Reuters
St Kitts, June 12: Opening batsman David Warner (109, 120b, 11×4, 2×6) made his first ODI century outside Australia to set his team on their way to a 36-run victory over South Africa in the fourth match of a triangular ODI series Saturday.
After Australia made a respectable 288 for six, South Africa looked to be cruising to victory for much of their innings at Warner Park in Basseterre, on the Caribbean island of St Kitts.
However, a persistent Australian bowling attack finally took its toll and South Africa collapsed from 210/3 in the 38th over to lose their final seven wickets for only 42 runs and were bundled out for 252 off 47.4 overs.
Warner scored his sixth ODI century on a pitch that, initially at least, was far more conducive to runs than the slow, low surface that hosted the first three games of the series in Guyana. He later injured a finger diving for a catch and left the field for treatment.
Skipper Steve Smith (52 n o, 49b, 5×4, 1×6) and Usman Khawaja (59, 71b, 4×4, 1×6) also batted well to put a challenging total on the board. Fast bowlers Mitchell Starc (3/43), Josh Hazlewood (3/52) and leg-spinner Adam Zampa (3/52) bowled well for the Aussies.
Chasing a 289-run target, the Proteas started off well after the early dismissal of Quinton de Kock. Hashim Amla (60, 64b, 6×4, 1×6) and Faf du Plessis (63, 74b, 5×4) added 105 runs for the second wicket. Skipper AB de Villiers (39, 32b) and JP Duminy (41, 39b) also started their innings well but couldn’t able to convert them into match-winning knocks. After the wicket of De Villiers in the 38th over, South Africa were shattered in the chase.
