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 141-5 (25), Josh Inglis 2, Smith 17, Maharaj 1-14 (6) (target 213)
There are a few stony faces in the Australia dugout, former England coach Andy Flower among them with the Zimbabwe great continuing his consultancy role. There are only eight overs left of these two, so Australia could drop anchor and try to play them out if they wish - though that feels a strategy fraught with danger on this sort of pitch.
Australia 140-5 (24), Josh Inglis 2, Smith 16, Shamsi 2-29 (6) (target 213)
Josh Inglis hasn’t had a real innings of substance since supplanting Alex Carey as Australia’s keeper at the start of this campaign - Steve Smith rather needs him to provide some stable company now. It is only 73 required, but South Africa have their tails up, practically sprinting around between the overs to allow their two spinners to rattle through them and keep the pressure on.
OUT! Glenn Maxwell b Shamsi 1 (5), Australia 137-5 (23.4)
Another!
Tabraiz Shamsi charges around the Eden Gardens outfield - he’s got the big fish! An unbeaten double hundred in his last hit but that’s not a great innings at all from Glenn Maxwell, impetuous early on. A drag-down from Shamsi is there to be hit but Maxwell’s ugly swipe is premature, and the South African fans are jumping, belief coursing through them as their Shamsi and Maharaj put Australia in a spin.
Not out! Australia 134-4 (23), Maxwell 0, Smith 14, Maharaj 1-14 (5) (target 213)
A good decision from Nitin Menon. It wasn’t far away from either bat or glove, but it connected neither.
It was a mighty heave from Maxwell having reversed the hands. He and Steve Smith gather for an end-of-over conflab.
Australia 134-4 (22.4), Maxwell 0, Smith 14, Maharaj 1-14 (4.4) (target 213)
This is thoroughly engrossing cricket. Josh Inglis has been desperately short of form, so one more wicket would put South Africa right amongst things.
Maxwell reverse sweeps, and the close-in catchers think there is an edge! The umpire shakes his head - but we are going back upstairs...
Australia 133-4 (22), Glenn Maxwell 0, Smith 13, Shamsi 1-23 (5) (target 213)
Glenn Maxwell emerges, cap on, to a mighty roar. South Africa welcome him with a couple of catchers...and he’s beaten first ball, Quinton de Kock taking neatly as Maxwell cuffs outside off. Tabraiz Shamsi enquires with the umpire, but there’s no edge. 80 required.
OUT! Marnus Labuschagne lbw b Shamsi 18 (31), Australia 133-4 (21.5)
This time the umpire’s call is in South Africa’s favour!
Turn and bounce but it’s taking a sliver of the top of leg stump - and that’s all Tabraiz Shamsi needs! Shamsi roars, Labuschagne thumps his bat on his pad and South Africa have a glimmer again.
Australia 133-3 (21.4), Labuschagne 18, Smith 12, Shamsi 0-23 (4.4) (target 213)
“Temba!” cries Quinton de Kock as Steve Smith turns one between the South Africa captain’s legs, all along the floor and totally in control but the sort of shot that Tabraiz Shamsi is seeking. The problem with the leg stump line, though, is that the margin for error is small, anything turning down leg not contacted by the batter liable to be wided. Two come in the over.
Reverse sweep fails to connect...and up goes the finger! Marnus Labuschagne signals for a review but that looked rather adjacent...
Australia 130-3 (21), Labuschagne 18, Smith 12, Maharaj 1-12 (4) (target 213)
Labuschagne and Smith extend tentatively from their shells, a Labuschagne sweep followed by a skip down the pitch from Smith, though neither batter gets the connection they are hoping for. They escape with singles.
That’s more authoritative: Labuschagne is down on a knee once more and crunches a hard sweep through midwicket for a boundary.
Australia 124-3 (20), Labuschagne 13, Smith 11, Shamsi 0-20 (4) (target 213)
Bavuma keeps the helmet on and positions himself at a backward short leg, Shamsi’s left to right turn lending itself to either a turn around the corner or bat and pad squeeze into that region.
But that sort of ball has little chance of going there - a half-volley toutside off stump that Marnus Labuschagne is rather grateful to receive, crashing a drive through the covers. A single takes Labuschagne to 13 off 25 balls; Smith has 11 off 24. Tense.
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