Heinrich Klaasen delivered a sensational display of power-hitting against Australia’s bowlers at his home ground, leaving spectators in awe. The term “klapped,” an Afrikaans word for “slap,” perfectly captures the sound and impact of Klaasen’s shots. With 13 fours and 13 sixes, he propelled South Africa from 120 for 2 at the midway point to a formidable total of 416 runs after 50 overs. This marked the highest score at SuperSport Park and the second-highest against Australia by South Africa. The outstanding performance not only leveled the series at 2-all but also set the stage for a thrilling winner-takes-all finale, which will be South Africa’s final competitive match before the World Cup.
South Africa, after suffering five consecutive defeats to Australia (three T20Is and two ODIs), made a strong comeback with back-to-back wins, thanks to their batsmen. The match at SuperSport Park featured standout performances from Klaasen and David Miller. Together, they forged a remarkable 222-run partnership for the fifth wicket, scoring at an astonishing rate of 14.47 runs per over, the fastest for any partnership exceeding 200 runs in ODI history. They scored 173 runs in the last 10 overs, the most in any ODI match.
In contrast, Australia struggled to match these numbers. Alex Carey’s 77-ball 99 was the standout individual effort for Australia, with only one partnership crossing the fifty-run mark—a 72-run stand between Carey and Tim David for the fifth wicket. Australia’s fielding performance earlier in the match left them at a disadvantage.
While Australia managed to keep South Africa’s run rate under five runs per over in the first half of their innings, they faltered in the second half. Josh Hazlewood and Adam Zampa recorded their most expensive figures in ODIs, with Hazlewood conceding 2 for 79 and Zampa going wicketless while conceding 0 for 113. Zampa’s performance tied with Mick Lewis for the most expensive by an Australian bowler in ODIs. Marcus Stoinis initially bowled tightly but later leaked runs, while Nathan Ellis conceded 37 runs in his first seven overs and 42 runs in his last three, ending as the least expensive among the Australian bowlers. In just his third ODI and first since 2018, Michael Neser took 1 for 59.
South Africa’s new opening pair, Reeza Hendricks and Quinton de Kock, had a steady start, accumulating 44 runs without loss during the powerplay. However, Nathan Ellis produced a magical delivery to dismiss Hendricks, setting the tone for Australia’s comeback. Rassie van der Dussen maintained momentum with three boundaries off an over by Zampa, but de Kock’s attempt to accelerate resulted in a leading edge, leading to his dismissal.
Aiden Markram fell shortly after, giving Klaasen ample time at the crease. Klaasen signaled his intentions with aggressive shots early on, including a slash and a cover drive. These shots laid the foundation for his remarkable innings.
When van der Dussen departed, Klaasen was joined by David Miller, who wasted no time in making an impact with a six off Zampa. Klaasen reached his fifty in the 38th ball he faced and required only 19 more deliveries to complete his third ODI century and his second of the year. Klaasen’s celebration was filled with joy as his family applauded from the hospitality suites.
The boundaries continued to flow, with Miller providing able support. He contributed 38 runs to their century partnership, reached 52 as the partnership crossed 150, and played a role in 74 runs of the 200-run stand. Miller’s innings of 82 off 45 balls, while impressive, was somewhat overshadowed by Klaasen’s extraordinary performance.
Australia faced an uphill battle from the start, with David Warner attempting to set an aggressive tone. However, his effort ended with a catch by Miller at cover point off Lungi Ngidi’s delivery. Ngidi struck again by dismissing Mitchell Marsh lbw after initially being given not out; the review revealed the ball was clipping the leg stump.
Two overs later, Travis Head was forced to retire hurt after being struck on the hand by a Gerald Coetzee short ball. The rest of the Australian lineup struggled to maintain the required run rate, and South Africa’s effective use of short-pitched deliveries proved decisive. Marnus Labuschagne and Marcus Stoinis fell to gloved catches, and Ngidi’s slower ball led to another spectacular catch by Kagiso Rabada. Ngidi claimed his fourth wicket before leaving the field with suspected cramps.
Rabada eventually wrapped up Australia’s innings, with Alex Carey falling one run short of his second ODI century.
