Australia’s unbeaten record against South Africa has come crumbling down after the world champions were outplayed in all facets of the game by the tourists who have breathed new life into their multi-format series.
After winning the opening T20 on Saturday, the second match in Canberra was supposed to be a celebration of Ellyse Perry’s 150th T20 international, only for South Africa to spoil the party with a historic six-wicket win.
It means both teams have picked up one win heading into Tuesday’s third and final T20 in Hobart before the series shifts to three ODIs and then a one-off Test in Perth.
Australia won the toss and surprisingly batted first, with their top four all getting starts but no one went on with it as the number one ranked team in the world struggled for any continuity on a pitch that was a little slower than expected.
Grace Harris (31 not out) smashed some late boundaries to help the hosts reach 6/142, but that was never going to be enough as South Africa cruised to victory with six balls to spare.
There’s plenty of time for the Aussies to bounce back, but they’ll need a lot more from some of their biggest stars with Tahlia McGrath looking uncomfortable in both innings.
LUCK RUNS OUT
Beth Mooney must have found a four-leaf clover while walking under a ladder because she experienced both ends of the spectrum in a rollercoaster innings on Sunday morning.
After she was dropped on 42 in the first game where she went on to make an unbeaten 72, the Aussie opener survived two fairly straightforward caught and bowled opportunities while on 0 and 10.
But it was a case of unlucky 13 for the veteran who was dismissed in the most brutal way possible when Alyssa Healy belted a shot down the ground, only for Masabata Klaas to deflect the ball back onto the stumps with Mooney well short of the crease.
FIRST KLAAS
They did well to take the opening T20 down to the final over, and South Africa’s bowlers again proved hard to get away with only one of them conceding more than six runs per over.
But Klaas was the standout, finishing with 2-16 off her three overs with the big wickets of Alyssa Healy and Phoebe Litchfield.
Tazmin Brits backed up her half-century from the first game with 41 off 28 to get the visitors off to a flyer in the run chase, while opening partner Laura Wolvaardt (58 not out) played the perfect captain’s knock to seal the breakthrough win.
