Australia Create History with Three Centuries, Humiliate South Africa in 3rd ODI
Australia bounced back in style with a record-breaking performance, thrashing South Africa by 276 runs in the third and final ODI at the Great Barrier Reef Arena, Mackay, on Sunday.
Chasing pride after losing the first two matches, the hosts piled up a mammoth 431-2 — their highest ODI total on home soil. The batting carnage was led by Travis Head (142 off 103), captain Mitchell Marsh (100 off 106), and *Cameron Green (118 off just 47 balls)**, making it the first time in history that Australia’s top three batsmen all scored centuries in the same ODI.
The fireworks included 18 sixes — a new home record — as Head and Marsh shared a 250-run opening stand, Australia’s highest partnership against South Africa in ODIs, surpassing the 170 set by Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist back in 2002.
Green’s whirlwind knock, featuring three consecutive sixes off Senuran Muthusamy, was the second-fastest century for Australia in ODIs, only behind Glenn Maxwell’s 40-ball ton. Wicketkeeper Alex Carey added an unbeaten 50 to compound the misery for South Africa’s depleted bowling attack.
South Africa’s chase quickly collapsed, with the scoreboard reading 50-4 inside nine overs. Spinner Cooper Connolly ripped through the lower order, finishing with 5-22, while Sean Abbott and Xavier Bartlett made early inroads. Dewald Brevis was the lone fighter, hitting 49 before falling to Green on the boundary.
The Proteas folded for just 155 in 25 overs, handing Australia a massive consolation win by 276 runs.
Captain Marsh praised his side’s response, saying: “A pretty crazy day, a full performance by the lads. Credit to South Africa though — they were outstanding in the first two games.”
On the other hand, Proteas skipper Temba Bavuma admitted: “We were under the pump from the first ball. They put us under pressure and we didn’t have the answers.”