In the third and final One-Day International (ODI), Australia completed a series triumph, defeating the opposition by 110 runs using the Duckworth Lewis Stern (DLS) method in a rain-shortened match at the North Sydney Oval on Saturday. The victory gave the host team a four-point lead in the multi-format tour and a 2-1 series win before the four-day Test match at the Western Australia Cricket Association Ground in Perth on February 15–18 began.
Australia finished with a score of 277/9 thanks in large part to Bert Mooney’s undefeated 82* off 91 deliveries (10 fours) and Alyssa Healy’s 73-ball 60 (9 fours, 1 six). Masabata Klaas recorded a career-high four for 56. The home team then restricted South Africa to 127 all out, with Alana King leading the way. In her five overs, she claimed four wickets for 26 runs, and with 6.3 overs left in the rain-shortened innings, she sealed the victory.
After winning the toss and choosing to bat first, Australia suffered an early blow when Klaas dismissed Phoebe Litchfield (5). Healy and Ellyse Perry (24), who together scored 82 runs for the second wicket, stabilized the ship. Perry’s wicket was then taken by Klaas, ending the partnership. After reaching her 17th career fifty, Healy was out of the match soon after, falling to Eliz-Mari Marx (1/45) and departing Australia at 119/3 in the 25th over.
Australia reacted well despite losing two quick wickets. Mooney and Tahlia McGrath (44) put on 67 runs for the fourth wicket before McGrath was removed by Chloé Tryon (1/50), and Ashleigh Gardner (1) was removed by Marizanne Kapp (1/28). Australia passed the 200-run barrier thanks to Mooney and Annabel Sutherland’s (age 18) second-half-century partnership.
After taking two wickets each, Klaas and Nadine de Klerk (1/49) helped the hosts appear dominant, and after 50 overs, Australia finished at 277/9.
The Proteas lost Laura Wolvaardt (3) and Anneke Bosch (4) early in their chase, leaving them at 29/2 in the seventh over. 23 more runs were added by Tazmin Brits (31) and Suné Luus (34) before Australia quickly responded with two wickets. After play was halted by rain after 14 overs, South Africa was confronted with a revised target of 238 in the truncated 31-over innings when play resumed.
Before de Klerk was out, Luus and the 20-year-old de Klerk (20) shared a promising 50-run partnership for the fifth wicket. With McGrath (3/23) and King taking three more wickets in six deliveries, including Tryon (11), Luus, Sinalo Jafta (0), and Klaas (0), that wicket signalled the beginning of the end for South Africa.
Australia won the series and took a four-point lead in the multi-format tour as South Africa was bowled out for 127 in the 25th over, despite attempts from Marx (7*) and Ayanda Hlubi (4).
Brief scores: Australia vs South Africa 3rd ODI
Australia 277/9 in 50 overs (Beth Mooney 82, Alyssa Healy 60; Masabata Klaas 4-56) beat South Africa 127 in 24.3 overs (Sune Luus 34; Alana King 4-26, Kim Garth 3-14, Tahlia McGrath 3-23) by 110 runs (DLS method).
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