Australia lose to SA, set England semi-final date

An early Ashes showdown in the pressure-cooker of a World Cup semi-final looms for an injury-ravaged Australia, after South Africa snatched away their hopes of a top-placed finish with a thrilling 10-run win at Old Trafford.

David Warner (122 off 117 balls) struck his third century of the tournament, Alex Carey continued his superb campaign with the bat in crashing 85 off only 69 balls, while Usman Khawaja bravely returned to the batting crease after earlier retiring hurt in a dramatic run chase.

Their tailenders reduced the equation to 18 required off the final over, but the Proteas' 6-325 proved too many, with the Aussies bowled out for 315 at Old Trafford.

The reigning 50-over champions will now play England at Edgbaston for a spot in the World Cup final, with the defeat to the Proteas bumping them down to second spot on the standings.

Faf du Plessis again proved Australia's bête noire as he struck an even century off just 94 balls, while he was well-supported in a 151-run third-wicket partnership by Rassie van der Dussen (95 off 97 balls), who finished agonisingly short of a maiden international century.

Australia's injury toll mounted as Khawaja suffered a hamstring strain, while Marcus Stoinis and Mitchell Starc both appeared in discomfort during the match. It comes after Glenn Maxwell hurt his forearm in the lead-in to the match and Shaun Marsh was ruled out for the tournament with a broken arm.

Warner was magnificent in scoring his 17th ODI century, going past Adam Gilchrist's tally of 16, with he and Carey looking like they might drag Australia to an unlikely victory.

The left-hander punched the air in delight upon reaching triple-figures and paid an extended tribute to his teammates and family, having joined the Australian squad in Manchester late this week following the birth of his third daughter on Sunday,

The 34-year-old du Plessis, who has said he'll consider his international future in the coming weeks, had an emotional moment of his own upon reaching his 12th ODI ton, dropping his helmet and bat before bashing his chest like Tarzan and raising both arms aloft.

 

Image Id: B3A0B2CB81F84FB4B85D44C6D7C1F412 Image Caption: Faf du Plessis celebrates an emotional century // Getty

 

Quinton de Kock, after posting his third half-century of the tournament, pulled off two stunning wicketkeeping feats to claim the key wickets of Marcus Stoinis, with a canny deflection to affect a run-out, and Glenn Maxwell, with a soaring one-handed catch.

Van der Dussen, twice struck on the helmet by Pat Cummins during his knock, needed a six off the last ball of the innings to join his skipper in the century club but was caught on the mid-wicket fence.

Nathan Lyon bowled a terrific spell to be rewarded with the scalps of both South African openers, while Mitchell Starc, who looked to be carrying a niggle in an area around his right knee, bounced back from a sub-par start to finish with 2-59 off nine overs.

Image Id: 9C1503219BFF416890B783F77AB8A2CE Image Caption: Lyon finished with 2-53 from his 10 overs // Getty

The left-armer's 26th wicket, a trademark searing yorker that castled Dwaine Pretorius, equalled Glenn McGrath's record for the most wickets at a World Cup, but his fellow bowlers found little joy.

With regular opener Hashim Amla sidelined after injuring his knee playing soccer on the eve of the match, Aiden Markram (34 off 37) was promoted to partner de Kock (52 off 51) as the pair put on a rapid 79-run opening stand.

Image Id: 43BB7973B2A049968F7FE9159081D618 Image Caption: Markram and de Kock put on 79 for the first wicket // Getty

The introduction of Lyon briefly slowed the Proteas, with Alex Carey smartly stumping Markram before de Kock got out to the off-spinner for the fifth time in international cricket when he skied a leg-side swipe.

The gloveman did however miss a costly chance when van der Dussen was lured out of his crease by Maxwell.

Image Id: E24B4BDE1B8A460E907BB162D1D697A3 Image Caption: Aiden Markram is stumped by Alex Carey // Getty

Du Plessis walked at the speedy Pat Cummins and smeared him for a jaw-dropping six over the sightscreen, while van der Dussen smacked Maxwell back over his head as the Proteas reached their highest total of the tournament.

An action-packed start to Australia's innings saw two batsmen dismissed, one retire hurt, two fluffed run-out chances from Rabada and some audacious strokeplay from Warner.

Image Id: 4825EB25709D47CAB668FB1527E64F13 Image Caption: Rassie van der Dussen leaps into action // Getty

Rabada threw to the wrong end when Warner and Aaron Finch had a calamitous mix-up in the first over the innings, before the fast bowler failed to cleanly take a throw from de Kock that would have caught Steve Smith short attempting a third run.

Two overs after he'd replaced Aaron Finch, who chipped one straight to cover off a jubilant Imran Tahir in the retiring leg-spinner's final ODI, Khawaja followed him back not long after when he deemed he could no longer bat.

Steve Smith joined the procession when he shuffled in front of his stumps and was trapped lbw off Pretorius' third ball to leave Australia effectively 3-33.

While chaos reigned down the other end, Warner bashed and smashed his way through South Africa's bowlers with a series of savage cross-batted strokes as he raced to his sixth fifty-plus score of the tournament.

A piece of de Kock genius ended his 62-run stand with Stoinis; Rabada pounced after Warner set off for a quick single and fanged in a skimming throw, which de Kock cleverly deflected into the stumps to catch Stoinis just short of his ground.

His brilliance continued when he leapt to hang on to Maxwell's toed hook shot, the second time in as many games he's been out that way.

Warner and Carey piled on 108 runs together to keep Australia in the hunt, but Morris, JP Duminy and Markram all took clutch catches to ensure the Proteas held their nerve.

Khawaja bravely came back out to bat after Carey holed out off Morris, but the task proved too great as South Africa claimed a consolation victory when Nathan Lyon was caught on the midwicket boundary in the final over.

Australia XI: Aaron Finch (c), David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Jason Behrendorff, Nathan Lyon.

South Africa XI: Quinton de Kock (wk), Aiden Markram, Faf du Plessis (c), Rassie van der Dussen, JP Duminy, Dwaine Pretorius, Andile Phehlukwayo, Chris Morris, Kagiso Rabada, Imran Tahir, Tabraiz Shamsi.

2019 World Cup

Australia's squad: Aaron Finch (c), Jason Behrendorff, Alex Carey (wk), Nathan Coulter-Nile, Pat Cummins, Peter Handscomb, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa

June 1: Australia beat Afghanistan by seven wickets

June 6: Australia beat West Indies by 15 runs

June 9: Australia lost to India by 36 runs

June 12: Australia beat Pakistan by 41 runs

June 15: Australia beat Sri Lanka by 87 runs

June 20: Australia beat Bangladesh by 48 runs

June 25: Australia beat England by 64 runs

June 29: Australia beat New Zealand by 86 runs

July 6: Australia lost to South Africa by 10 runs

July 9: Semi-Final 1, India v New Zealand, Old Trafford

July 11: Semi-Final 2, Australia v England, Edgbaston

July 14: Final, Lord's

Sync Australia's World Cup schedule to your calendar HERE

For a full list of all World Cup fixtures, click HERE