Potchefstroom ke maidan par aaj Australia ne dikha diya ki kyun unhe world cricket ka powerhouse kaha jata hai. Series bhale hi haath se nikal chuki ho, lekin Aussies ka garoor abhi bhi barkarar hai. Flat pitch aur damp outfield ka pura fayda uthate hue Kangaroos ne board par 322 runs tang diye hain. South Africa ke bowlers ne death overs mein comeback zaroor kiya, lekin tab tak nuksan ho chuka tha.
To kahani ye hai ki:
Innings ki shuruat kisi tufaan se kam nahi thi. Mitchell Marsh ne aate hi South African pace attack ki dhajjiya udana shuru kar diya. Unka bottom-hand power aaj full display par tha. Marsh ne sirf 42 balls mein 56 runs thonk diye, jisme 7 chauke aur ek kadak chakka shamil tha. Halanki Travis Head saste mein nikal gaye jab unhe Corbin Bosch ne bowled kiya, lekin Marsh ne momentum rukne nahi diya.
Jab Marsh out huye, tab zimmedari sambhali Alex Carey ne. Carey pichle kaafi samay se bade runs ke liye tadap rahe the, lekin aaj unhone ek calculating masterclass pesh kiya. 74 runs ki unki innings ne Australia ko ek mazboot sthiti mein pahunchaya. Unka saath diya Oliver Peake ne, jo badkismati se apni debut series mein 48 par out ho gaye. Matt Renshaw aur Cameron Green ne bhi chote lekin aggressive cameos khele, jiski wajah se score 300 ke paar pahuncha.
Ek waqt par aisa lag raha tha ki Australia 350 ka aakda paar kar legi, lekin South Africa ke death bowlers ne kamaal ki wapsi ki. Corbin Bosch ne 4 wickets lekar innings ko sameta, wahi Gerald Coetzee aur Lizaad Williams ne bhi do-do shikaar kiye. Halanki Williams kaafi महंगे sabit huye aur unhone 8 runs prati over ke hisab se runs lutaye.
Analysis & Numbers
- Alex Carey ne 1 saal se zyada waqt ke baad ODI mein 50+ score banaya, unhone 68 balls mein apni half-century puri ki.
- Mitchell Marsh ka strike rate 133 ka raha, unhone powerplay ke khatam hone se pehle hi apni fifty jad di thi.
- Corbin Bosch ne career-best bowling karte huye 9 overs mein 60 runs dekar 4 bade wickets jhatke.
- Top 7 Australian batters mein sabse kam score 23 raha, jo dikhata hai ki batting unit ne collective effort lagaya hai.
The Guru Gyan Verdict:
Australia ne Potchefstroom ki conditions ko behetarin tareeke se read kiya hai. Halanki wo 350 miss kar gaye, lekin 322 runs is pitch par defend karne ke liye kaafi hone chahiye agar unke bowlers ne discipline dikhaya. South Africa ne team mein 5 badlav kiye hain, jo unke rhythm ko bigad sakta hai. Proteas ko agar ye match jitna hai, to unhe Quinton de Kock ya Aiden Markram se ek badi innings ki umeed karni hogi, warna Australia ye consolation win aaram se le jayega.
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