Player of the Match
Player of the Match
2751dThe Report by Firdose Moonda

Miller hundred blasts SA to 372 target

David Miller's third ODI hundred helped South Africa pull off the second-highest chase of all time and seal the series against Australia with two matches to spare

Match Centre

Statistics

Best performances - Batsmen

DA Miller
DA Miller
118(79) 10x4 - 6x6
Control %88%
  • Productive Shot
  • flick
  • 31 runs
  • 4x4 - 1x6
22 6 13 6 25 16 14 16
DA Warner
DA Warner
117(107) 13x4 - 2x6
Control %84%
  • Productive Shot
  • cover drive
  • 19 runs
  • 1x4 - 0x6
9 5 16 5 21 11 21 29

Best performances - Bowlers

Imran Tahir
Imran Tahir
O10
M0
R54
W2
Eco5.40
RHB
OFFLEG
1W
  • FTFULL TOSS
  • YYORKER
  • FFULL LENGTH
  • GGOOD LENGTH
  • SGSHORT OF GOOD LENGTH
  • SSHORT LENGTH
LHB
LEGOFF
1W
JW Hastings
JW Hastings
O10
M0
R79
W2
Eco7.90
RHB
OFFLEG
1W
  • FTFULL TOSS
  • YYORKER
  • FFULL LENGTH
  • GGOOD LENGTH
  • SGSHORT OF GOOD LENGTH
  • SSHORT LENGTH
LHB
LEGOFF
1W

Scorer: Sanjay Murari | Commentator: Andrew McGlashan

South Africa win by four wickets in an incredible run chase and with it take the series. It's the second-highest chase in ODIs (after you-know-when). Miller has played the innings of his life, but remember the role played by Phehlukwayo. "It was really nerve-wracking because I started off slowly. But I backed myself," he says on TV. "Just watch the ball. With David he really calmed me down. He said watch the ball, stand still and hit straight."

You did think that when de Kock and Rossouw went in quick succession that the task would be too much for South Africa. Remember, too, that Miller picked up an injury early in his innings but he kept his cool so well. He knew he could find the boundary when needed. Has to be said, however, that Australia's fielding fell apart towards the end

Lloyd: "What manner of hitting the ball was that, did it really happen?"

Venky : "If the 434 chased as few years ago was magnificent this is even more better with the injured miller and an young lucky chasing the score Nevertheless the series is conquered :)" That's a good debate to have

Jacques: "Does give me new respect for Miller, but it makes me wonder why he doesn't come in earlier. He obviously needs some time to settle before he gets going, and he is a genuine batsman not just six or nix type, so why not regularly bring him in earlier so he can take the time he needs?" Good to have a finisher, as he showed today

Ammar: "Fielding? Fell apart? That's not enough. Imploded. Unravelled. Amnesia. Paralysed. Erratic. Shambles. Now that feels a little on point."

Tom de Sailor: "Hey Andrew, of the Top 10 highest run chases, 8 of them are against Australia. Thoughts???" Stick them in to bat?

Time for some presentations...Steven Smith: "It's a disappointing. We had two blokes get hundreds and 370 is a pretty good score. You don't lose too many with that on the board but credit to South Africa. David Miller played a blinder. We probably didn't execute well enough with the ball. They will learn a lot out of this series. Still plenty to play for, we have to find a way to win."

Faf du Plessis: "I'd rank that up there with the best win I've been involved in. Most teams would think they are dead and buried. So proud of David Miller, over the moon for him. We'd have batted first as well. Thought 320 was a par score. With the batting we made sure we were ahead of the run rate. The greatest thing was that it was a chance for our middle order to win a game today and they did that. Took a freakish innings to get us across the line. An amazing knock. It looked impossible. It takes innings of bravey, Dave did that and Andile smoking a few over extra cover."

Man of the Match is David Miller: "It's a special moment, it was really nice to see the team home. Credit to the other batters as well. A great team performance. It was nice to do well in Australia, I'm enjoying my cricket, nice to come in with confidence. It was a great wicket. I thought if we batted 50 overs we'd get pretty close. Andile was really nervous, I remember those days, they he got his confidence. Just told him to remember the basics."

Right, what an evening. That just about wraps things up from here. Hope you enjoyed over coverage. For now, from Gnasher and Alan, it's goodbye and thanks for joining us.

49.2
2
Zampa to Phehlukwayo, 2 runs, and he wins it with a reverse sweep! Gets enough bat to clear short third man and the celebrations start

Syed Muhammad A: "Sensational knock from Phehlukwayo...! Kudos to that."

49.1
1
Zampa to Miller, 1 run, full outside off, driven sweetly to long-off...no need for anything silly

The Australia dressing room looks stunned. The South Africans can barely sit still

END OF OVER:
49 | 14 Runs | SA: 369/6 (3 runs required from 6 balls, RR: 7.53, RRR: 3.00)

  • Andile Phehlukwayo40 (38b)
  • David Miller117 (78b)
  • John Hastings10-0-79-2
  • Adam Zampa7-1-52-1
48.6
4
Hastings to Phehlukwayo, FOUR, he's done it again! What an innings from the new man. Short from round the wicket and Phehlukwayo effortlessly swivels on a pull turned hooked which nearly carries all the way to fine leg
48.5
1
Hastings to Miller, 1 run, over the wicket, low full toss at leg stump, for a second it looked liked he middled this into the gap but it's do the man at deep midwicket
48.4
1lb
Hastings to Phehlukwayo, 1 leg bye, goes for the pull, off the body again towards the keeper...South Africa won't care how they come
48.3
6
Hastings to Phehlukwayo, SIX, that's outta here! What a stroke from Lucky. That could be the deciding blow. Hastings came round the wicket, it was on a length, and he just swung cleanly through the line to send it over wide long-on

SA vs Aus again

1

No. of higher successful run-chases in ODIs than the 372 by SA in this match. The highest was also by SA against Aus when they chased 435 at Wanderers in 2006.

Killer century

6

No. of quicker centuries by South Africa batsmen in ODIs, than Miller's 69-ball century today; 5 of those faster 100s are by AB de Villiers. .

New high

115*

Previous highest score by an Aus opener against SA, by Mark Waugh in Port Elizabeth in March 1997. Warner eclipsed that score with his 117.

Warner's best year

840

Previous most runs by Warner in a calendar year in ODIs, in 2012 in 24 inns. He has surpassed that figure this year in just his 18th inns in this match.