Published: Aug 24, 2025, 04:33 PM (IST)
Edited: Aug 24, 2025, 04:33 PM (IST)
Australia’s batting unit delivered a record-breaking show in the third and final ODI against South Africa at Mackay, posting a huge 431/2, their second-highest score in ODI history.
The innings began with the openers setting the tone. Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh shared a 250-run stand for the first wicket, the fifth-highest opening partnership for Australia in ODIs. They fell just 34 runs short of the national record. Interestingly, it was the first big stand for Australia without David Warner’s name involved. Back in 2017, Warner and Head had added 284 against Pakistan in Adelaide.
Head was at his explosive best, smashing 142 off 103 balls, while skipper Marsh played the anchor role with a well-composed 100 from 106 deliveries. Head also reached a personal milestone during his innings, crossing 8000 international runs. He now has 8024 runs in 177 matches at an average of 40.73, including 12 centuries and 42 fifties. Marsh, meanwhile, completed 3000 ODI runs in 96 games, maintaining an average of 37.03.
Once the openers departed, the momentum only intensified. Cameron Green lit up the contest with the second-fastest ODI hundred ever by an Australian, reaching three figures in just 47 balls. The record for the fastest remains Glenn Maxwell’s 40-ball special against the Netherlands in the 2023 World Cup. Green’s innings was pure fireworks—he hammered 118 runs from just 55 balls, hitting six boundaries and eight sixes.
Green was ably supported by wicketkeeper-batter Alex Carey, with whom he stitched a rapid 164-run stand. Their partnership ensured that Australia finished with a towering 431/2, leaving South Africa facing an uphill task.
With South Africa leading the series 2-0, the Proteas now face a massive challenge. They will need something special to stop Australia from preventing a clean sweep.
