Australia coasted to a six-wicket victory with five overs to spare in the third KFC T20 International at SuperSport Park on Friday march 14 to claim a 2-0 series win over the Blue Label Telecoms Proteas.
The visitors were superior in all disciplines as both their batsmen and bowlers came to terms better with the slow-paced pitch following a week of heavy rain.
The Australians won the toss and once again decided to bowl first. They immediately had the Proteas under pressure as they only managed 34/2 in the power play overs and 59/3 at the halfway stage. The real damage, however, followed when the Proteas slumped from 68/3 to 81/6 in the space of three overs.
Those were all key wickets, being AB de Villiers, David Miller and Quinton de Kock, whose 41 off 40 balls (2 fours and 2 sixes) was far and away the best contribution to the innings.
Their total of 128/7 never looked like being enough, unless they could strike quickly up front and that possibility disappeared when Aaron Finch and Craig White put on 43 for the first wicket in only 4.5 overs. Finch was in imperious form and made the top contribution of 39 (27 balls, 6 fours).
One of the few positives for the Proteas was the form of leg-spinner Imran Tahir (2/21 in 4 overs), who will have a key role to play in the ICC World Twenty20 in Bangladesh.
Not too much can be written into this outcome as the conditions will be totally different in Bangladesh and the Proteas will benefit from some much needed match practice in their two warm-up matches.
Mitchell Starc, who took key wickets up front, was named KFC Man of the Match and De Kock the KFC Man of the Series.
“We have to adapt to playing conditions more quickly,” said captain of the Proteas T20 team Faf du Plessis at the press conference after the match. “It is very important that we learn lessons from this match and apply it when we are going to the sub-continent to play in the World Cup T20.”
The Proteas have already left for Bangladesh to play in the World Cup T20.
