The hand of Rabada
Plays of the day from Australia's last-ball victory at the Wanderers
Firdose Moonda
06-Mar-2016
Glenn Maxwell went to his fifty with one of the biggest hits of the day • Associated Press
The broken stumps (but no wicket)
South Africa were racing along at 81 for 2 in the 10th over and Australia needed something special to stop them. They almost had that when JP Duminy drove James Faulkner down the pitch and the ball was deflected on to the non-striker's stumps. Faf du Plessis had his bat in but Faulkner sensed an opportunity at the other end. He threw the ball down the wicket in the hope that Duminy was out of his crease but he had also got back in time. Both sets of stumps were broken but Australia still did not have a wicket.
South Africa were racing along at 81 for 2 in the 10th over and Australia needed something special to stop them. They almost had that when JP Duminy drove James Faulkner down the pitch and the ball was deflected on to the non-striker's stumps. Faf du Plessis had his bat in but Faulkner sensed an opportunity at the other end. He threw the ball down the wicket in the hope that Duminy was out of his crease but he had also got back in time. Both sets of stumps were broken but Australia still did not have a wicket.
The failed sequel
Duminy took on the Mitchell Marsh short ball with a powerful pull to deep square leg to bring up the South Africa 100 and did not seem to believe his luck when Marsh followed up with exactly the same delivery. It was short again, Duminy pulled again but not with as much power and picked out the boundary rider. Steven Smith took a simple catch to remind Duminy that lightning seldom strikes the same spot twice.
Duminy took on the Mitchell Marsh short ball with a powerful pull to deep square leg to bring up the South Africa 100 and did not seem to believe his luck when Marsh followed up with exactly the same delivery. It was short again, Duminy pulled again but not with as much power and picked out the boundary rider. Steven Smith took a simple catch to remind Duminy that lightning seldom strikes the same spot twice.
The courageous call
Du Plessis is better known for holding an innings together, not moving it along but he took on the role of aggressor after AB de Villiers, Quinton de Kock and David Miller were dismissed. Du Plessis showed off his inventive side when he got down low outside off stump to ramp a full Josh Hazlewood delivery over the wicketkeeper's head for four - the first time that shot has been played in this series.
Du Plessis is better known for holding an innings together, not moving it along but he took on the role of aggressor after AB de Villiers, Quinton de Kock and David Miller were dismissed. Du Plessis showed off his inventive side when he got down low outside off stump to ramp a full Josh Hazlewood delivery over the wicketkeeper's head for four - the first time that shot has been played in this series.
The blinding catch
Kagiso Rabada threatened to upstage Dale Steyn's comeback when he bowled a pinpoint yorker to take the first Australia wicket but then he made Steyn's day with an improbable catch to remove Smith. Steyn, playing his first international match in more than two months, had bowled a tentative first over and started his second with a short ball that Smith had an almighty lash at. Smith got a top edge to third man, where Rabada had over-run. He realised he was too far in, leapt up and stuck out a hand in hope and somehow the ball stuck. Rabada had the presence of mind to tuck his elbow in as he fell so the ball wouldn't bobble out and Steyn had the heart to give Smith a consolatory pat on the shoulder before celebrating.
Kagiso Rabada threatened to upstage Dale Steyn's comeback when he bowled a pinpoint yorker to take the first Australia wicket but then he made Steyn's day with an improbable catch to remove Smith. Steyn, playing his first international match in more than two months, had bowled a tentative first over and started his second with a short ball that Smith had an almighty lash at. Smith got a top edge to third man, where Rabada had over-run. He realised he was too far in, leapt up and stuck out a hand in hope and somehow the ball stuck. Rabada had the presence of mind to tuck his elbow in as he fell so the ball wouldn't bobble out and Steyn had the heart to give Smith a consolatory pat on the shoulder before celebrating.
The lost balls
David Miller and du Plessis hit balls into the stands but only Glenn Maxwell had the audacity to send one out of the ground and into the apartment block next door. David Wiese was having a tough time keeping Maxwell quiet and when he bowled a third successive full delivery in the same over, Maxwell could not resist. He had put away the first two, into the stands and over the keeper, but got under the third and dispatched it over the scoreboard and into the property of the stadium's neighbours. That shot also brought up Maxwell's fifty off just 26 deliveries.
David Miller and du Plessis hit balls into the stands but only Glenn Maxwell had the audacity to send one out of the ground and into the apartment block next door. David Wiese was having a tough time keeping Maxwell quiet and when he bowled a third successive full delivery in the same over, Maxwell could not resist. He had put away the first two, into the stands and over the keeper, but got under the third and dispatched it over the scoreboard and into the property of the stadium's neighbours. That shot also brought up Maxwell's fifty off just 26 deliveries.
Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo's South Africa correspondent