Report: South Africa clinch ODI series against Australia with convincing 84-run win in Mackay

Lungi Ngidi's 42/5 helped South Africa seal their fifth consecutive bi-lateral ODI series win against Australia.

Lungi Ngidi returned with 42/5 in the second ODI. Image - cricket.com.au

South Africa secured their three-match ODI series against Australia with a game to spare after a dominant 84-run victory in the second ODI in Mackay on Friday night. The Proteas’ standout performance came from Lungi Ngidi, whose 42/5 dismantled the Australian batting lineup and sealed South Africa’s fifth consecutive bilateral series win over the reigning men's 50-over world champions.

What happened in the match?

After opting to bat first, South Africa posted a competitive total of 277 all out in the final over. Despite failures from Ryan Rickleton and captain Aiden Markram, middle-order batters Matthew Breetzke and Tristan Stubbs provided solidity in the middle.

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Breetzke impressed with a fluent 78-ball 88, featuring eight boundaries and two sixes. He made history as the first male player to score four consecutive 50-plus scores at the start of his ODI career.

Stubbs contributed a gritty 74, despite a rocky start to his innings.

Australia’s bowlers, especially Nathan Ellis and Xavier Bartlett, offered resistance with Ellis taking two crucial wickets and Bartlett continuing his impressive ODI debut with two wickets in his first three overs.

Marnus Labuschagne also took two wickets with his medium pace bowling.

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Chasing 278, Australia faced early setbacks, losing the top three batters, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, and Mitch Marsh, cheaply, one after another.

After the early setback, Cameron Green and Josh Inglis stitched a 67-run partnership for the fourth wicket. However, Senuran Muthusamy’s caught and bowled to dismiss Cameron Green gave the visitors a nod in the game.

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Although Josh Inglis played an excellent innings of 87 from 74 balls, his highest international score on Australian soil, his efforts could not prevent the collapse of the lower order.

Lungi Ngidi’s impeccable line and length dismissed Inglis in the 36th over. And, after that, Ngidi and the South African team wrapped up the match in the next 15 balls.

Ngidi’s second five-wicket haul in his ODI career helped him win the Player of the Match Award.

When is the third ODI?

The third and final ODI of the series will be played on 24th August at the same ground in Mackay from 10 am IST onwards.

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