Aussies pull off great escape
Steve Smith’s career-best one-day knock helped Australia wrap up a series win over South Africa with a dramatic three-wicket triumph at the MCG.
Smith’s 104 and a blazing late cameo from James Faulkner (34 off 19) helped the Australians overhaul South Africa’s total of 267, but a more concerning number for cricket bosses was the paltry attendance.
Just 14,177 made it through the turnstiles, and Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland was troubled by the empty seats.
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Two of the best sides in the world were in action on a perfect day, but empty seats abounded at the nation’s sporting colosseum.
“This is not a good crowd and it’s not something we’re terribly happy about,” Sutherland said.
“We would have hoped for a few more.”
It just surpassed the 12,077 that turned up in 1979 to watch England against Australia – the lowest attendance for a one-day international in Melbourne involving Australia.
Across town in Docklands, 23,740 turned up to watch Melbourne Victory’s 1-0 win over Brisbane Roar.
Proteas captain AB de Villiers won the toss on Friday and scored 91 from 88 balls, underpinning a total of 8-267.
It looked to be enough when the hosts slumped to 5-101 at the halfway point of their chase.
It still looked like it might be enough after 40 overs, Australia needing 8.6 runs an over and Nathan Coulter-Nile unable to bat due to a hamstring injury.
But Smith, fresh from being named man of the match in Canberra on Wednesday, was up to the task as the hosts got home with an over to spare for their first ODI win over South Africa at the MCG.
When the 25-year-old brought up the second one-day international ton with a mistimed pull shot off the bowling of Dale Steyn, the equation was 29 runs off 20 balls.
Faulkner belted Steyn’s next two deliveries to the rope and suddenly the game was Australia’s to lose with 21 runs required from three overs.
Smith was clean bowled for 104 by Robin Peterson when his side needed one run to win.
It would have been little consolation for the spinner, who missed a sharp run-out chance when Smith was on 98.
The game ended in tense circumstances, the third umpire checking a catch from David Miller and deciding Pat Cummins had hit the winning run.
Earlier, Matt Wade (52 off 59 balls) formed a crucial 121-run stand with Smith.
It was the greatest sixth-wicket ODI partnership at the ground, outdoing Simon O’Donnell and Dean Jones’ 108-run effort against Sri Lanka in 1989.
The two sides face off at the SCG on Sunday, but it will be a dead rubber with Australia already up 3-1 in the five-game series.
Needing a victory to keep the seesawing series alive, de Villiers started well by opting to bat as he and George Bailey revealed four changes each at the toss.
De Villiers was denied a 19th ODI century by Cummins, a rare error in judgment in the 43rd over resulting in a regulation catch in the deep for Smith.
It was a crucial wicket as the Proteas scored 51 runs from their final 10 overs.
Australia’s response was unconvincing early.
Recalled quick Kyle Abbott trapped David Warner lbw in the fourth over, boasting figures of 1-5 from his four-over new-ball spell.
Shane Watson, Aaron Finch, Bailey and Glenn Maxwell all went cheaply before Smith saved the home side’s bacon.
With AAP