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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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:
South Africa 164-6 (42) Miller 72, Coetzee 19, Cummins 0-31 (6)
With Maxwell bowled out, it will be Cummins, it’s hit towards the boundary but Maxwell is able to make the dive and cut off the boundary.
But there’s just four runs from it, including a wide.
South Africa 160-6 (41) Miller 69, Coetzee 19, Head 2-21 (5)
After the pace of Starc did not bring the required reward, Head is back on. the batters almost collided midway through a run, but the fielder had also fumbled so it did not lead to anything.
His fifth over went for just three runs.
South Africa 155-6 (40) Miller 67, Coetzee 18, Maxwell 0-35 (10)
This will be Maxwell’s last over, he has been incredibly economical, but has yet to take a wicket.
He finishes his spell having gone for just 35 runs from his 10 overs.
South Africa 154-6 (39) Miller 66, Coetzee 17, Starc 2-23 (8)
Starc comes back on, it will be interesting to see what the extra pace brings.
Coetzee has a well-struck cover drive to the boundary to bring up the Proteas 150.
South Africa 149-6 (38) Miller 66, Coetzee 12, Maxwell 0-33 (9)
There is a four off the first ball of Maxwell, Miller is well into the 60s, and he follows it up with a single.
South Africa 141-6 (37) Coetzee 10, Miller 60, Head 2-17 (4)
Head is back on and the batters are just knocking it around for singles.
South Africa 139-6 (36) Miller 59, Coetzee 9, Maxwell 0-25 (8)
South Africa are really struggling against Maxwell, other than Hazlewood, he has been the least expensive of those who have bowled after the power play.
Miller smashes one four the last ball of the over.
South Africa 134-6 (35) Miller 55, Coetzee 8, Head 2-15 (3)
Coetzee has his first boundary, it was too full from Head and punished with a big drive to the boundary.
He then chips it to long on to bring Miller on strike, but that’s it for runs, five from the over.
South Africa 129-6 (34) Miller 55, Coetzee 3, Maxwell 0-20 (7)
Maxwell will continue after the drinks break, there’s a single off the first ball, but Coetzee struggled for the rest of the over, only scoring off the final ball.
Two runs from the over.
South Africa 127-6 (33) Miller 54, Coetzee 2, Head 2-10 (2)
Head took two in two last over, before Coetzee batted out the final delivery of the over to prevent a hat-trick, but he will continue here.
Coetzee gets off strike with a single, and the ball is starting to grip off the surface. It is not easy for the batters out there, and that might encourage South Africa, although they will need more runs than this on the board.
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