Alex Carey top-scored for Australia with a feisty 74 as the tourists posted a competitive total of 322 for nine after being asked to bat first in the third and final one-day international against South Africa at the JB Marks Oval in Potchefstroom on Wednesday.
All of the top seven Australian batsmen reached at least 20, with captain Mitch Marsh adding 56 from just 42 balls to the scores of 60 and 84 he made in the first two matches but, once again – and like his teammates – he wasn’t able to complete the significant innings to put his team in the driving seat.
South Africa’s bowlers continued to chip away with wickets every time a partnership was about to take root, with Corbin Bosch collecting 4-60 from his nine overs and Gerald Cotzee claiming 2-61 from his nine.
Travis Head (24) was bowled off a bottom edge attempting to pull a Bosch delivery which was too full, and Marsh was trapped lbw attempting to sweep the excellent Bjorn Fortuin.
Cooper Connolly (23) was clean bowled by a ripping yorker from Coetzee and Oliver Peake’s measured 48 from 53 balls ended when a rasping cut shot against Bosch was well caught by Fortuin at backward point.
Carey was equally ‘measured’ in compiling his 74 from 88 deliveries with just four fours and two sixes before a Bosch short ball cramped him for room resulting in a simple catch to short third, while a leading edge from Matt Renshaw (30) against Coetzee was caught by Aiden Markram at mid off.
Bosch claimed his fourth wicket with another short ball to Cameron Green (23) who could only glove it to ‘keeper Quinton de Kock.
South Africa will be one batsman short for their run chase after Tony de Zorzi injured a hamstring in the field and will take no further part in the match.
The home side made five changes from the starting XI which clinched the series with a 32-run victory at the Wanderers on Sunday, with test stars Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj and captain Temba Bavuma all rested. Player of the match in the second game, David Miller, was also omitted.
Fast bowler Nqobani Mokoena (7-0-42-0) bowled tidily in his first game of the series while Markram once again looked like a frontline spinner bowling eight overs of off-spin at a cost of just 42 runs.
Australia welcomed back Pat Cummins, who is playing just his third ODI since leading his country to the World Cup title in 2023.
South Africa won the first match at Kingsmead in Durban by 67 runs.
SOUTH AFRICA: Aiden Markram (captain), Quinton de Kock (wkt), Tony de Zorzi, Matthew Breetzke, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Corbin Bosch, Bjorn Fortuin, Gerald Coetzee, Nqobani Mokoena, Lizaad Williams.
AUSTRALIA: Mitchell Marsh, Travis Head, Cooper Connolly, Oliver Peake, Matthew Renshaw, Alex Carey (wkt), Cameron Green, Xavier Bartlett, Pat Cummins (captain), Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa.