Home » Faf Sets World Record as South Africa Beats Australia in Truncated T20

Faf Sets World Record as South Africa Beats Australia in Truncated T20

SYDNEY – Faf du Plessis has become the ONLY international cricket captain to beat Australia at home in all three formats (Test, One Day International, and Twenty20 International) after South Africa beat Australia today on the Gold Coast. SA’s bowling once again dominated Australian batting, resulting in South Africa winning a truncated one-off Twenty20 international […]

SYDNEY – Faf du Plessis has become the ONLY international cricket captain to beat Australia at home in all three formats (Test, One Day International, and Twenty20 International) after South Africa beat Australia today on the Gold Coast. SA’s bowling once again dominated Australian batting, resulting in South Africa winning a truncated one-off Twenty20 international by 21 runs.

Aaron Finch of Australia stretches to make his ground during the second one-day international against South Africa at the Adelaide Oval in Adelaide, Australia, November 9, 2018. AAP/David Mariuz/via REUTERS

Cricket South Africa proudly tweeted: “O Captain! My Captain! @faf1307 becomes the ONLY International captain to beat Australia at home in all three formats. What a leader ?It’s more than just cricket #ProteaFire”

The match was delayed by nearly two hours after a violent storm brought torrential rain to the Queensland coast early in the evening. See here:

When it finally did get underway – at new international venue, Carrara Oval – each side was allowed just half of their usual number of overs.

South Africa, put in to bat, made a bright start with 42 runs off the three power play overs.

Skipper Faf du Plessis led the way during SA’s innings with 27 off 15 balls but Australia’s bowlers, spearheaded by paceman Nathan Coulter-Nile (2-19), did a good job of containment in the last few overs to restrict the tourists to 108 for six.

The fragility of Australia’s batting had been exposed by South Africa’s bowlers in the recent one-day series, which the Proteas won 2-1, and it was quickly evident again when the hosts went out to bat.

South Africa all-rounder Chris Morris (2-12) struck twice in three deliveries in the third over to reduce Australia to 27 for three, the second a peach of a yorker which sent Chris Lynn back for 14.

Glenn Maxwell fought a defiant rearguard with 38 off 23 balls but Australia never looked like avoiding a fourth straight Twenty20 defeat and they finished their allotted 10 overs on 87 for seven.

(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney/Reuters and Jenni Baxter/SAPeople; Editing by Ken Ferris)