low full toss on leg stump, dug out towards point, and SA go wild! South Africa win by 12 runs, and square the series 1-1... we're going into a decider, folks!
South Africa vs Australia, 2nd T20I at Gqeberha, SA v AUS, Feb 23 2020 - Match Result
RESULT
2nd T20I, Gqeberha, February 23, 2020, Australia tour of South Africa
Match centre
Scores: M Venkat Raghav | Comms: Matt RollerScorecard summary
South Africa • 158/4(20 overs)
70 (47)
2/21 (4)
37 (26)
1/31 (4)
Australia • 146/6(20 overs)
67* (56)
3/41 (4)
29 (26)
1/24 (4)
end of over 204 runs • 1 wicket
AUS: 146/6CRR: 7.30
Mitchell Starc2 (2b)
David Warner67 (56b 5x4 1x6)
Anrich Nortje 4-0-24-1
Kagiso Rabada 4-0-27-1
6.12pm: That'll be it from us for today. Firdose Moonda is busy putting the finishing touches to her report, which will be available here shortly, and we'll be back with you for Wednesday's decider at Newlands. Until then, from Alan, Venkat and myself, it's thank you and goodnight!
Time for the presentation:
Player of the match is Quinton de Kock. It's a batsman's game! "We've played here a number of times and I've realised that the new ball is key, so I was trying to capitalise on the powerplay. We thought 160 was par. We understand this wicket, especially late afternoon, for the team batting second it's always going to be difficult. [Adjustment] It's very difficult, but at this level of cricket you should be good enough to understand what needs to be done. [Death] Our death bowling had struggled a little bit. They came here and bowled really well, stuck to their plans. [Fielding] The guys know how good they are at fielding. They understood that they needed to come out here and show some fight. It's going to be a good game, expecting a good wicket at Newlands."
Here's Aaron Finch: "The way our bowlers brought it back was outstanding. Anytime you've got a player like Quinton, who goes hard in the powerplay and gets away, it's so hard to stop, I thought we did a great job to drag it back. And I thought we were in the hunt for most of the chase. We just didn't get that kick at the end that we needed. It was a good contest and its a nice, well it's not nice, but one-all going to Cape Town. [Running] In the powerplay, when teams are sitting right back on the circle, it's just about adapting. Just a bit short in the end. [Lack of RH at the death] David didn't get quite as much of the strike as he would have liked at the end. Both teams bowled well at the end, not ideal but a great game still. Our middle order trying to get a bit more time there... it would have been nice for them to get that winning feeling."
Interested to see how Finch explains that defeat. Easy to say the middle order didn't finish the job, but Warner completely lost his rhythm in the final ten overs.
"Carey has been absolute garbage after World Cup," declares Aaron [not Finch!]. "Wade doesn't deserve a spot after such a soft dismissal. Mitch Marsh is a temporary for Glenn [Maxwell]"
5.55pm: What a choke by Australia! Warner couldn't get on strike in the second half of the innings, and didn't hit a boundary after the 13th over... that said, the middle order had the game set up for them, and couldn't turn a strong position into that all important W. South Africa were so good at the death... Rabada's 19th over in particular was absolutely vital, with Ngidi and Nortje crucial too. Australia only managed 19 off the last four overs, would you believe!
Ramble: "Think the women's team did a great job inspiring the men's team in how to win a close one!"
This is the first time David Warner has finished not out in a run chase and his team has lost, across all T20 cricket, according to Gaurav Sundararaman! Unbelievable...
19.6
1
Nortje to Starc, 1 run
South Africa's game. What a comeback!
19.5
1lb
Nortje to Warner, 1 leg bye
slower ball, low full toss on the pads, thuds into the front leg and dribbles out to short midwicket
15 off 2. Australia need a no-ball!
19.4
•
Nortje to Warner, no run
full outside off, Warner flays it straight to short extra cover on the edge of the ring and they don't take the run!
15 off 3 balls. Warner on strike.
19.3
1
Nortje to Starc, 1 run
slower bounce, bottom edged into his boot and it dribbles back down the ground. Nortje does the fielding, and they race through for a single
16 off 4. Australia need boundaries, urgently.
Mitchell Starc, in at No. 8 ahead of Pat Cummins.
Nortje's maiden T20I wicket, would you believe!
19.2
W
Nortje to Agar, OUT
bowled 'im! Off stump is pegged back, Nortje roars in celebrations and the crowd are raucous! Not a clever shot, just trying to swing as hard as he could into the leg side but couldn't get bat on it. Offcutter from Nortje, on the money, and it pinged into the top of off stump!
Ashton Agar b Nortje 1 (5b 0x4 0x6 6m) SR: 20
Agar is struggling. 1 from 4 balls. Nortje stays over the wicket, 16 needed from 5 balls.
19.1
1
Nortje to Warner, 1 run
gives himself room outside the leg stump, cracks it out to the sweeper at deep cover but it's only one!
Nortje, over the wicket.
17 needed from 6 balls. Warner needs to find at least a couple of boundaries.
Our forecaster has dipped all the way down to 9.32% for Australia's win probability.
end of over 193 runs • 1 wicket
AUS: 142/5CRR: 7.47 • RRR: 17.00
Ashton Agar1 (4b)
David Warner66 (53b 5x4 1x6)
Kagiso Rabada 4-0-27-1
Lungi Ngidi 4-0-41-3
Superb death bowling from Kagiso Rabada. Just brilliant.
18.6
•
Rabada to Agar, no run
length ball, Agar sits deep looking to hammer it over midwicket but can only inside edge into the pad!
17 off 7 is the equation. Just three runs so far this over
18.6
1w
Rabada to Agar, 1 wide
speared down the leg side, and given as a wide! Free runs, not what South Africa need at this stage...
18.5
•
Rabada to Agar, no run
yorker outside off, Agar looks to spear it away into the off side but can't get bat on it!
18.4
1
Rabada to Warner, 1 run
attempted yorker, turns into a low full toss, slashed away to Pretorius at extra cover who just about manages to stop it, and they can't make it back for the second
19 needed from 9 balls. How many will Australia back themselves to get off Nortje's final over?
18.3
1
Rabada to Agar, 1 run
length in the channel, slashed hard out to deep point
18.2
•
Rabada to Agar, no run
back of a length, worked back to the bowler on the bounce
Ashton Agar, the finisher, is in at No. 7
"Warner and Smith batting have blown this," declares David. "They went far too long just pushing for singles"
18.1
W
Rabada to Wade, OUT
leading edge back to the bowler, and the crowd go beserk! Slower ball, length in the channel, Wade looked to work into the leg side, closing the bat face, and could only chip a straightforward return catch to Rabada. Game on....
Matthew Wade c & b Rabada 1 (2b 0x4 0x6 3m) SR: 50
Rabada, round the wicket. 20 from 12 needed.
Australia's chances down at 66.8% according to our forecaster... it's squeaky-bum time!
Arjun: "This game is going to Super Over. There, I said it."
end of over 185 runs • 1 wicket
AUS: 139/4CRR: 7.72 • RRR: 10.00
Matthew Wade1 (1b)
David Warner65 (52b 5x4 1x6)
Lungi Ngidi 4-0-41-3
Kagiso Rabada 3-0-24-0
Another great comeback from Ngidi at the death, just the five runs off the over.
17.6
1
Ngidi to Wade, 1 run
shuffles over to the off side, guides it behind square for one
Is there a twist in this one? Matty Wade in at No. 6
17.5
W
Ngidi to Marsh, OUT
in the slot outside off, clubbed high and mighty down the ground... Faf is racing round from long-on, dives to grab it, parries it back in, and Miller, at full stretch, gets a hand underneath the relay throw to take an absolute BLINDER! Outrageous fielding. Du Plessis only just got to it, his parry was flat and low to the ground, but Miller reacted to it and snuck his hand underneath it. Unreal fielding!
Mitchell Marsh c Miller b Ngidi 6 (8b 0x4 0x6 13m) SR: 75
Vinod Rajpal: "Smelling a last ball thriller!"
17.5
1w
Ngidi to Marsh, 1 wide
uses his feet, shuffling across to the off side, Ngidi pushes it wider in response but it's some way outside of the tramline and he's called out for it
17.4
•
Ngidi to Marsh, no run
slower ball, hung wide of the off stump. Marsh sets himself, looking to spank it down the ground, but it's outside of his arc and past the outside edge
Warner's last boundary was in the 13th over
17.3
1
Ngidi to Warner, 1 run
offcutter, Warner gives himself room and chips it over point, but deep cover gets round to cut it off
17.2
1
Ngidi to Marsh, 1 run
slower yorker, wide on the crease. Pushed out to extra cover for one more
17.1
1
Ngidi to Warner, 1 run
uses his feet, clipped down to wide long-on. Warner races through hoping for a second but decides against
Warner's running has been brilliant here, but that has distracted somewhat from a real slowdown in terms of his scoring rate. Should still guide Australia home, mind you
Best performances - batters
Spike Graph
Wagon Zone
70 runs (47)
5 fours4 sixes
Productive shot
slog shot
14 runs
2 fours1 six
Control
70%
AUS
67 runs (56)
5 fours1 six
Productive shot
cut shot
17 runs
2 fours0 six
Control
86%
Best performances - bowlers
SA
O
4
M
0
R
41
W
3
ECO
10.25
FTYFGSGS
OFFLEG
RHB
1W | ||||
1W | ||||
LEGOFF
LHB
1W | ||||
O
4
M
0
R
21
W
2
ECO
5.25
FTYFGSGS
OFFLEG
RHB
1W | 1W | |||
LEGOFF
LHB
Match details
| St George's Park, Port Elizabeth | |
| Toss | South Africa, elected to bat first |
| Series | |
| Season | 2019/20 |
| Player Of The Match | |
| Series result | 3-match series level 1-1 |
| Match number | T20I no. 1052 |
| Hours of play (local time) | 14.30 start, First Session 14.30-15.55, Interval 15.55-16.15, Second Session 16.15-17.40 |
| Match days | 23 February 2020 - day (20-over match) |
| Umpires | |
| TV Umpire | |
| Reserve Umpire | |
| Match Referee | |
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