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
Sign up to our free sport newsletter for all the latest news on everything from cycling to boxing
Sign up to our free sport email for all the latest news
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 119-3 (19), Labuschagne 8, Smith 11, Maharaj 1-6 (3) (target 213)
Australia’s start means that these two can take their time, but they don’t want to get completely stuck against two high class spinners. Keshav Maharaj and Temba Bavuma recognise that pressure is building on Marnus Labuschagne and the South Africa captain sticks himself in under the lid at silly point.
Bavuma remains in place as Steve Smith takes strike, with a block to point closing the over.
Australia 118-3 (18), Labuschagne 7, Smith 11, Shamsi 0-15 (3) (target 213)
Spin! Big spin! Steve Smith backs away and looks to cut but finds the ball rearing towards him, biting out of the rough and up into the batter’s body.
Dropped? Yes, but that’s tough on Quinton de Kock, who doesn’t really have a hope given the size of the deflection off the outside edge of Smith’s bat. That’s now three or four chances that have hit the deck for South Africa, though.
Australia 116-3 (17), Labuschagne 6, Smith 10, Maharaj 1-4 (2) (target 213)
Keshav Maharaj doesn’t bowl many bad balls, but he’s fortunate that a leg stump full toss is merely helped by Marnus Labuschagne around the corner to short fine leg for a single rather than given the altogether biffier treatment it merited. Steve Smith replies to his partner’s single with one of his own for the two runs off the over.
Australia 114-3 (16), Labuschagne 5, Smith 9, Shamsi 0-13 (2) (target 213)
Aiden Markram is inserted around the corner as a catching leg slip, with Tabraiz Shamsi asked to probe Marnus Labuschagne’s pads and find a tickle. Labuschagne leaves one alone that turns further down leg to add one more to Australia’s tally, and then controls his nurdle nicely to take a single off the last ball of the over.
That’ll be drinks.
Umpire’s call! Australia 112-3 (15.4), Labuschagne 4, Smith 9, Shamsi 0-11 (1.4) (target 213)
Umpire’s call! An inch away for Tabraiz Shamsi, who can probably feel quite hard done by that he didn’t get the on-field decision. Labuschagne was beaten all ends up by a ball that bit back from outside off stump, but he, just about, survives!
REVIEW!
Huge turn, and Tabraiz Shamsi is certain! The umpire says no, but South Africa review immediately. Was the impact with Marnus Labuschagne’s pad outside the line?
Australia 109-3 (15), Marnus Labuschagne 2, Smith 9, Keshav Maharaj 1-3 (1) (target 213)
The wicket brings together Marnus Labuschagne and fellow quirky kid Steve Smith, their idiosyncratic gifts well suited to this sort of situation with run rate not an issue and the task at hand eminently achievable. I’d be surprised if we see a seamer any time soon - there looks to be plenty there to excite Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi, who continues.
OUT! Travis Head b Maharaj 62 (48), Australia 106-3 (14.1)
Keshav Maharaj strikes first ball!
Where has he been? It’s a beauty to start from the left-arm orthodox spinner, flight and drift drawing Travis Head into a drive. Maharaj’s turner slides between the gateposts and thumps into the stumps, ending Head’s spritely innings. But has the damage already been done? That feels like it could be a match-winning hand with Australia already halfway to South Africa’s total.
Australia 105-2 (14), Head 62, Smith 8, Tabraiz Shamsi 0-8 (1) (target 213)
Well, perhaps repeatedly changing bowlers is South Africa’s best tactic - again Australia nearly gift them a wicket first ball, Steve Smith premeditating a lap sweep but having to claw it around the corner from well outside off, and in the process almost giving Temba Bavuma catching practice at square leg. Bavuma can’t get there, diving forward but connecting on the bounce.
Through slip’s hands! Another chance comes third ball, a thick edge flying at eye height over Heinrich Klaasen’s shoulder and too hot to handle for the keeper-convert. That’s boundary number nine for Travis Head to go along with a couple of sixes, but he’s riding his luck a little.
Australia 98-2 (13), Head 55, Smith 7, Aiden Markram 1-16 (4) (target 213)
Yum. A lovely cover drive from Steve Smith, releasing the wrists to use the angle of attack from around the wicket to his advantage and guide a skidding off-break between the cover fielders.
The Gerald Coetzee experiment lasts a single over; Tabraiz Shamsi replaces him for some left-arm mystery.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies