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Key posts
- Wicket: Maharaj knocks over Head with first ball
- Wicket: Marsh falls to a screamer
- Wicket: Markram stops the rot by bowling Warner
- Poll: Who wins from here?
- All out: South Africa post target of 213
- Hundred: Miller raises the bat with six and out
- Wicket: Starc returns to claim another
- Wicket: Cummins has Coetzee caught out
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Poll: Who wins from here?
Labuschagne survives tight LBW call
Huge appeal against Marnus now for LBW with a sharp-turning ball from Shamsi rapping him on the pads. The South Africans have reviewed the not-out call and this is close.
The only question is whether he’s been hit outside off… Pitched well outside and spun back viscously. Marnus looked really worried and rightfully so. Replay showed umpire’s call just stayed.
Time for a drink’s break. Australia still in the box seat with less than 100 runs required now, but Shamsi and Maharaj aren’t going to make this easy. Glenn Maxwell still to come of course.
Australia 3-114: Smith 9*, Labuschagne 5*, need 99 runs to win from 34 overs
Wicket: Maharaj knocks over Head with first ball
It’s all happening in Kolkata, except South Africa bowling the best-ranked ODI bowler in the world. No idea why Keshab Maharaj has been held back to the 15th over, especially when Australia has already passed 100.
And then he takes a wicket first ball! Travis Head, bowled through the gate, driving at a sharp turning ball outside off.
The daredevil’s lament.Credit: Getty
Steve Smith is joined by Marnus Labuschagne – Australia’s selectors will be thrilled with picking Marnus for this exact situation, and now the tension mounts. Head’s hitting has laid a serious platform though. Spin at both ends as Tabraiz Shamsi begins his second over – he had the most difficlut of chances put down at slip from Head.
Australia 3-109: Smith 9*, Labuschagne 2*, need 104 runs to win from 35 overs
Dropped, then 50: Head flies along with boundaries everywhere
Steve Smith with a watchful start, takes six balls to get going and Aiden Markram almost sneaks a shooting off-spinner through his defences. Australia are wary of him and rightfully so given the spin he’s getting.
Young seamer Gerald Coetzee – complete with headband is into the attack now, already with 18 wickets to his name this tournament.
Travis Head goes for broke.Credit: AP
First ball is short and wide, Travis Head throws everything at it and substitute fielder Reeza Hendricks spills a really tough chance in the deep.
Head of course hammers three boundaries to finish the over and bring up his 50 from just 40 balls – one back past Coetzee, another just evading deep third man and a crunched slog through mid-wicket.
Australia 2-92: Head 54*, Smith 2*, need 121 runs to win from 38 overs
Wicket: Marsh falls to a screamer
And just like that, game on. Mitch Marsh is gone just as quickly as he arrived thanks to a cracking catch at cover by Rassie van der Dussen.
Marsh hammered Rabada off the front foot and was thinking four when he hit it. Instead van der Dussen went flying to his right with two hands, brilliant take of a ball that was absolutely flying.
Rabada and van der Dussen celebrate his screamer.Credit: AP
After Rabada’s last over went for 21, the last 12 balls have yielded two wickets and one run. Travis Head responds with yet another six, sweeping Markram in front of square and over the rope. Brutal batting.
Australia 2-68: Head 33*, Smith 0*, need 145 runs to win from 41 overs
Wicket: Markram stops the rot by bowling Warner
Aiden Markram – better than a part-timer apparently – and he certainly starts that way, into the attack with spin and he’s David Warner bowled first ball!
Regulation off-spinning start from around the wicket to the left-hander and Warner is filthy with how he tried to play that, all over it as he backs away, tries to flay it through cover and bowled.
Markram roars.Credit: AP
As Warner walks.Credit: AP
Markram’s getting serious turn and South Africa do have quality spinners in Maharaj and Shamsi to look to. With Mitchell Marsh coming to the crease – definitely the play here.
Australia 1-61: Head 26*, Marsh 0*, need 152 runs to win from 42 overs
Four sixes in Warner’s first 16 balls
Carnage. No other word for it. Rabada is thumped back over his head by Warner, just pure stand and deliver with the siren sounding afterwards too – Rabada has overstepped and now has to deliver a free hit.
Warner duly skips outside off stump, picks up a full ball and scoops it over fine leg for six as well. Travis Head gets in on the act to finish the over, hoiking Rabada over deep mid-wicket for six to boot.
Twenty one off the over, of one of the world’s best bowlers.
Australia 0-60: Warner 29* Head 39*, need 153 runs to win from 44 overs
Wides aplenty give Australia a golden start
Marco Jansen is battling to control this swinging ball, he’s produced four wides down the leg side in his first two overs, three in a row with plays and misses around them.
Marco Jansen’s control has been found wanting.Credit: AP
Quinton de Kock earning his keep behind the stumps, saving boundaries with diving stops.
Warner and Head have both found runs from the bat through point too. When Rabada resumes, Warner launches him for six with a fantastic hook shot over deep backward square.
Perfect start for Australia and Head is now going after Jansen, effectively hitting him out of the attack with two boundaries in three balls – lofting four through mid-wicket and whacking another down the ground through mid-on. Warner goes one better from the last ball of the over, flicks a full ball in front of square for the most casual six you could hope for.
Australia 0-39: Warner 17* Head 18*, need 174 runs to win from 45 overs
Australia’s run chase kicks off
Here we go, Marco Jansen opening the bowling for South Africa. Travis Head on strike.
First ball: Around the wicket, wide outsddie off and short, Travis Head wafts at it and misses. A hint of movement.
Second ball: Four. Similar line, much fuller. Head jumps into Crouching Tiger pose, no hiding as he flays the ball over point and flying away to the boundary.
Third ball: Good follow-up by Jansen, angling back in at Head’s stump awkwardly, he leaves and that’s well bowled, well played.
Travis Head finds runs early.Credit: AP
Fourth ball: Another wide tempter floated up. Head throws his hand at it with little footwork and plays and misses.
Fifth ball: Angling in at Head’s off stump. Defensive prod down to gully for no run.
Sixth ball: Jansen spears a quicker one in at 143km/hr but can’t control it. Swinging badly down the leg side for a wide. De Kock is diving to save that from going to the boundary.
Seventh ball: Reverts back to the off stump line. Defended solidly to cover.
Kagiso Rabada from the other end to David Warner.
Australia 0-5: Warner 0* Head 4*, need 208 runs to win
Stats: Hazlewood matches 17-year mark
Poll: Who wins from here?
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