The Proteas claimed a terrific 3-0 whitewash against Australia in the One Day International series with a 6 wicket win at Senwes Park in Potchefstroom today (Saturday, 7 March)
SA chased down Australia’s target of 254/7 with relative ease as half-centuries from Jon-Jon Smuts (84), Kyle Verreynne (50) and Heinrich Klaasen (68) sealed the deal. Klaasen also hit the winning runs with a six over mid on to finish on 258/4.
This victory brought the curtain down in a positive note after a difficult summer season for Mark Boucher’s men.
The tables though were comprehensively turned around today as a combination of fine bowling, aggressive and calculated batting as well as a vibrant and partisan crowd in Potch spurred SA on to a fine victory.
Jon-Jon Smuts (84) was the catalyst in a superb middle order batting display. Smuts had earlier taken 2/42 with the ball, in a great all-round effort to justify him as a viable all-rounder option.
The ginger-haired Kyle Verreynne, also chipped in with his debut run a ball 50, as the youngsters showed fight against the Australians.
It should be noted that the Aussie pace attack were without regular front line seamers, Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins, but they should still have given the home side more of a worry. Josh Hazlewood was the outstanding Australian seamer, who picked up both wickets of Quinton de Kock (26) and Janneman Malan (23).
Earlier on, SA restricted Australia to 254/7 after putting Australia in to bat. The Aussies lost the dangerous trio of Steve Smith, Aaron Finch and David Warner cheaply, but Marnus Labuschagne, the former South African and Klerksdorper, rescued his adopted country with a fine 108 (107).
SA, without the likes of Ngidi or Shamsi, who are regular wicket takers, stood up to the Australians. Debutant, Daryn Dupavillon (1/21), Lutho Sipamla (0/40) and Anrich Nortje (2/35) were superb on the day.
