. It’s about bowling with clear plans and executing well.”
South Africa all out for 212
The Proteas can hold their heads up high after coming back from 24 for four to post something resembling a total on the board, and a lot of that credit goes to David Miller.
He came to the crease with his side floundering and being bowled out for less than 100 was not off the cards, but he stood strong, weathered the storm and then tried to attack the bowlers as best he could.
It was a resilient effort, and it was an important one that has given his side a lifeline in the semi final.
Although nothing should be taken away from the perfect bowling from the Australian quick bowlers at the start of the innings, there was nothing South Africa could have done.
Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood did not put a foot wrong, and even surviving was a challenge, never mind scoring.
Wicket! Rabada out for 10! South Africa all out for 212!
Rabada gets a single first ball, so Shamsi will be on strike.
Another rushed single brings Rabada back on strike. Rabada goes for a big hit down the ground, but it was not quite there, and Maxwell took a strong diving catch to finish the innings slightly early.
South Africa 210-9 (49) Rabada 9, Shamsi 0, Starc 3-34 (10)
Starc will bowl his last over here, Australia just need one wicket. But Rabada has smashed a huge six off Starc.
That was a big hit. There was a leg bye off the final ball so seven off the over.
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