Australia vs South Africa Highlights, World Cup 2023: Kagiso Rabada scalps three as SA blow AUS by 134 runs

Pat Cummins: I thought Quinton (de Kock) batted really well, couldn’t get a breakthrough. From where they were, we were quite happy with 310, thought it was chaseable. Looked like hard work out there tonight, their bowlers bowled really well, think it nipped around a bit more under lights. (On if it would’ve been easier to bat first) Really hard to say, if we want to be challenging in this tournament we need to find ways of performing regardless of batting first or second. Don’t think much needs to be said tonight, everyone’s hurting, we’ll try and take a couple of days off and then make amends to come back stronger in the next one. There’s a few things we need to tidy up.

Temba Bavuma: I do think 311 was a couple over par, probably 290-300 was par. I guess I’m glad we lost the toss because we wanted to chase as well. I was scratchy with the bat, found it hard but Quinton (de Kock) needs to be given credit for the way he played. I think I’d be really greedy if I said there are things we can improve. It was almost the perfect game. The bowlers bowled really well, they have been under some slap but looking at all the phases, I think the guys really dominated. I’ll take that as our second game. Need to acknowledge the batting effort, the bowling effort was all about being clinical. Lungi (Ngidi) taking the new ball and KG (Rabada) showing intensity is what we’re looking for. In our team, character is the biggest thing we’ve spoken about. You can’t overlook the good work we’ve done, let's take the confidence and learnings. Let's celebrate it and come back for the next one.

Quinton de Kock: It was a great win for the boys, to be honest, we didn't know how the pitch would play, we assessed the conditions beautifully and then applied ourselves well with the bat. The guys who spent time on the wicket, got a hand on the conditions and then used their scoring options. 311 was an above par score, I have played here for the Lucknow team (in the IPL), it becomes harder to bat second. The wicket does change a bit. It was sweaty and humid, the bowlers were on top of their game, no real loose balls and they picked early wickets. I think we are keen to prove ourselves, we played well, but it's just 2 games, the World Cup is a long tournament and games come quickly around, we will take it on a match-by-match basis.

Josh Hazlewood has skied it off Tabraiz Shamsi and Kagiso Rabada holes the Aussie pacer. That's that. What was certain for some time now with just the margin of win in question. South Africa have blown away Australia by 134 runs in Lucknow. Their second win at this Cricket World Cup, their second 100 plus margin win. 

It was set up by Quinton de Kock with that elegant hundred up front to propel the total to 311. The pacers stepped foot on the pedal and got the early wickets and it was long over before Tabraiz Shamsi, the last wicket taker for South Africa, came into the fray. The Proteas have won two of two, and how! Rest of the teams better start to take notice because this unit looks determined to run through the door their predecessors haven't been able to.

Pat Cummins' patience had run out and he went for glory off the wrong 'un and gets caught at the long off boundary by David Miller.

Tabraiz Shamsi gets his first World Cup wicket. Australia nine down for 175.

Shamsi into his seventh over. Floats the ball in the outside off channel but both Cummins and Zampa aren't interested. Just the one run from the over. 169/8 after 38 overs.

Cummins continues to get those boundaries coming. It's Rabada who's returned for a second spell and overpitches one to the Australian skipper outside the off stump. The latter helps smacks it in the extra cover gap for four. 168/8 after 37 overs.

Adam Zampa wants to have a bit of fun himself. Tabraiz Shamsi pitches him a half tracker on the leg stump and he goes back deep in his crease before pulling the ball behind deep square leg fielder for four runs. 162/8 after 36 overs.

It may be lights out for Australia in Lucknow but Pat Cummins isn't shying from having a go at Marco Jansen late in the game. Three boundaries off the 36th over, all thumped down deep mid wicket for four. Finally, Bavuma gets a man to cover the area. 13 from the over, 156/8.

It's the big wicket, and Australia are in dire straits in Lucknow.

When was the last time you saw the men in yellow not scoring 200 in their opening two games of this tournament. Well, that looks like the possibility as Keshav Maharaj removes Marnus Labuschagne, who is gone in his attempt to hit the ball through the covers. 143/8 after 35 overs.

Marco Jansen, back into the attack, removes Mitchell Starc. Banged in short outside off stump, nips slightly away and Starc finds an outside edge for de Kock to claim safely. The partnership is broken and Australia are verging towards an early clean up. 

Quinton de Kock tightening the fielding strings as Tabraiz Shamsi and Marco Jansen fumble in the 33rd over. Not the man you'd want to argue with given his contribution in the dressing room in the both the games so far.

Before he leaves the format, South African 'keeper-batsman is filling his boots with the benefit of a free mind and a carefree approach. Read Sandip G's report on the century from the Proteas keeper today.

It's Jansen who gives the southpaw a suitable ball to open arms. Short and targetted on the helmet and Starc goes for the no-look-pull/hook shot, which goes past the fielder at deep square leg for four. 134/6 after 32 overs.

Maharaj into the eighth over of his eve. Dropping the ball short and luring Mitchell Starc into playing the big shot. He doesn't. Three runs come off the over. 128/6 after 31 overs.

Ahmedabad: Sydney, Bangalore, Manchester, Centurion, Mohali, Adelaide and Manchester again are set to be joined by Ahmedabad. A riverfront city with 75 communal spots and 18 sacred places for art, and Gandhi’s ashram, is tasked with putting on a hospitable show and let cricket's greatest rivalry take centrestage. Read Sriram Veera's mood copy from the city less than 48 hours ahead of the showdown!

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197 needed off the last 21 overs. If Australia have to go for 312, something has to give in. Marnus Labuschagne does. Back-to-back boundaries off Tabraiz Shamsi. A low-bent-reverse-sweep for four. Shamsi goes back of a length next and Labuschagne meets it with a cut shot in front of the square. 125/6 after 30 overs.

Ngidi continues his spotless spell. Even though he's just had the one wicket to show for, it was his opening spell costing just the nine runs that put Aussie top order under the pump. 115/6 after 29 overs.

One will have to check but this may be one of the slowest innings from Labuschagne, or for that matter any Australian number four in the 21st century at a world tournament. 27 off 54 deliveries. The mood around the venue is of the waiting the inevitable as Australia hit the unlucky total. 111/6 after 28 overs.

Ngidi bangs one short to Starc and it hits the southpaw in his helmet. The team doctor is on for a concussion check and the Aussie looks good to continue. The Proteas are in a little huddle. A breather on what has been a hot evening that's seen them breathe fire against a pretty timid Australian batting attack. Australia, 108/6 after 27.

Shamsi leaks heavy (in terms of how well the SA bowlers have been on the night). Flighted delivery outside the off stump and Starc beats the fielder at short third man to bag four runs. 100 up for Austraia. 104/6 after 26 overs.

Lungi Ngidi, who had a ripper of a first spell, is back for a second. South Africa would be eyeing to go for a kill here.

They weren't able to make the most of the highest-ever ODI World Cup total in Delhi as Sri Lanka fought valiantly to negate much of the Net Run Rate advantage that could've been. Knowing their luck at ICC events, it won't be a bad foresight from the Proteas to get that NRR column strong. With the ball getting harder to grip for the spinners, the pacers who opened up the top order would be the best bet to close the game early here. Two runs from the over, 95/6 at the halfway stage.

Shamsi looking to compound to the misery of the Aussies. It's his first outing at the 2023 ODI World Cup. 

Growing up in Johannesburg, he wanted to be a left-arm pacer for South Africa, idolising Wasim Akram and Chaminda Vaas. But now he is relieved to have given up on his childhood dream, and became a spinner. Read his conversation with Pratyush Raj here.

In Lucknow, Australia are 93/6.

The dew has barely affected the South African spinners' grips so far. Maharaj has been bang on the line and length - it was how he sent Maxwell back in the hut - like he was in this latest over. Persistent between that outside off stump-middle stump channel. 90/6 after 23 overs.

Keshav Maharaj is joined by Tabraiz Shamsi from the other end. He's had to wait a long while to do so. Six overs from Kagiso Rabada in that spell and they were all well worth it for South Africa. 6-1-22-3. Australia have been taken aback by the purchase the wicket has had to offer under the lights. After 22 overs, the scoreboard reads 87/6.

Elsewhere, as another India-Pakistan ODI World Cup encounter beckons, the two players from either sides who made their first clash in the tournament memorable, Javed Miandad and Kiran More recall the love, camaraderie and friendship between players from both sides during their playing days, something that's lost in the current 'more than a game' rhetoric.

Read Sandeep Dwivedi's precursor to the high voltage game on Saturday. 

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Rabada into his sixth over on a trot. A no ball from South Africa's premium spearhead is followed by Labuschagne skying his free hit straight up only for Rabada to grasp. Just the single, it's been that kind of a day for the Aussies. 80/6 after 20 overs.

It's the end of the over that saw Marcus Stoinis return back to the pavilion, off the second ball, and he's yet to take his gloves, pads and helmet off.

The technical staff have been enquired what the third umpire saw on the screen that made him deem the all-rounder dismissed? They are hard to find a satisfactory evidence. Meanwhile on pitch, Australia move closer to the inevitable. Two runs from Maharaj's latest. Australia, 73/6 after 19.

Dear oh dear!

Is this Australia at the ODI World Cup? Marcus Stoinis looking to glance the ball down the leg side gets some glove on the ball and de Kock takes the grab behind. This may be another controversial takeaway from this game. Even more so than the Smith dismissal. Stoinis is sure his back hand had come off the bat's handle but there's some dispute over whether his little finger was still touching the handle? Either ways, Australia lose their sixth wicket, Rabada gets his third. 71/6 after 18 overs. 

Keshav Maharaj continues from the other end and Glenn Maxwell gets a leading edge while looking to play on the offside which the former takes cleanly while jumping to his left. 

Stoinis also gets an edge off the next ball, but this runs down the right of the backward point fielder for four. 70/5 after 17 overs.

Rabada to Labuschagne, length ball, nipping in and the Australian gets lucky as his inside edge runs down the fine leg boundary for four. 65/4, Australia after 16 overs.

Spotlight's on Labuschagne now, who's not in a haste to go after boundaries with the big target in sights. Rabada keeps it tight again, two runs from the over. 60/4 after 14 overs.

Maharaj keeps it economical from the other end. Just the one run off his second over. This is good stuff from the South Africa bowlers. 58/4 after 13 overs.

Rabada continues from the other end and cleans up Josh Inglis!

A perfectly angling-in ball that straightens a bit after pitching to take the off stump with it or 'done like a dinner,' as Matthew Hayden puts it on the comms. Even the Aussie keeper is in disbelief and sticks with his forward defence stance, which he though must have been enough for that Rabada ball. In the end, he's left with that pose and his lips curled to express dismay of what the surface has done to him and his side under the lights. Australia looking out of answers against South African pacers on the night. 57/4 after 12 overs.

Spin brought into the fray by South Africa. Keshav Maharaj starts his spell. Josh Inglis, the new man in, gets his first boundary as he rocks back in his crease to cut the ball down short third man for four. 56/3 after 11 overs. 

Kagiso Rabada replaces Marco Jansen from the other end. And Smith decides to have a go at him straightaway. Back to back boundaries for the Australian number three off a flick and a cover drive but Rabada goes down the leg side and wraps him around the pads. Nothing given by the umpire but South Africa are confident and go upstairs. Smith believes its straying too far down the leg side, but ball tracker shows it's clipping the leg stump. The Aussie vice-captain walks back in disbelief and South Africa have a third wicket. 50/3, Australia at the end of the powerplay.

Ngidi continues being economical. What an opening spell this has been to set up this defence of 312. Nine runs given from five overs, two maidens in there, and a wicket to show for it. After nine overs, Australia are 42/2.

Steve Smith's off and running straightaway. Jansen goes for the stumps and Smith brings those fabled wrists into play to place his first ball past of mid on for four. Short ball from the left armer to close the over and Smith pulls it down mid wicket for four. 36/2 after eight overs.

Oooooh!

Awkward bounce from Ngidi mixed with a slower one surprises Warner. The former has been on fire tonight! Five dot balls in the over and Warner has been itching to go but only finds the fielder inside the circle off his cut shot. 27/2 after seven overs.

Oh dear, Marco Jansen had started off that over so well. Three straight dot balls, before he overpitches one to Warner, who helps it down the fine leg boundary for four. But that's not it. He's overstepped and it's a no ball. A delivery later, he strays down the leg side and it swings a tad much for four wides. 

But just to even things out in the over, Marsh miscues a flick shot straight to Temba Bavuma at mid off. Australia lose their first wicket. 27/1 after six overs.

Ngidi mixing his length well without chomping down on the pace - in access of 141kph all throughout his third over. To the right hander, he's angling the ball in sharp. Another good one from him on the eve, just the one run comes off it. 16/0 after five overs.

First boundary for David Warner. Leans outside the off stump to latch onto a length ball and swings it clean through extra cover for four. That's the angle he'd prefer against left-arm pace, all day, every day. 15/0 after four overs.

A maiden over from Lungi Ngidi. Safe to say, Marsh is yet to get into the aggressive act he was on his visit to India earlier this year. The three-match ODI series that followed the Test matches in March saw the all-rounder orchestrate a 2-1 win for Australia. It was a short bilateral he ended up being the top-scorer of. Australia will give anything for Marsh to get back into that zone at this tournament. 7/0 after three overs.

Marco Jansen rolls his arms from the other end. What an enviable pace attack South Africa have!

The question remains, can they get some purchase from this surface? The left armer induces an lbw appeal off Mitchell Marsh but it may be straying down the leg stump. Hence no review taken. 7/0 after two overs.

The Australian batters had been put to test against India's stern spin attack in their first outing. Can they break through to chase 312 tonight in Lucknow?

Out come the two openers, David Warner and Mitchell Marsh. Can they get the ball rolling early? Lungi Ngidi has the new ball, off we go again. Three runs come off the first over without the loss of a wicket. 

Jansen bows out off the first ball and Starc finally has a wicket. He's never gone without taking one at the ODI World Cup, and he gets to keep that streak.

It's been a torrid outing for him and South Africa wouldn't mind making it worse. Rabada steals a single off the next and Miller's back on strike. A good wide yorker from the left armer by coming over the wicket. The next one is slotted in on the stumps. 10/10 on the pitch and it cleans up the danger man. Good movement in the air and Miller walks back disappointed. Back-to-back dot balls to wrap up the innings, brilliant last over from the left arm quick. 311/7 is where the Proteas finish.

"Oh no! Oh no! Would you believe that? Just one of them days!"

Pommie Mbangwa on the comms saying the words we all are watching the Australian's field today. Miller skies it straight up off Cummins and Marcus Stoinis, who saw one of the catches go down off his own bowling earlier today, has spilled it inside the 30-yard circle. There's a boy holding a banner of the misfields on the day, six from the five-time world champions so far. Next ball, the southpaw adds salt to the wounds with a clean pull shot for six. 300 up for South Africa. 310/5, and there are six more balls left to be played.

With Miller getting jittery at the other end, Jansen finds some much needed boundaries for South Africa. Mitchell Starc clearly not happy with his day out. A short of a length delivery on the middle stump and Jansen gets a hold of it for a six of deep mid wicket for six. A wide yorker off the next ball is edged down short third for four more runs. 296/5 after 48 overs.

Australia managing to keep David Miller off the strike and Marco Janse is under pressure to deliver. The southpaw has a proven record at this stage of the game. Good over that from Josh Hazlewood, just the five runs come for South Africa. 284/5 after 47 overs.

Marco Jansen gets lucky again, his miscued shot off a slower-short ball falls safe.

Excellent shot from David Miller to steal a boundary! Full and slanting outside off from Cummins and the southpaw stands his ground before slapping the ball past extra cover to wrap up the over. 279/5 after 46 overs.

Injury update from the Kiwi camp: Williamson confirmed he was fully fit and would captain the BLACKCAPS against Bangladesh in Chennai on Friday, while Tim Southee is also fit but wouldn’t feature in the team’s third game of the World Cup. 

With Southee now recovered from his thumb injury, paceman Kyle Jamieson has returned home to New Zealand after being in India as cover.

GOT HIM!

Taking the pace off the ball has worked for the Aussies and that's exactly what Josh Hazlewood does. Short and slow and Heinrich Klaasen, looking to pull the ball, edges it behind for Josh Inglis. That'll do the Australian keeper a world of good, having missed out on a couple of takes early in the game. South Africa go five down.

Marco Jansen is the new batter in. Looking to go for glory, the South Africa pacer gets a top edge to fly past Inglis for four. 272/5 after 45 overs.

Cummins to Markram. Slower one on the leg stump and Markram looking to go big through the off stump, finds the fielder at deep backward point. 

Good over that for the Aussies, just the four runs come from it. 267/4 after 44 overs.

Three consecutive boundaries for Aiden Markram off Adam Zampa. Full and on the middle stump, lofted down wide long on for four. Floated outside off stump and he slaps it through covers for four. Almost a replica shot for his third boundary. 263/3 after 43 overs.

This is good finishing act from the Proteas. 50 partnership up between Markram and Klaasen off 41 deliveries, and they have more than that left to face. 249/3 after 42 overs.

Klaasen and Markram club a boundary each off Adam Zampa. The leggie offered a flatter one to Markram, who reverse sweeps it for four. Strays too full against Klaasen, who isn't going to miss out on the opportunity. 243/3 after 41 overs.

Short of a length again from Mitchell Starc, and Klaasen strikes it sweet on the front foot to clear the deep mid wicket boundary for six. This is ominous looking for the five-time world champions. Remember, this isn't as easy to bat on track as Kotla. Even 300 is going to take some effort from Australia under the lights. 232/3 after 40 overs.

Maxwell closes his spell with another economical over. Just the four overs from his 10th. 10-1-34-2 from his spell. 223/3 after 39 overs. 

Klaasen and Markram pin down Hazlewood. Short stuff from Hazlewood and Klaasen goes either side of the wicket for two boundaries. Back of a length to Markram and the latter wraps up the over with another short-arm pull for four. 219/3 after 38 overs.

He was brought into the attack when the pacers were being beginning to get targetted by Quinton de Kock and he's been Australia's pick of the bowlers this eve, pulling a pin on the run rate grenade and nabbing a couple of wickets. 205/3 after 37 overs.

Australia have an opening. De Kock back in the hut and the bowlers have to sniff an opportunity here. Hazlewood offers just the three runs off his latest. 200/3 after 36 over.

OUCH!

An unfortunate end to another blazzing innings from Quinton de Kock. Goes for a reverse paddle but ends up deflecting the ball to the stumps and Glenn Maxwell gets a second wicket. 197/3 after 35 overs.