World Cup 2023 semifinal: Australia flooring South Africa’s top-order with Test match bowling and spectacular fielding

Off the second ball of Mitchell Starc’s fifth over, Rassie van der Dussen performed the right cover-drive however discovered Marnus Labuschagne, who sprinted to his left and stopped the ball with a full-length dive. The tone of the afternoon had been set; there was simply no let-up from Australia with the ball or within the subject.

Cloudy skies and intermittent drizzle welcomed the 2 semifinalists on the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Thursday. South Africa was adversely affected by the climate when it was eradicated from the ODI World Cups in 1992, 2003, and 2015. It most likely thought it was protected in Kolkata, particularly after selecting to bat on a pitch that seemed like it could flip because the match progressed.

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But the Aussie new-ball bowlers had different plans. Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazelwood bowled Test-match strains and lengths throughout marathon seven-over and six-over opening spells, respectively, and swung the ball each methods beneath lights.

For as a lot as the sport ‘has changed’, the gospel is that there is no such thing as a substitute for good approach constructed on a strong defence. Quinton de Kock, who has 4 tons of this match, trudged to 3 from 14 balls however ran out of persistence and tried hitting out, solely to be caught fantastically by a back-pedalling Pat Cummins.

David Warner fields in the course of the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup semifinal match between Australia and South Africa.
| Photo Credit:
AFP

It wasn’t as if South African batters didn’t strive taking part in their pictures, however on the odd event they did join, the trajectory of the ball was thwarted by the Aussie fielders. In reality, it took the Proteas 52 balls to attain their first boundary!

The menace was accentuated by Cummins’ proactive captaincy. He endured with two slips, which, whereas opening up the leg-side, saved the cordon within the recreation given the deviation within the air and off the pitch.

It paid off when van der Dussen nicked a barely fuller ball from Hazlewood to the second slip. Australia not often provided a driving size, so once they did, it was tempting for the top-order batters to attain off them —the right lure.

While 4 down for 44 in 14 overs does increase questions on Temba Bavuma’s option to bat first, it goes with out saying that batting first gave South Africa its finest likelihood. Even Cummins stated he would’ve batted first had he gained the toss.

The first PowerPlay ultimately proved essential within the context of the sport.

Travis Head and David Warner’s attacking play within the first 10 overs set the platform as Australia chased the goal of 213 to win by three wickets and e-book its spot within the last.