South Africa seals ODI series
David Miller and Faf du Plessis scored sparkling centuries in a partnership of 252 runs as South Africa beat Australia by 40 runs in a one-day international in Hobart yesterday to win the three-match series 2-1.
The Proteas Skipper contributed 125 to South Africa’s 320 for five but it was Miller’s 139 that really caught the eye, a 108-ball assault on the Australian bowlers that featured 13 fours and four brutal sixes.
Dale Steyn kept up the momentum by dismissing Chris Lynn with the first ball of the Australia innings, and his fellow pacemen Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi soon sent Aaron Finch and Travis Head on their way to reduce their hosts to 39 for three.
Shaun Marsh (106) steadied the innings in a fourth-wicket stand of 107 with Marcus Stoinis (63) but once he departed four balls after recording his sixth ODI century, home hopes of only a third win in 14 one-dayers this year faded.
Steyn (three for 45) returned to remove Alex Carey for 42, leaving Glenn Maxwell (35) as the last recognised batsman, but he was unable to
score quickly
enough to challenge the South African tally and Australia finished on 280 for nine 9.
Australia, who bounced back from losing the series opener in Perth by six wickets to beat the Proteas by seven runs in Adelaide on Friday, won the toss and sent the tourists in to bat at Bellerive Oval.