South Africa vs Australia LIVE: World Cup result and reaction as Cummins and Starc lead Aussies to victory
Australia beat South Africa by three wickets and reach World Cup final
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Your support makes all the difference.Australia will face India in the Cricket World Cup final after overcoming South Africa at Eden Gardens winning their semi-final clash by three wickets.
Proteas captain, Temba Bavuma won the toss and elected to bat only for South Africa to slip to 24-4 as Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc stuck early with the new ball. David Miller recovered the innings with a stylish century finishing with 101 runs as South Africa set a target of 213.
In reply, David Warner and Travis Head got the Aussies off to a flying start, putting on 60 for the first wicket. When Warner was dismissed for 29, Mitchell Marsh quickly followed and wickets continued to fall making Australia’s run chase a tense affair. Gerald Coetzee struck twice late in the innings leaving it to Starc and Pat Cummins to knock off the winning runs.
Australia advance to the tournament showpiece but face India who have yet to lose in this year’s competition and are favourites to claim the title of World Champions.
Relive the semi-final action below and get the latest odds and tips right here:
Australia 174-5 (33.2), Inglis 19, Smith 30, Coetzee 0-27 (3.2) (target 213)
A shift of strategy from South Africa - it’s going to be a bumper barrage from Gerald Coetzee, a bit of leg theory with conventional modes of attack not proving effective so far. Of course, he can only bowl two bouncers over the shoulder in the over, and the first is used up immediately, forcing a re-think.
Miles in the air, can someone get beneath it?
Australia 174-5 (33), Inglis 19, Smith 30, Rabada 1-41 (6) (target 213)
These two batters have really taken the sting out of the game, though. This has been uber impressive from Josh Inglis, light on international experience but a product of the incredibly competitive Western Australia system, which tends to churn out tough and supremely talented cricketers. He was born and raised in Leeds until he was 14, though, if that offers any consolation to mourning England fans.
Two singles on Rabada’s return. 39 required.
Australia 172-5 (32), Inglis 18, Smith 29, Coetzee 0-27 (3) (target 213)
Coetzee continues, perhaps surprisingly, as South Africa try to berak things back open. Quinton de Kock throws the ball up in jest after Stve Smith misses a wipe down the legside, fooling the bowler, who launches into an appeal. There was a flick of Smith’s pocket, which means Richard Kettleborough’s wide signal will frustrate South Africa.
Edged but safe! There’s no slip for Smith, though relatively soft hands mean that it might not have carried anyway. Away to the rope it hurries for four.
Kagiso Rabada has his cap off. He’ll relieve the tiring Maharaj.
Australia 165-5 (31), Inglis 17, Smith 24, Maharaj 1-22 (9) (target 213)
Keshav Maharaj has two more to bowl, and will presumably complete his allocation unchanged. You wonder if he is just starting to fatigue, though, not quite managing to challenge both edges and land it on a length quite as often as earlier in his spell. Australia’s requirement is beneath 50.
Australia 162-5 (30), Inglis 16, Smith 22, Coetzee 0-20 (2) (target 213)
That is a surprise - Tabraiz Shamsi is off, and Gerald Coetzee is on, back for a second spell after a 15-run first over earlier. That feels risky from Temba Bavuma, though the near 90mph heat that Coetzee brings doesn’t look particularly pleasant to face in a pressure situation.
Smith hooks with a ballroom dancer’s grace but can’t beat a sliding Marco Jansen on the long leg boundary. Josh Inglis does find the fence, guiding wide of the sole slip and fine of the fielder in the deep.
Australia 156-5 (29), Josh Inglis 12, Smith 21, Maharaj 1-19 (8) (target 213)
Jeepers! Inglis and Smith nearly combine for a disaster, Inglis asking Smith to come through for a single and initially drawing a positive response, before having to hastily retreat after his partner changes his mind. The keeper-batter gets back with a dive, aided by a throw that slows on the bounce.
Keshav Maharaj is giving them nowt, though. 57 required.
Australia 155-5 (28), Josh Inglis 11, Smith 21, Shamsi 2-38 (8) (target 213)
A few gnawed fingernails on show in the stands. A single to add to that four as Tabraiz Shamsi concludes his eighth set of six.
Australia 154-5 (27.1), Josh Inglis 10, Smith 21, Shamsi 2-37 (7.1) (target 213)
That’s excellent batsmanship from Josh Inglis. He backs away and opens up the offside, waiting for a shorter ball from Tabraiz Shamsi and playing it with a relatively upright bat, using the speed of the outfield and shortish cover boundary to beat the sweeper fielder.
Australia 150-5 (27), Josh Inglis 6, Smith 21, Maharaj 1-18 (7) (target 213)
Temba Bavuma has captained really well in this period, not panicking with a small total on the board and keeping his attacking fielders in. He tries a short catching cover role for Josh Inglis, encouraging Keshav Maharaj to give it some air and test the mettle of the wicketkeeper-batter.
Australia are four more runs closer to that ever diminishing target, though.
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