As it Happened - Australia vs South Africa, 3rd T20 at Sydney
Live cricket score and ball-by-ball commentary from the 3rd T20 match between Australia and South Africa at the Stadium Australia, Sydney on Sunday.
- NDTVSports
- Updated: November 09, 2014 09:18 PM IST
Australia won a thrilling final Twenty20 international against South Africa by two wickets with one ball to spare to take the series in Sydney on Sunday. Catch all the highlights of the match here: (SCORECARD)
Cameron White steered the Australians home with an unbeaten 41 off 31 balls to pip the Proteas in a tense decider at Sydney's Olympic Stadium.
The Australians had restricted the South Africans to 145 for six off their 20 overs after winning the toss, but needed 19.5 overs to get the winning run off White.
Australia took the series 2-1 after losing the opening game in Adelaide by seven wickets then claiming the next in Melbourne by seven wickets and winning in Sydney.
White's composed knock got the Australians over the line after South Africa's five bowlers had threatened to pull off a gritty victory as wickets tumbled.
Live Score - Australia vs South Africa updates
Right then, that's all from this match. We look forward to your company for the first ODI on 14th November at Perth. Both sides will be full strength and we are expecting some breathtaking cricket. Do tune in at 0320 GMT (0850 IST) to catch all the action. Until next time, it's good bye and cheers!!!
Cameron White is the Man of the Match for his sensible batting under pressure. James Faulkner bags the Player of the Series award for his all-round performance in the 3-match T20I series, picking up 6 wickets and scoring 50 important runs with the bat.
Australia win the series 2-1! What a Twenty20 match we have just witnessed! Entertaining finish. Cameron White was the man with the calm head to steer the hosts home after a big stutter following Aaron Finch's wicket. Credit to South Africa for hanging in there in spite of the early onslaught by the Aussie skipper. They bounced back well by picking wickets and pushed the Australians to the limit. David Wiese and Robin Peterson picked up six wickets between them and were mainly responsible for making this match close.
AUSTRALIA WIN BY 2 WICKETS! Full length delivery on off, White digs it out off the inside part of the bat to mid-wicket where the fielder dives to make a partial stop. They take a quick single. White is overjoyed and gives himself a little fist pump!
Full toss outside off, Boyce squeezes it out to point and crosses for a risky single A direct hit at the striker's end would have been curtains for White. Scores are leveled!
Cameron Boyce is the new batsman.
OUT! LBW! Abbott spears in a yorker, right in the blockhole, Sean tries to dig it out but is hit flush on the left boot. They appeal and the finger goes up. 2 needed off 3!
Full and outside off, Abbott tries for the cut shot but misses.
Length ball outside off, White tries to hit it through the line but gets an inside edge. They cross for a single.
Ouch! Too full in length on off, Abbott hits it back firmly and it goes on to smack White on the body.
Length ball again, White quietly works it through mid-wicket for a single.
Good length ball on middle, Abbott whips it through mid-wicket for a single.
FOUR! Beautifully played this time! Short and angling away from the batsman, Abbott makes room, leans back and runs it down to the third man fence. 5 needed off 9!
Short and outside off, Sean Abbott makes room for the cut shot but fails to connect.
Full length ball on middle and leg, White flicks it through square leg for a single.
Wayne Parnell to bowl the penultimate over.
Once again Abbott fails to put bat on ball. 10 needed off 12!
Wide! Short and wide outside off, Sean flashes and misses.
Defended off the front foot by the batsman presenting the full face of the bat.
Sean Abbott is the new batsman.
OUT! Caught and bowled! Wiese angles in a full length ball around off, Cummins tries to flick it across the line but closes the face of the bat early. The ball pops out off the leading edge and Wiese takes the catch in his follow through.
Tries to pull it on the leg side but gets a bottom edge.
Hits a full ball across the line to mid-wicket where Hendricks makes the stop.
Sensible batting, full around off, White bunts it through mid on for a single.
David Wiese is back on.
Slower short ball on off, Cummins picks it and pulls it down to deep square leg for a couple. 12 needed off 18!
Full and angling into the batsman, White drills it down to long on for a run.
Good length delivery on middle, hit in front of mid on for a quick single.
Fullish ball outside off, skidding straight on, Cummins pushes at it and misses.
Short again, White pulls but finds the fielder at square leg. They pick up a single.
FOUR! Crucial boundary! Back of a length ball sliding down the leg side, White gets across the stumps and pulls it wide of the short fine leg fielder for a boundary.
Good length delivery in the zone outside off, left alone by Cummins.
Pat Cummins is in next.
OUT! Another twist in the tale! Faulkner once again looks to go big over long on but fails to get the elevation right. A simple catch for Miller in the deep. 21 needed off 25!
SIX! Short delivery around off, Faulkner moves back to make some room and smokes it over long on for a biggie.
Short down the leg side, White helps it wide of the keeper for a single.
Length ball on middle, tapped on the leg side but straight to mid-wicket.
FOUR! Poor delivery, full and drifting down the leg side, White walks across the stumps and deflects it off his pads to the fine leg fence.
Pacey delivery, skiddy off the surface, Faulkner fails to flick and is hit on the pads. 32 needed off 30!
Wide! Short and wide outside off, Faulkner makes room for the shot but fails to reach it.
Short on middle, pulled across the line but straight to mid-wicket.
Fullish on off, pushed through mid off for a single.
SIX! White, you beauty! Length delivery wide outside off, White gets hold of his big shot down the ground and sends it miles into the stands at long off.
Again a bit short in length outside off, Faulkner dabs it down to third man for a single.
Fraction short in length on off, Faulkner punches it to covers.
Wayne Parnell is back on.
Back of a length ball on middle and leg, Faulkner gives himself room and guides it down to third man for a single.
Gets on the front foot and pushes it through the gap at covers for a single.
Sees the batsman walking across the stumps and slips a length ball down the leg side, White fails to get any bat behind the ball.
Full and outside off, White stays back and pushes it to covers.
Sharp length ball on middle, helped to square leg for one.
Walks across the stumps and dinks it to fine leg for a single.
Driven through mid off by the batsman. They pick up a single. Peterson finishes with 4-0-28-3!
James Faulkner is the new batsman.
OUT! Maxwell holes out! Tossed up ball on middle and leg, Maxwell clears his front leg to go big over wide long on. He fails to get enough power behind the shot and the ball balloons in the air. Hendricks in the deep takes a good catch with a little dive. Turning out to be an exciting finish!
Played to mid-wicket region by the batsman. One run added to the total.
Goes back and punches it back to the bowler.
Tough chance put down! A bottom hand dominated heave shot by Maxwell, it goes over mid on, Wiese charges forward from the deep, puts in a dive but fails to catch it inches off the surface. That was dipping into the fielder and it was a toughie. They pick up a single.
Floated outside off, reverse swept wide of short third man for a single.
FOUR! Wiese bangs in a short ball on middle and leg, Maxwell gets inside the bounce and pulls it over backward square leg for a boundary. 49 needed off 48! This partnership has brought Australia right back on track.
A short delivery which has been pulled away. They pick up a single.
Hits a full ball back to the bowler who stretches to his right to stop the ball. Wiese scores a direct hit at the striker's end but White was safely in.
The batsman works it down the leg side. They pick up a single.
Length ball outside off, Maxwell tries to run it down but gets an inside edge onto his right boot.
Gets back and punches it through covers for a single.
Smacks it over extra cover for a couple of runs. 14 off the over!
FOUR! Cracking shot! Flighted ball around off, spinning away, Maxwell uses the spin to his advantage and plays a lovely timed reverse sweep past backward point.
Defended off the front foot by the batsman presenting the full face of the bat.
White plays a reverse sweep to third man for one.
Tries to play the reverse batted paddle scoop, if I can call that, it takes the bottom edge and rolls to short fine leg for a single.
SIX! Out of here! Flighted ball on off, Maxwell shimmies down the track and sends it packing it over the bowler's head for a biggie down the ground.
FOUR! Absolutely smacked it! Short ball again, around middle and leg, White rides the bounce and pulls it powerfully to the deep square leg fence.
Short one again, Maxwell gets on top of the ball and pulls it through mid-wicket for a single.
Good length ball outside off, Maxwell steers it through backward point for a couple of runs.
Short delivery outside off, zipping off the surface, Maxwell tries to play the upper cut but misses.
White opens the face of the bat and helps it to third man. They pick up a single.
FOUR! A juicy half-volley around off, White is on the front foot with a straight bat and caresses it past the bowler for a boundary down the ground. As straight as an arrow!
Pushed to the cover region by the batsman. They pick up a single.
Quicker full ball on off, pushed firmly to covers.
Flighted ball on middle, defended back with a straight bat.
The batsman works it down the leg side. They pick up a single.
Defended it by getting right behind the line of the delivery.
Cameron White is in next.
OUT! Another one bites the dust! Loopy full ball on middle, spinning away a tad, Watson tries to slog it over mid-wicket but it catches the leading edge and loops in the air. Miller back pedals from extra cover to take the catch easily. Australia in some trouble now!
Wide! Skidding down the leg side, Watson tries to sweep but misses.
Glenn Maxwell is the new batsman.
OUT! Drags it on! Wiese hurls in an extra slower delivery at 110.2 kph, Maddinson is completely deceived by the slowness of the ball as he tries to whip it across the line. The ball catches the inside edge and cannons onto the stumps.
Two wides! Slower ball bumper, going over the head of the batsman, the keeper fumbles and they cross for a bonus run.
Fraction short in length on middle, Dunk stays back and pulls it through mid-wicket for a single.
Short ball on off, Maddinson walks down the track and clubs it to long on for a couple of runs.
Angles in a full length ball, on middle and leg, Watson eases it to backward square leg and crosses for a risky single.
Bit short in length on middle and leg, Maddinson pulls it through square leg for a single.
Full length delivery on off, Watson gets on the front foot and forces it through mid on for a single.
David Wiese replaced de Lange in the attack.
Maddinson gets to the pitch of the ball and defends it.
Flighted full ball outside off, Maddinson drives it to covers.
Nic Maddinson is the new batsman.
OUT! Dunk falls! Once again Ben dances down the track to play a big shot but fails to reach the pitch of the delivery. He still goes on with the shot and ends up handing a simple return catch to the bowler.
SIX! Boom, out of here! Flighted full ball around off, Dunk advances down the track and dispatches it over long off for a biggie.
The batsman works it down the leg side. They pick up a single.
Quicker through the air, flat and skidding down, Watson tries to flick but misses.
Robin Peterson into the attack now.
On the pads, turned to backward square leg for a single.
Good length ball angling back into the batsman, Watson defends it from the crease.
Fullish and way wide outside off, Dunk reaches out for it and steers it through backward point for a single.
Pacey delivery, short and angling away from the batsman, Dunk tries to pull but misses.
Full delivery angling down the leg side, Watson nudges it to fine leg for one.
Full and angling away from the batsman, driven through covers for three runs.
Sliding down the leg side, Watson fails to flick it.
Played to the point region by the batsman. No run.
Shane Watson is the new batsman.
OUT! Massive breakthrough for South Africa as Finch was running away with the game. Wiese goes short with his length, Finch tries to pull it across the line but it comes off the inside part of the bat and he picks de Lange with precision at short fine leg.
Slower full ball on off, Finch defends it with a straight bat.
Helps it off his pads through square leg for a couple.
Full and angling down the leg side, Finch flicks it down to deep mid-wicket for a couple of runs.
David Wiese into the attack now.
Good length ball angling back into the batsman, Dunk tries to flick but gets an inside edge onto the pads. 15 runs off the over!
Goes hard at a full ball around off and gets an inside edge onto the pads. Dunk calls his partner for a quick single.
SIX! High and handsome! Parnell delivers a length ball on middle, Finch connects well with his lofted shot and clears long on with utmost ease.
Short and wide outside off, Finch slaps it through the line but fails to beat Miller at point. A lovely diving stop to save a certain boundary.
Little short in length on middle, Finch turns it through square leg for a couple.
SIX! Brilliant shot! Parnell angles across a length ball outside off, Finch gets underneath the ball and dismisses it over extra cover for a biggie.
Full length around off, Finch bunts it to mid on for a run.
Length ball angling back into the batsman, Finch presents a straight bat in defense.
Straighter ball, defended on the leg side.
Turns it through the gap at mid-wicket and takes a couple.
A lovely looking on drive by Finch but he finds the fielder.
Back of a length ball on off, Dunk tries to cut it but gets a bottom edge. They cross for a single.
FOUR! Flamingo shot! Shortish ball around off, Finch gets across a bit and pulls it with absolute disdain to the deep square leg fence.
Skiddy delivery outside of, Finch tries to push through the line but misses.
Three wides! Slips a length ball down the leg side, Finch fails to flick and so does de Kock while collecting. They take a couple.
Length ball on off, Finch stays on the back foot and just uses the pace to push it through extra cover for a couple of runs.
Sharp delivery, full and skidding back into the batsman, Finch tries to flick but misses. It comes off his pads and rolls to point.
Goes short with his length on middle, Finch ducks under it.
FOUR! Back of a length delivery on off, Finch sits on the back foot and pulls it thunderously down to the deep mid-wicket fence.
Marchant de Lange to bowl from the other end.
Good length ball on middle, stopping a bit onto the batsman, Finch plays uppishly off his pads to mid on for a single.
Looks to defend from the crease but it comes off the inside edge and hits him on the pads.
Spears in a full ball on off, Finch gets on the front foot and defends it back.
Good length delivery on off, Finch remains on the back foot and defends it to mid off.
Full and wide outside off, Finch throws his bat at it away from his body and misses.
Shortish ball outside off, Dunk slaps it through covers and gets off the mark with three runs.
Back for the chase! Target 146. Aaron Finch and Ben Dunk are the openers for Australia. It will be Kyle Abbott to bowl first up...