South Africa secured a come-from-behind series victory by defeating Australia by 122 runs in the fifth and final One Day International at the Wanderers. Marco Jansen, the all-rounder, played a crucial role with both bat and ball, earning him the man of the match title. South Africa, after a slow start, set a challenging target of 315-9, with Jansen contributing 47 runs off 23 balls. He then delivered an outstanding performance with the ball, taking a career-best ODI haul of 5-39 off eight overs. Australia was bowled out for 193 in 34.1 overs. This victory sealed a 3-2 series win for South Africa, who had initially lost the first two matches but made a strong comeback in the following three games. The team’s morale is now boosted ahead of the upcoming World Cup in India.
Despite a challenging start, South Africa managed to overcome the early difficulties. Opener Quinton de Kock, who announced his retirement from ODIs after the World Cup, was dismissed cheaply in his final home innings. Heinrich Klaassen, who scored 174 in the previous match, was also bowled out for six. However, Aiden Markram and David Miller formed a crucial partnership of 109 runs for the fifth wicket, providing a strong foundation for South Africa. Markram fell just seven runs short of his century, but Miller and Jansen continued the assault. Miller scored 63 runs, and Andile Phehlukwayo contributed with a late cameo, hitting three sixes in the final over to help South Africa surpass the 300-mark.
Australia began their response with a positive approach, maintaining the aggressive style of play that characterized the series. However, Jansen quickly made an impact by taking two wickets in the fourth over, dismissing David Warner and Josh Inglis. Captain Mitchell Marsh and Marnus Labuschagne built a solid partnership of 90 runs for the third wicket, keeping Australia ahead of the required run rate. However, Jansen’s crucial wicket of Marsh for 71 disrupted their momentum. Jansen further dismissed Labuschagne (44) and Alex Carey (2), while spinner Keshav Maharaj contributed with three wickets of his own towards the end of the innings, extinguishing any hopes of an Australian comeback.
After the match, Jansen expressed his satisfaction with his performance, stating that it boosts his confidence and he hopes to replicate such performances in the future. The victory has undoubtedly provided a morale boost for the South African team as they prepare for the upcoming World Cup in India.
