Player of the Match
Player of the Match

The billing on the invite is simple. South Africa vs Australia, series level at 2-2, venue - Johannesburg, series decider. Hopefully, it's 2006 all over again. Goodbye for now, from me, Ekanth, Alex Malcolm on comms, and Ranjith P and Chandan Duorah on scoring.

Aiden Markram: Quite a few special performances. Can't look past Klaasie's. Great partnership with Davie to put up a huge total. As the series has gone on, we've improved. We've been put under pressure in the powerplay. We came out and rectified that. We're striving towards standards, which we haven't been up to. Getting there. We don't want to take the ball out of someone's hands but don't want them to get lined up in the powerplay. Executed plans which were a lot better today. It's a fresh start on Sunday, respecting that fact is important. It offers an opportunity to string a perfect game. The chat will be around that with Temba coming back to lead.

He gets a cheer as he walks back.

Heinrich Klaasen, POTM: Trying to take everything in. It's a special day but tbh I don't remember a lot of the innings. Will have to go back and watch. (Discussion at drinks) About rebuilding the innings. We wanted to take it to the 35th over and see what happened from there. The bowling was good till then but they couldn't hold on. The wicket also got better. I thought I could target spin and make big damage with Dave (Miller) in the last 10-12 overs. It was a normal partnership. When Rassie and I batted, our aim was 320, then it was 380, when Dave and I batted it was 400. Pretty sweet to do it on my home ground. Crowd are incredible, they looked after me nicely.

Mitchell Marsh: Tough day in the office. Some days guys have a day out. Klaasen was amazing. Look at the history of the ground, teams have been able to make up in the back end. Got outplayed. Sometimes, in international cricket you gotta take your hat off. Hats off to Klaasen. We couldn't get a breakthrough, had five bowlers as opposed to six or seven we usually have. We'd have been happy with them between 300-350. Funnily enough, we thought we were still in the game at the halfway stage. But we lost early wickets and the game was done. Nice to see Carey get a few runs, he works really hard. Shame he didn't get a hundred. He batted really well.

8:11pm: South Africa have pulled it back from 0-2 to 2-2, mainly because of Heinrich Klaasen, who waves at the crowd and gets a warm round of applause. He set up a monumental total, one which put Australia under cosh from the get go. Ngidi was proactive, going around the wicket to get Warner and trapping Mitch Marsh lbw. Travis Head was hit on the hand and had to retire hurt. He's shown on-screen wearing bandage, plaster, and a splint. Looks in good spirits though. Batters were getting starts but couldn't carry on. Except Carey, who showed defiance but couldn't get over the three-figure mark. David was the only batter to go past 30. Ngidi finished with a four-for. Rabada got three. Jansen and Maharaj chipped in with one each. South Africa finished with a 164-run thumping.

Vishwas : ""he should get there easy".. what a jinx!!" Sighs in acceptance

34.5
W
Rabada to Carey, OUT, De Kock takes a flier behind and Carey falls for 99! Short ball around the flank, Carey went for the pull. The ball hit his glove right as the wrist rolled. It ballooned up, was going behind the vacant-first-slip area. QDK went back and launched himself, took a brilliant catch, off his left hand with a full extension, to deny Carey the century and close out the game.

AT Carey c †de Kock b Rabada 99 (125m 77b 9x4 4x6) SR: 128.57

34.4
2
Rabada to Carey, 2 runs, Carey makes room and gets followed by a slower bouncer. Bunts it while on the move wide of deep-mid, they scamper for the second. Manage to make it
34.3
1
Rabada to Hazlewood, 1 run, Shortish ball at the body, goes leg side and taps it off the back foot to bring up Australia's 250 and hand the strike back to Carey

Hazlewood comes in to, hopefully, assist Carey to a century

34.2
W
Rabada to Zampa, OUT, Huge swing from Zampa. Appeal for caught behind. Not given, SA review. Length ball outside off. Zampa had made room and slashed as hard as he could. Ultra-Edge shows a small spike with the ball just over the edge of the bat. Decision overturned. Australia effectively nine down with Carey on 97*

A Zampa c †de Kock b Rabada 9 (13m 11b 1x4 0x6) SR: 81.81

34.1
1
Rabada to Carey, 1 run, Misfield at deep fine leg almost got Carey to a hundred. Bouncer just outside off, was bunted into the ground

END OF OVER:
34 | 11 Runs | AUS: 248/7 (169 runs required from 16 overs, RR: 7.29, RRR: 10.56)

  • Adam Zampa9 (10b)
  • Alex Carey96 (74b)
  • Lungi Ngidi8-1-51-4
  • Kagiso Rabada7-0-37-1

Ngidi's hobbling a bit, should be okay as it's just cramps. But might not get the five-for

33.6
2
Ngidi to Zampa, 2 runs, Mid-off and -on were in, Ngidi went wide and slow, on a length, Zampa belted it with a cross bat. Went high off the edge and into the outfield.
33.5
1
Ngidi to Carey, 1 run, Slow again, whips the full ball on fourth to deep midwicket
33.4
1
Ngidi to Zampa, 1 run, Nearly a drag-on. Slow on a back of length just outside off. Zampa stayed leg side and tried to squeeze it square, inside edged it to square leg
33.3
1
Ngidi to Carey, 1 run, Full ball on middle is worked to the left of midwicket

Percy: "All I care bout now is 100 from Carey" He should get there easy. One hit away. Ngidi goes around

33.2
1
Ngidi to Zampa, 1 run, Slaps the shortish ball outside off to deep cover
33.2
1w
Ngidi to Zampa, 1 wide, Slow, dipping and very full. Zampa walks across and misses the flick. Ball goes down leg. Ngidi has a bit of cramps
33.1
4
Ngidi to Zampa, FOUR, Bouncer over off at 135kph, the pull is top edged. It goes over the straight-fine-leg area for four

END OF OVER:
33 | 4 Runs | AUS: 237/7 (180 runs required from 17 overs, RR: 7.18, RRR: 10.58)

  • Adam Zampa1 (6b)
  • Alex Carey94 (72b)
  • Kagiso Rabada7-0-37-1
  • Lungi Ngidi7-1-40-4
32.6
1
Rabada to Zampa, 1 run, Length just outside off, guided to deep third
32.5
0
Rabada to Zampa, no run, Back of length over middle, stays leg side and defends to point

AG: ""He won't bat again", you mean in this match. right? right ?" That's what's confirmed for now. Will have to wait a day for further updates

32.4
1
Rabada to Carey, 1 run, Slow on a back of length, clipped off the pads to long leg. Just one
32.3
0
Rabada to Carey, no run, Carey makes room and gets followed by a back of lengther, he inside edges a pull onto pad
32.2
0
Rabada to Carey, no run, Shortish ball at the body, worked to midwicket
32.1
2
Rabada to Carey, 2 runs, Shortish ball over off, pulled to the left of midwicket

Thanks, Alex. Carey on 91*

Australia 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st16DA WarnerTM Head
2nd6MR MarshTM Head
3rd31TM HeadM Labuschagne
3rd34AT CareyM Labuschagne
4th26MP StoinisAT Carey
5th72AT CareyTH David
6th15AT CareyMG Neser
7th33AT CareyNT Ellis
8th16AT CareyA Zampa
9th3JR HazlewoodAT Carey