Miller, Bavuma bash Australia as South Africa win ODI series

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/australia/OxG0JfXg/"]Australia[/a] sent their hosts in to bat and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/south-africa/tUhlKzIm/"]South Africa[/a] ‌amassed 365 for nine in their 50 overs, before bowling ‌the visitors out for 333 in 49.5 overs as they continued ‌their dominance over their rivals with a 19th ODI ‌win in their last 25 meetings.[/p][p]Australia were again undone by spin in the middle of the innings after a fast start to their reply ‌and were not helped by the continued ⁠absence of seamer [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cummins-patrick/nXoaKQUf/"]Pat Cummins[/a] ‌and a side strain suffered by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ellis-nathan/Kn6eXYoC/"]Nathan Ellis[/a] in the match ​that meant he bowled only four overs.[/p][p][b]"It's really disappointing," [/b]Australia captain [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/marsh-mitchell/UovVueNf/"]Mitch Marsh[/a] said. "[b]We came here determined to level the series at 1-1 and take it into the final game but fair play to South Africa. I thought they played really well and outplayed us again.[/b][/p][p][b]"We just want to keep improving. We certainly don't want to be whitewashed, so we'll go to Potchefstroom determined to win that final game and play some good cricket."[/b][/p][embed guid="ad7d7bb3-36ca-4ec8-a346-97abbcd3f939" url="https://x.com/ProteasMenCSA/status/2104252181709045773?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]South Africa made a cautious start to their innings and were rocked ​by the loss of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/markram-aiden/t2HJVWpB/"]Aiden Markram[/a] off the first ball, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/connolly-cooper/jPqaRayb/"]Cooper Connolly[/a] taking a superb one-handed catch above his head ⁠off the bowling ​of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hazlewood-josh/zkKrMn0r/"]Josh Hazlewood[/a].[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bavuma-temba/Kb3iKZg5/"]Bavuma[/a] scored his 103 from 116 balls for his sixth ODI century in a measured innings where he scored all around the wicket.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/miller-david/rwlHA2tj/"]Miller[/a] was more explosive, with nine sixes in ‌his 142 from 93 balls, clearing the ropes with ease as he struck his career-best score and eighth ODI ton.[/p][p]There was little else of substance as the pair put on 156 for the fourth wicket and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/edwards-jack/js4VDsXA/"]Jack Edwards[/a], playing in his second ODI, was the pick of the bowlers with 5-67 in 10 overs.[/p][p]In a carbon-copy of Thursday’s 67-run win for South Africa in Durban, Australia made a lightning start to their ‌reply as Mitch Marsh (84 from 53 balls) and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/head-travis/EiBJThAd/"]Travis Head[/a] (84 ​from 76 balls) put on 130 in 17 overs ‌for the first wicket.[/p][embed guid="9b668c7f-2a0c-4024-9990-3f050a3a6719" url="https://x.com/ProteasMenCSA/status/2104248704777789715?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]But the middle order struggled to score freely and South Africa’s three spinners tightened the screw.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/maharaj-keshav/lOlAEUyc/"]Keshav Maharaj[/a] (2-54), [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fortuin-bjorn/YDoCGV4s/"]Bjorn Fortuin[/a] (2-70) and Markram (1-55) were all effective in their 10 overs on a very good batting wicket.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/barlett-xavier/baz2m7jS/"]Xavier Bartlett[/a] kept Australia ⁠in the game with ⁠a fine 50 runs from ‌28 deliveries but it was not enough.[/p][p][b]"It was another really good all-round team performance," [/b]Bavuma said. [b]"It started with the bat. Conditions were a little tricky up front but we managed to get through that period and build towards a good total.[/b][/p][p][b]"David played an unbelievable innings and then the bowlers did their job as well."[/b][/p][p]The final match is in Potchefstroom on Wednesday.[/p][p] [/p][infobox id="584d9683-f419-4696-8cb3-c155213092a0" /]