Australia’s World Cup dream is hanging by a thread after Pat Cummins’ men suffered a thumping 134-run loss to South Africa at Lucknow’s Ekana Stadium on Tuesday.
Proteas wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock blasted a masterful century before some superb death bowling helped restrict South Africa to 7-311 from their 50 overs.
In response, Australia lost 6-43 in a disastrous collapse, ultimately bowled out for 177. Kagiso Rabada claimed three crucial wickets, while none of Australia’s batters reached fifty.
The Australians have three days to regroup before they face Sri Lanka at the same venue on Monday.
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‘DISAPPOINTING’: AUSTRALIA’S FIELDING NIGHTMARE
Has there ever been a worse fielding performance by Australia in ODI cricket?
Pat Cummins’ side were uncharacteristically sloppy in the field on Thursday, putting down five chances during South Africa’s innings at Ekana Stadium.
It comes after Mitchell Marsh gifted Indian superstar Virat Kohli a massive reprieve during Sunday’s six-wicket loss in Chennai, putting down an absolute dolly at mid-wicket.
“The number of close chances that have gone down,” former Australian batter Matthew Hayden lamented in commentary.
“Australia’s catching efficiency is usually all over it, especially in World Cups. There are so many hours of preparation. There’s so much pride and legacy that goes in behind Australia’s efforts.”
Some of Australia’s fielding blunders were forgivable. Josh Inglis’ missed chance deviated quite a distance off Temba Bavuma’s outside edge, while return chances are never simple for pace bowlers.
And although juggling catches on the boundary rope have become commonplace in modern cricket, Sean Abbott’s attempt to relay the ball to his teammate is easier said than done.
However, the two dropped chances in the penultimate over of South Africa’s innings were a terrible look.
It’s a small sample size, but Australia currently has the lowest catch efficiency of the tournament with 54 per cent.
“I don’t really have many words, disappointing, they just haven’t been able to execute their skills,” former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson muttered in commentary.
“Australia have always prided themselves on their fielding standard.
“Unfortunately, the catching just hasn’t been up to standard.”
Catch efficiency during 2023 World Cup
92% — India
91% — Bangladesh
83% — Netherlands
80% — South Africa
79% — Pakistan
78% — England
71% — New Zealand
60% — Afghanistan
58% — Sri Lanka
54% — Australia
MAXWELL ANSWERS BIG SPIN QUESTION
Australian selectors took a big gamble by opting to replace Ashton Agar with Marnus Labuschagne.
Agar suffered a calf injury that ruled him out of the World Cup, leaving a gap open for another spinner to join the squad.
Instead, chair of selectors George Bailey bolstered Australia’s batting stocks and put his faith in Glenn Maxwell as the second spinner.
“I think it’s unfair on Maxwell to say he’s not a specialist spinner. Think his white-ball spinning record is pretty handy and you could very much consider him a frontline option,” Bailey told reporters last month.
“We certainly consider that we have two frontline spinners within our first-choice XI.”
His decision proved to be the right one against South Africa on Thursday, with the dangerous all-rounder being labelled the “pick of the bowlers” by England legend Nasser Hussain.
Maxwell recorded his best ever World Cup figures, conceding only 34 runs from his ten overs, to go with two wickets. The Victorian dismissed centurion Quinton de Kock as well as opening batter Temba Bavuma.
The full extent of his bowling efforts also became clear, bowling 28 overs in India at an economy rate of 3.82 and an average of 17.83 across his six wickets. Those stats include the third ODI against India, Australia’s World Cup opener against the host nation and his exploits against South Africa.
He also didn’t concede a boundary against the Proteas, well and truly proving he can do a job as Australia’s second spinner.
“There was a little bit of help out there and obviously slightly bigger boundaries as well, just trying to make them hit to the long side as much as I can,” Maxwell said in the innings break.
“It’s been enjoyable to have a bit more of a bowling role back in this side.”
CAREY’S SHOCK AXING BACKFIRES
Australian selectors lost patience with Alex Carey one match into the World Cup, axing him in favour of Josh Inglis ahead of Thursday’s match in Lucknow.
Carey’s form with the bat since the Lord’s Ashes Test has been bitterly underwhelming, with the South Australian reaching 15 just once in his eight most recent ODI knocks.
And after the left-hander copped a second-ball duck against India on Sunday, George Bailey and the selection panel made the bold move to parachute Inglis into the starting XI.
It didn’t work.
Aussie bold selection move BACKFIRES | 00:30
The West Australian, batting at No. 5 against the Proteas, only scored five in his maiden World Cup knock, bowled by Kagiso Rabada in the 12th over.
The South African quick produced an absolute peach that nipped away from the right-hander and crashed into off stump. Inglis, still holding his forward defence, could only look up in disbelief before trudging back to the sheds.
Meanwhile, Inglis’ glovework was tidy but far from perfect, with the 28-year-old dropping two of Adam Zampa’s deliveries in his first over of the afternoon, one of which kissed Temba Bavuma’s outside edge.
The decision to drop Carey not only proved unprofitable, but it’s left the national selectors uncertain about who Australia’s first-choice wicketkeeper is.
Carey only got one chance in this tournament. How many will Inglis get?
BITTERSWEET TRUTH BEHIND DE KOCK TON
Quinton de Kock made a bold decision in September.
The wicketkeeper announced he would be retiring from ODI cricket after this World Cup, with the allure of T20 contracts influencing his call.
“I am not going to deny that there is a lot of money and coming to the end of your career, guys want to get their final top-up before their career finishes,” de Kock said to ESPN.
“Any normal person would do it anyway. If I was really not that loyal I would have done it five years ago.”
The gun South African is only 30 years of age and has already been on the international scene for 11 years, having walked away from Test cricket two years ago.
While playing various T20 tournaments across the globe, de Kock will still play for his country in the game’s shortest format, but won’t play one day cricket past 2023.
De Kock smashed a star-studded Australia bowling line-up to all corners of the Ekana Stadium on his way to an impressive ton on Thursday. He finished on 109 from 106 deliveries after he was dismissed in bizarre fashion, scooping the ball onto his own stumps while attempting a reverse sweep.
Last week, he also plundered 100 from only 84 balls against Sri Lanka, whilst Rassie van der Dussen and Aiden Markram also reached three figures. It was the first time de Kock had blasted back-to-back ODI centuries since October 2015.
de Kock rings up century in style | 00:36
De Kock is clearly a key figure in South Africa’s batting line-up and will be sorely missed in years to come, leaving a gaping hole in the top order.
He also earned lofty praise from Maxwell, who labelled him a “superstar”.
“I’m getting tired of seeing him make runs, feels like it happens a lot against us,” Maxwell said.
“He’s a superstar and what’s this his second in a row at this World Cup, he’s been dangerous for a long period of time.
“Super player and super consistent, but nice to get him out.”
An explosive opening batter is a key factor in success in ODI cricket with the last two winners boasting damaging players at the top. England in 2019 had Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow as their openers when they beat New Zealand in the final in a thrilling super over, while Australia boasted David Warner and Aaron Finch, two extremely dangerous players.
AUSSIES PRAYING FOR HEAD’S RAPID RECOVERY
Travis Head, a member of Australia’s 15-player World Cup squad, is currently sitting at home in Adelaide with a sore wrist.
The 29-year-old has been Australia’s most consistent ODI batter over the last 12 months, averaging 60.12 in the 50-over format since replacing former white-ball captain Aaron Finch at the top of the order.
However, Australia’s World Cup plans were thrown into disarray last month when Head suffered a fractured wrist during last month’s bilateral ODI series against South Africa, ruling him out of the first half of the marquee tournament.
And it’s apparent that Australia’s desperately missing him.
Mitchell Marsh, tasked with opening the batting in Head’s absence, has registered scores of 0 and 7 against India and South Africa respectively. The West Australian has previously proven a dangerous weapon at the top of the order, but he’s yet to discover any momentum during the World Cup.
Meanwhile, Head’s off-spin would be a valuable asset on India’s dusty tracks, as shown by Maxwell’s recent exploits with the ball.
Cricket Australia is yet to announce Head’s return date, but the South Australian would be welcomed back with open arms.
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