SA vs Austrailia and Millers 100.Wonderful day at the Bullring on Pink Day and SA take the series and a 2-0 Lead

Wonderful day at the Bullring on Pink Day and SA take the series and a 2-1 Lead. : @shaheerlaher

PROTEAS PAINT THE WANDERERS PINK – MILLER & BAVUMA SINK AUSTRALIA 🇿🇦🏏💗

South Africa 365/9 beat Australia 333 by 32 runs
2nd ODI – DP World Wanderers, Johannesburg

What a day at the Bullring!

A packed Wanderers, the Proteas dressed in pink and two magnificent South African centuries made this a Pink Day to remember as South Africa beat Australia by 32 runs to wrap up the ODI series with a match to spare.

And the star of the show? DAVID MILLER. Absolutely SUBLIME!

FROM EARLY TROUBLE TO 365. Australia won the toss and sent the Proteas in – and could hardly have asked for a better start.

Aiden Markram was gone first ball and Quinton de Kock followed for 15.Suddenly the Wanderers wasn’t quite so noisy.

Enter captain Temba Bavuma.

Bavuma steadied the innings with a composed captain’s knock, while Matthew Breetzke chipped in with a useful 34.

Then came Miller.And that’s when the mood of the game changed completely.

Bavuma played the anchor while Miller went through the gears, the pair putting together a superb 156-run fourth-wicket partnership.Bavuma eventually departed for a classy 103 from 116 balls.

Miller was far from finished.The big left-hander produced a magnificent 142 from only 93 deliveries, smashing 12 fours and nine sixes in an innings that had the Wanderers crowd loving every minute.

On Pink Day it carried even more meaning, with Miller wearing the name of his mother Jenny – a breast cancer survivor – on the back of his shirt.A special innings on a very special day.

Late runs from the Jansen brothers – Marco making 19 and Duan an unbeaten 27 – pushed South Africa to an imposing 365/9.

Australia’s young Jack Edwards deserves plenty of credit, picking up an impressive 5/67, while Josh Hazlewood claimed three wickets.

AUSTRALIA COME OUT FIRING

Chasing 366 at the Wanderers is a massive ask.

But this is Australia. Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head came out swinging and suddenly South African supporters had reason to feel a little nervous.Marsh hammered 84 from just 53 balls, while Head added another 84 from 76.

Australia were very much alive.South Africa desperately needed wickets – and eventually they came.

Bjorn Fortuin removed Marsh, Lizaad Williams struck soon afterwards and Markram trapped Head LBW.

The momentum began to turn.Keshav Maharaj once again showed his value in the middle overs, while Australia’s required rate continued to climb.

Cameron Green and Xavier Bartlett weren’t going away quietly and put together another dangerous partnership, but the Proteas held their nerve.

Australia were eventually dismissed for 333 in 49.5 overs.

Close enough to keep the Bullring interested.Not close enough to stop the Proteas.

LIZAAD LEADS THE ATTACK.With 365 on the board it would have been easy to assume this was simply a batting victory.

It wasn’t.Australia scored 333 – the South African bowlers still had plenty of work to do.

Lizaad Williams finished with 3/54, while Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj and Bjorn Fortuin picked up two wickets each.What impressed me was the way South Africa responded whenever Australia appeared ready to take control.A partnership developed?

Someone found a wicket.The pressure started building?

Another Proteas bowler stepped up.That’s what wins ODI cricket.

SWOOSH MAN OF THE MATCH – DAVID MILLER ⭐

No debate here.

142 off 93 balls.
12 fours.
9 sixes.

Miller took the game away from Australia and produced his highest ODI score in the process.

We’ve seen David Miller finish plenty of innings for South Africa over the years.

This time he had the opportunity to build one.

And boy did he build it!

SUBLIME! 🔥

SWOOSH’S VIEW

There was plenty to like about this Proteas performance.They lost Markram with the first delivery of the match.They were under early pressure.Australia later came flying out of the blocks chasing 366.

Yet South Africa kept finding answers.Bavuma’s century was measured and important.

Miller’s was explosive and unforgettable.And when Australia threatened with the bat, the Proteas bowling attack found the breakthroughs required.

Most importantly:

SOUTH AFRICA 2–0 AUSTRALIA. 🇿🇦

Series secured.

Against Australia.At the Wanderers.On Pink Day.Doesn’t get much sweeter than that!

Next stop: Potchefstroom for the third and final ODI.

Can the Proteas make it 3–0?

Bring it on!

SWOOSH0018 🏏🇿🇦

Sport. Passion. Opinion. The Swoosh View.