Australia have lost match two of the ODI series against South Africa at the WACA in Perth. Setting a total of 155 to win, the Proteas chased down the target with 134 balls and 4 wickets in hand.
At 4/34 inside the first 12 overs, the Australians struggled to rally and set a competitive total. The South African pace attack had a field day on the wonderful WACA wicket, with Morne Morkel picking up a career best 5/21 from only 8 overs.
Morkel removed David Warner for a duck. After 4 vicious balls, Warner was caught behind after gloving down the leg side.
Dale Steyn and Farhaan Behardien chipped in with the scalps of Finch (8) and Watson (11). Not to be left out Vernon Philander removed captain George Bailey after a 58 fifth-wicket partnership with Mitchell Marsh. Bailey was caught pulling by Faf du Plessis at mid-on.
Matthew Wade got a start, only to be caught gloving down the leg-side off the bowling of Morkel. Originally given not out, the decision was immediately referred, hot-spot showing contact with the glove.
Glenn Maxwell played another ‘no-show’ innings, chopping on to the stumps after facing 1 ball from Morkel. The innings cleaned up swiftly for 154, with Marsh the only batsman scoring over 25 runs. His impressive 67 was ended by Dale Steyn after sending the paceman for a couple of sixes.
Proving the wicket had plenty to offer, the Aussie bowlers started brightly picking up the wickets of Quinton de Kock and Hashim Amla for 21 runs.
Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Johnson shook up the batting-attack with fast, bouncing deliveries that were hard for the batsmen and even at times, the fielders to contain.
It was this bounce that helped Hazlewood claim his first of five wickets when de Kock flashed a drive, edging to a leaping Shane Watson in slip. Johnson had Hashim Amla caught behind for 10.
A quick-fire 30(25) from Rilee Rossouw had the Proteas back on track before he edged to slip off Maxwell’s spin.
AB de Villiers was batting confidently against the pace attack. Hazlewood claimed du Plessis and Berhardien in two balls and was on a hat-trick for the first of two times for the afternoon. He did not claim a hat-trick, but did claim his first 5-wicket haul after dismissing de Villiers for 48(61) and Philander with a bouncing rocket to the head.
With figures of 5/31 from 9.4 overs, Hazlewood’s performance was the highlight in a disappointing loss for the Australians who are now locked at 1-1 in the 4 match series that moves to Manuka Oval in Canberra on Wednesday.
