Kagiso Rabada took four wickets to dismiss Australia for 231 in the second ODI at the Adelaide Oval.
Australia showed improvement with the bat but none of their top batsmen fell short of half-centuries.
For the first time in a while, the Proteas seamers were tested as they fought for their wickets on a flat Adelaide pitch. They broke partnerships at crucial times, as Lungi Ngidi, Rabada and Dwaine Pretorius removed Australia’s most dangerous batters.
Ngidi struck early in the fourth over, when he smartly trapped Travis Head (eight) lbw with an angled-in delivery from round the wicket.
Captain Aaron Finch needed a partner to push through with him and Shaun Marsh provided some clean strikes for his 22 before he edged Rabada to Quinton de Kock behind the stumps.
Finch (41) and Chris Lynn added 30 as a pair before the Aussie skipper chopped on a 120 km/h delivery from Pretorius into his stumps.
Lynn looked set, especially in the 27th over against Rabada, when he smashed three short deliveries – one for a six followed by three fours.
Rabada showed amazing nerve and bravely banged in another short delivery, this time a bouncer, that feathered Lynn’s glove on the pull-shot. The 28-year-old finished with 44 (three fours, two sixes).
Alex Carey and Glenn Maxwell (15) nudged Australia well past the 150-run mark, but just like his first wicket, Pretorius rolled his fingers across the seam again and Maxwell edged to De Kock as Australia were reduced to 166-5.
Pretorius’ medium-pace deliveries troubled the Aussies as he took his third when Marcus Stoinis smashed a length delivery to Reeza Hendricks at short mid-wicket, who took a sublime left-handed catch above his head.
Dale Steyn joined the attack and a simple seaming delivery smashed into Pat Cummins’ off-stump to knock Australia seven down. He struck again in the 41st over when Mitchell Starc found a leading edge back to the bowler as Australia were reduced to 187-8.
Carey managed to take Australia past 200 but lost his wicket three runs away from a half-century.
The Aussie tail wagged to add 27 runs, but Rabada dismissed Adam Zampa for 22 to end with 4-54.
Australia innings 231– Aaron Finch 41, Chris Lynn 44, Alex Carey 47; Kagiso Rabada 4-54, Dwaine Pretorius 3-32.
Photo: Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images
