Top 5 ODI matches between South Africa and Australia

#3 South Africa tour of Australia, 2nd ODI: Australia v South Africa at Melbourne (Docklands), Aug 18, 2000

Jonty Rhodes was the highest scorer of the match

Just a year after the heartbreaking semifinal loss to South Africa at the World Cup in England in 1999, the two teams played out another enthralling tie where Australia were at the receiving end as they were not able to get 17 runs in the final 3 overs with 4 wickets in hand. Andre Hall turned out to be the hero for the Proteas with his excellent display of bowling at the death.

South Africa won the toss and chose to bat first. Australia’s bowlers were right on the mark, taking wickets at regular intervals and not allowing the batsmen to settle. The Proteas were in a spot of bother at 95-4 when Mark Boucher and Jonty Rhodes rescued the innings. After Rhodes’s dismissal, it went downhill for South Africa as they could only manage a low total of 226 in their allotted overs.

Australia got off to a great start as their top 3 batsmen provided healthy contributions with the bat. They were reeling at 150-3 at one stage, with Ricky Ponting and Andrew Symonds at the crease. Things started to look a bit gloomy after Ponting’s wicket as they needed 65 runs at a run a ball. Steve Waugh got them back on track with a useful 30 run knock. It all went haywire for them when Andre Hall was introduced in the 47^th over of the match.

Waugh was not able to take them over the line as he was dismissed in the penultimate over of the match by Hall. With 13 needed in the last over, and one wicket in hand, South Africa should have had this in the bag. Alas, it was not to be. The ghosts of the 1999 World Cup came back to haunt them as Warne managed to take Australia to the line, but not across it. It was the 3^rd tie played out between the two sides. And the second one in two years.

Result: Australia 226 for 9 (M Waugh 48, Ponting 39) tied South Africa 226 for 8 (Rhodes 54, Boucher 51)