Quinton de Kock’s hundred and Kagiso Rabada’s scorching spell helped South Africa crush Australia by 134 runs at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow.
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Coming off a six-wicket defeat against India, Australia were almost never in the contest in Lucknow. South Africa brought in Tabraiz Shamsi for Gerald Coetzee, while Australia replaced Cam Green and Alex Carey with Marcus Stoinis and Josh Inglis.
After Pat Cummins opted to bowl, Quinton de Kock blazed away to his second consecutive World Cup hundred. He improved on his 100 against Sri Lanka with a 106-ball 109, studded with eight fours and five sixes.
De Kock added 108 with Temba Bavuma (35), 50 with Rassie van der Dussen (26), and 39 with Aiden Markram. Once de Kock fell, Markram (56 in 44 balls) and Heinrich Klaasen (29 in 27) added 64, but Australia claimed both to come back into the match.
The Australian fielding – catching, in particular – came for some flak as South Africa made their way to 311-7. Only Maxwell (10-1-34-2) impressed in the middle overs, while Mitchell Starc (2-53) ended on a high, clinching a double-wicket maiden in the last over.
South Africa opened bowling with Lungi Ngidi and Marco Jansen, and both claimed an early wicket apiece. Australia were 50-2 in the 10th over when Kagiso Rabada (3-33) dismissed Steve Smith, who seemed visibly displeased with the leg-before decision.
Rabada then produced a peach to clean up Inglis and had a second controversial wicket, of Stoinis, caught behind. At the other end, Maxwell hit one back to Keshav Maharaj (2-30).
Wow, South Africa, everything going right. One of the best batting sides of the tournament, fast bowlers fit and bowling well, fielding never an issue and a captain who seems to hold everything together. Can they dream?
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) October 12, 2023
At 70-6 in 17.2 overs, Australia were under threat of being bowled out for under 100, but Marnus Labuschagne (46) and Starc (27) added 69 and Cummins made 22 to help them avoid the ignominy as well as keep their net run rate from sinking to abysmal levels.
Barring David Miller, who came to bat in the 44th over, every batter in the South African top seven made at least 25, while each of their bowlers claimed at least one wicket. Jansen, their only bowler to go at more than five an over, made a 22-ball 26 earlier in the day.
