Tri-Series 2016, Match 3 Review: Farhaan Behardien propels Proteas to victory

Farhaan Behardien slammed an amazing half-century as South Africa coasted to a 47-run win over Australia in the third match of the Tri-Series 2016. Aaron Finch then went on to blast an audacious 72 in the Australian chase. However, his efforts went in vain as the Australians crumbled to a defeat with just 3 batsmen reaching the double figure mark.

Luck was certainly on the side of AB de Villiers as he called right at the toss in this must-win encounter for the Proteas. With dew expected to play a heavy role later on in the day, de Villiers made the decision to bat first. With Mitchell Starc rested, that seemed like a good decision initially.

Quinton de Kock and Hashim Amla got the Proteas off to a decent start as they have always done. However, disaster struck in the sixth over when de Kock was trapped leg-before by Josh Hazelwood. In spite of a review, the evidence upon the DRS ruled the southpaw out. In spite of beginning his innings with a boundary, he was soon trapped by Nathan Lyon leg-before. Yet another review failed to save Rossouw as he failed to replicate his heroics from the previous encounter.

Hashim Amla and skipper AB de Villiers played the patient innings adding 40 runs in the next 9 overs. Some terrible running between wickets eventually saw Amla sent back to the dressing room before de Villiers himself was cleaned up by Nathan Coulter-Nile. The massive Aussie pacer struck in his very next over as JP Duminy’s off-stump woes continued as he too made his way back into the haven of the dressing room.

Enter Farhaan Behardien. Behardien’s career until this point had been an epitome of last-minute busts. He had become accustomed to the role of a finisher. However, on this day, he was to perform another task. Although he smashed the ball in the explosive way as he would have liked, he played a responsible innings, notching up a rare half-century. His knock of 62 included 4 boundaries and a six. In spite of his heroics, the Proteas were bundled out for a paltry 189 with the Aussies expected to clinch a victory.

The Australian innings got off to a bad start when David Warner was trapped leg-before by Wayne Parnell in the latter’s very first ball. Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith fell in quick succession with Parnell striking again and Kagiso Rabada claiming the southpaw Khawaja. South African chinaman Tabraiz Shamsi trapped an out-of-form Glenn Maxwell to claim his first wicket in ODI cricket.

The Aussies were thrust into a crisis when Matthew Wade, Mitchell Marsh, and Nathan Coulter-Nile were dismissed in quick succession. At this point, the Aussies were stuttering at 7-85, a 103 runs adrift from their target. Adam Zampa was then dismissed for naught soon after as the South African bowlers were running riot. Aaron Finch was the lone survivor as he weathered the storm to play some unbelievably responsible shots, reaching his half-century with a mountain to climb for an Australian victory.

He was joined by Nathan Lyon as the latter played with a free hand. Lyon stitched a useful partnership with Finch of 23 runs before the frustrated Finch was dismissed for a wonderfully compiled 72. Lyon was the last wicket to fall after having made a wonderful 31 off 40 deliveries as the Aussies were cleaned up for a paltry 142 runs, thereby handing South Africa a well-deserved 47-run win.

Brief Scores

South Africa 189/9 in 50 overs (Behardien 62; Maxwell 2/15)

Australia 142 all out in 34.2 overs (Finch 72; Rabada 3/13)

Man of the match: Farhaan Behardien