South Africa’s Proteas were again dik getik in the third and final T20I against Australia at Kingsmead on Sunday, losing the match by five wickets.
Setting their hosts a winning target of 191 runs after winning the toss and choosing the bat first, SA were klapped to all corners of the ground by Travis Head (91 off 48 balls) and his teammates as they got home in the 18th over.
It was not a good showing at all by captain Aiden Markram and his men who lost the first match by 111 runs and the second by eight wickets.
🇦![CDATA[]]>🇺 AUSTRALIA WIN THE #KFCT20I SERIES
— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) September 3, 2023
The visitors seal the series with a 5-wicket victory over the Proteas 🏟 #SAvAus #BePartOfIt pic.twitter.com/RQKfvT43Ho
Playing without a number of key players, they were no match for the visitors in the 20-over series.
But there were some positive signs on Sunday for the young team coached by Rob Walter.
One of those shining lights was debutant Donavan Ferreira, who smacked 48 runs off 21 balls to save their innings after opener Temba Bavuma lost his wicket with the first ball he faced, while fellow debutant Matthew Breetzke also failed to trouble the scorers much with his knock of five.
🔄CHANGE OF INNINGS
— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) September 3, 2023
🏏 The Proteas put up a total of 1️⃣9️⃣0️⃣ runs after 20 overs led by the ferocious hitting of Donovan Ferreira who notched 4️⃣8️⃣ on debut
🇦![CDATA[]]>🇺 Australia need 1️⃣9️⃣1️⃣ for a series win #BePartOfIt #SAvAus pic.twitter.com/Tm8RAdnmLj
Reeza Hendricks again chipped in with 42, with Markram scoring 41 as SA got to a competitive 190/8 - a good recovery thanks to Ferreira and Gerald Coetzee’s 54-run partnership after coming together on 122/6. The latter contributed 13 runs off 11 balls.
When Markram had Aussie opener Matthew Short trapped leg before with the first ball of Australia’s chase, SA had hope.
But swak bowling, a couple of missed catches by Bavuma and some superb smashing from Head and Josh Inglis (42 off 22) in particular, took the game away from South Africa.
With the likes of Kagiso Rabada, Quinton de Kock, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller and Anrich Nortje all returning for the ODIs, SA will be looking to do better when the first of five 50-overs are played in Bloemfontein on Thursday.
SA v Australia, 3rd T20I
Australia win by 5 wickets
South Africa
R Hendricks c Inglis b Sangha 42
T Bavuma c Head b Stoinis 0
M Breetzke c David b Stoinis 5
A Markram c Turner b Abbott 41
T Stubbs c Short b Abbott 25
D Ferreira Run Out Inglis 48
B Fortuin c Marsh b Abbott 0
Gerald Coetzee c (Sub) b Abbott 13
Keshav Maharaj Not Out 9
Lungi Ngidi Not Out 2
Extras 5
Total 190-8
Bowling: Stoinis (4-0-39-2), Johnson (4-0-29-0), Abbott (4-1-31-4 ), Ellis 4 0 50 0 12.50 1nb
Tanveer Sangha 4 0 39 1 9.75
Australia 1st innings
M Short lbw Markram 0
T Head c Bavuma b Fortuin 91
M Marsh c Fortuin b Coetzee 15
J Inglis c Coetzee b Fortuin 42
M Stoinis Not Out 37
T David c Ferreira b Coetzee 1
A Turner Not Out 2
Extras 3
Total 191-5
Bowling: Markram (4-0-37-1), Williams (2-0-24-0), Fortuin (4-0-36-2), Ngidi (1-0-18-0), Coetzee (3.5-0-36-2), Maharaj (3-0-40-0)