It was absolute carnage in Centurion on Friday evening.
Heinrich Klaasen came up with a scarcely believable 83-ball 174 to take South Africa to a 164-run victory against Australia in the fourth one-day international (ODI), leaving the series level at 2-2 ahead of the final game on Sunday. (More Cricket News)
Klaasen came in at No. 5 and hit 13 fours and 13 sixes in the fourth-highest ODI innings by a South African batter, as the Proteas posted a mammoth 416-5.
The maverick batter was caught on the boundary rope off the last ball of the innings, by which time he had propelled the hosts to their third-highest ODI total.
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In response, Australia were dismissed for 252 in 34.5 overs. The visitors thus saw their 2-0 lead getting wiped out in the five-match series ahead of the ODI World Cup in India next month.
But what would be of more pressing concern to the Aussies was a nasty blow to Travis Head’s left hand off a Gerald Coetzee bouncer that forced the opener to retire hurt.
A fracture was confirmed in the scans, and Australia are still ascertaining whether Head will be able to play a part in the upcoming WC, which is three weeks away in India.
Coach Andrew McDonald said: “He’s going to go in for some more scans tomorrow to work out the detail of (the injury) and then we’ll work out the management from there. How long that (recovery) time frame is, we’re yet to determine that.”
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Klaasen shared a 222-run stand for the fifth wicket with David Miller (82 not out off 45 balls). Rassie van der Dussen hit 62 off 65.
Josh Hazlewood took 2-79. Leg spinner Adam Zampa was the most expensive with his 10 overs returning 0-113. That included nine of South Africa’s overall 20 sixes.
Wicketkeeper Alex Carey was the standout batter for Australia, hitting 99 in 77, and Tim David scored 35. South Africa quicks Lungi Ngidi (4-51) and Kagiso Rabida (3-41) did most of the damage.
Klaasen, a Pretorian whose family was in attendance to witness his record-breaking innings, was out leg before wicket for a second-ball duck to Head in the third match of the series in Potchefstroom.
Klaasen told the on-field broadcaster: “I had a shocker of a day the other day in Potch so it’s lucky to bounce back immediately and play an innings like that. It’s definitely up there as one of my better ones.”
(With AP inputs)
