Debutant Donovan Ferreira smashed a stunning 48 from just 21 balls to help South Africa recover from a perilous 122 for six to reach a competitive total of 190 for eight, but Travis Head (91) ensured there was no consolation victory for the home side as Australia cantered to victory by five wickets with 13 balls to spare in the third and final T20 International against Australia at Hollywoodbets Kingsmead in Durban on Sunday afternoon.
Having won the first game by 111 runs and the second by eight wickets, the tourists wrapped up the T20I series 3-0 with the first of five one-day internationals scheduled for Bloemfontein on Thursday.
Opener Head made light work of the chase despite slipping to 43-2 reaching 50 from just 24 balls and adding a definitive 85 for the third wicket with Josh Inglis, who belted an ill-disciplined Proteas attack for 42 from just 22 balls with a four and four sixes.
Captain Aiden Markram (4-0-37-1) trapped opener Matthew Short (0) lbw with the first ball of the run chase to give his team immediate hope and Mitchell Marsh (15) top edged a pull against Gerald Coetzee to lose his wicket for the first time in the series after two unbeaten, match-winning innings.
But by the time Inglis top-edged a sweep against Bjorn Fortuin to Coetzee on the square leg boundary, the score was 128 for three at the start of the 12th over and the game was Australia’s to lose – and they did not oblige.
Head lofted Fortuin (4-0-36-2) to long off with just five runs needed and Tim David (1) was caught on the boundary attempting to end the match in style to give Coetzee (2-35) a second wicket but, in truth, the result rarely looked in doubt.
Earlier, 25-year-old Ferreira came to the crease at 116 for four in the 13th over and lived up to his big-hitting reputation with a four and fives sixes as the home team gave themselves a decent chance of a consolation victory.
The home side had crashed to 12-2 after 14 balls when Temba Bavuma (0) popped his first delivery off the splice of the bat to Head diving in from cover point and debutant Matthew Breetzke (5) played an ugly slog against the same bowler and was caught at midwicket.
SUPER-AGGRESSIVE INNINGS
Markram played a super-aggressive innings to add 58 with Reeza Hendricks, steady the innings and put his team back on course for a competitive total.
Sean Abbott bore the brunt of Markram’s assault, conceding 28 from his first two overs with Markram striking two sixes and four fours in his 41 from just 23 balls before miscuing a backfoot cover drive against Abbott to Ashton Turner.
When Hendricks feathered an edge against legspinner Tanveer Sangha to ‘keeper Inglis to depart for 42 from 30 balls (2x4, 2x6) much depended on Tristan Stubbs who had played beautifully to reach 25 from 15 balls with a boundary and two maximums.
But the 14th over, bowled by the cunning Abbott, was a disaster for the Proteas losing two wickets without scoring a run. Stubbs flicked a full length delivery to Short on the midwicket boundary and Fortuin (0) sliced a clever, slower ball to cover.
Ferreira launched his second ball in international cricket over long off for six, smashed his sixth ball for another and added a third with an outrageous slap over extra cover against a Marcus Stoinis slower ball.
Coetzee added to the late batting fun with a monster six over long on against Nathan Ellis before holing out to the same position for 13 (11 balls) to provide the excellent Abbott (4-1-31-4) with a fourth wicket.
Ferreira’s outrageous hitting ability brought him two more sixes, including a classic extra cover drive, but his run out by Inglis as he tried to steal a bye to the ‘keeper may have cost South Africa an extra dozen runs.
The hosts made three changes from Friday’s team with batters Breetzke and Ferreira making their debuts while veteran spinner Keshav Maharaj returned to the XI just five months since rupturing his achilles tendon. Rassie van der Dussen, Dewald Brevis and Tabraiz Shamsi were omitted.
The tourists recalled legspinner Sangha and left arm fast bowler Spencer Johnson who played in the first game but were rested on Friday.
SOUTH AFRICA: Reeza Hendricks, Temba Bavuma, Matthew Breetzke, Aiden Markram (captain), Donavon Ferreira, Tristan Stubbs (wkt), Bjorn Fortuin, Keshav Maharaj, Gerald Coetzee, Lizaad Williams, Lungi Ngidi
AUSTRALIA: Matthew Short, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh (captain), Josh Inglis (wkt), Marcus Stoinis, Tim David, Ashton Turner, Sean Abbott, Nathan Ellis, Spencer Johnson, Tanveer Sangha