An eye-catching all-round performance by Mitchell Marsh helped Australia return to winning ways as they beat South Africa by 62 runs on Tuesday in Harare to secure their place in the triangular series final.
Marsh struck a brutal 86 not out from 51 balls to boost the Australian total to 282 for seven, then took two key wickets as South Africa were bowled out for 220 in spite of a superb 126 by Faf du Plessis.
It was the best response Australia could have hoped for after they were humiliated by hosts Zimbabwe on Sunday to leave their participation in Saturday's final in doubt.
South Africa’s own qualification will only be confirmed tomorrow, though they would need to lose heavily to Zimbabwe in the final round-robin game to miss out.
"We lost wickets at key times, but Mitch helped set a competitive total on that wicket, one we could look to defend," said stand-in captain George Bailey, filling in for the injured Michael Clarke.
Australia’s innings had been pedestrian up until Marsh’s arrival, with Phil Hughes rarely getting into his full stride in the course of his 85 and South Africa picking up regular wickets.
Although Hughes put on 85 for the second wicket with Steve Smith, who returned to the Australian side and batted at No 3 following Clarke’s injury-enforced departure, the spin duo of Imran Tahir and Aaron Phangiso picked up three cheap wickets.
Phangiso recorded figures of two for 39 in 10 overs and his dismissal of Bailey left Australia 187 for five in the 42nd over.
Marsh’s big hitting then came to the rescue as he smashed seven sixes, including three in three balls off Dale Steyn, and ensured Australia took 85 runs from the last seven overs.
“I think if we have to pinpoint somewhere that we lost the game, it was with Mitchell Marsh’s innings,” Du Plessis said.
“Their innings was set up to get to 240 or 250, so we as a bowling unit will be disappointed for him to score so many sixes in the way that he did.”
South Africa’s innings never really got going, with Du Plessis playing a lone hand as only three other Proteas batsmen reached double figures.
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