Australia’s Matthew Short and Captain Mitchell Marsh combined their efforts to secure an emphatic eight-wicket victory over South Africa in the second Twenty20 International match held at Kingsmead on Friday, ultimately sealing the series in their favor.
Mitchell Marsh continues his outstanding form as Australia’s T20 captain, once again hammering South Africa’s bowlers, leading his team to an impressive eight-wicket victory in Durban. After his explosive unbroken 92 in his debut as skipper in the first match, Marsh put up an equally brilliant performance, slamming an unbeaten 76 off only 39 deliveries at Kingsmead on Friday night.
Australia made South Africa’s 164-run target seem absolutely inadequate, strolling to victory with 31 balls to spare, securing an unassailable 2-0 series lead. South Africa has failed to find a solution to Marsh’s dominance, as he slammed six sixes in his magnificent innings and has now gathered 168 runs off 86 balls in the series without losing his wicket.
He had a good companion in Matt Short, who followed his encouraging debut innings of 20 in the series opener with a scorching 66 off 30 balls, including four sixes. After Travis Head was dismissed for 18, Short’s tremendous striking and Marsh’s pure brute might opened the way for another emphatic triumph.
Short hit Lungi Ngidi’s second over for 20 runs, closing the powerplay impressively, while Marsh thrashed spinner Bjorn Fortuin’s opening over for 18 runs. Short then took advantage of a clueless Gerald Coetzee, who bowled back-to-back wides before being smacked for 4-4-4-6 by Short. Marsh did give one tight opportunity on 32, almost avoiding Tavemba Bavuma’s near-screamer in the outfield. The dynamic duo connected for a 100-run partnership, Australia’s record second-wicket stand against South Africa.
Earlier in the match, South Africa’s captain, Aiden Markram, contributed 49 runs, helping his team to a decent total of 164 after their top order collapsed. Opener Bavuma led the assault with 35 runs, but his removal caused a collapse, with four wickets falling for just 10 runs in the last three overs of the powerplay. Notably, seven of the runs came from a no-ball and a free-hit six hammered by Rassie van der Dussen off Sean Abbott.
Australia’s seamers, especially Sean Abbott, Nathan Ellis, and Jason Behrendorff, managed to generate significant movement and take regular wickets, laying the stage for the fireworks delivered by Marsh and Short in the chase.
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