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13th over: South Africa 117-4 (Stubbs 20, van der Dussen 5) Brilliant over from Zampa, getting some purchase, using some flight, beats Stubbs with one that spins past the bat, and the over concedes only four singles.
12th over: South Africa 113-4 (Stubbs 18, van der Dussen 3) Not like for like, with the far less explosive Rassie van der Dussen to the middle. He can score plenty along the carpet when he gets going but isn’t a ball-one aerialist in the modern mould.
WICKET! Brevis c Maxwell b Ellis 53, SA 110-4
Maxwell does it! Huge distance to run in the deep from a straight long on after Brevis smacks his pull shot out toward a straight midwicket. But the ball has enough hang time for Maxwell to sprint the full distance, judge the flight so that he doesn’t even break stride, then lunge forward to take the catch coming across the line of the ball. Makes that look absurdly easy. Australia escape more Brevis carnage.
11th over: South Africa 108-3 (Brevis 52, Stubbs 17) There is one approach to Zampa from Stubbs tonight, and that’s the reverse sweep followed by the single. He scores that combination twice in the over, going aerial with the reverses, getting both of them cleanly. There’ll be plenty for the Aussies to chase later.
Half century! Dewald Brevis 50 from 22 balls
10th over: South Africa 96-3 (Brevis 50, Stubbs 7) The hits keep coming for Dewald Brevis! Three in three balls from Aaron Hardie, who came into this side but is going out of the ground! One short, two full, and Brevis sends the first in the classic T20 direction over the leg side, then pounds the next two straight. Trying the slower ones, trying to run his fingers down the ball, none of it works. Under pressure, Hardie tries the bouncer but goes too high, called wide. Looking to bowl anywhere else but where the other ones were hit, Hardie goes outside off stump, shorter, and Brevis hits him over point for six! Audacious, the full range, and that’s a whirlwind fifty for Brevis in an over that costs 27 runs.
9th over: South Africa 69-3 (Brevis 24, Stubbs 7) Maxwell is into the fray! They went with seam up top today, even though he’s bowled his off-spin very economically in the Powerplay recently. Manages to do so again here, six runs collected here and there around the ground, although Brevis is nearly run out taking a single after a diving stop from Travis Head.
8th over: South Africa 63-3 (Brevis 22, Stubbs 3) Brevis likes hitting Hazlewood! Did so with gusto the other night, and lays into him here, first with a scorching cut shot, then by lumping a pull. Not the most elegant version you’ll see, but it carries the rope after the previous shot sped to it. Hazlewood is probably relieved to see him get off strike.
7th over: South Africa 50-3 (Brevis 11, Stubbs 1) Here’s the pair that won the game the other night, more or less. Stubbs off the mark with one.
WICKET! Rickelton c Inglis b Zampa 13, SA 49-3
Breakthrough immediately after the Powerplay! The South Africans slotted Zampa the other night but he’s hard to hit consistently, and there’s an example of why. Gets the ball turning away from the left-hander, who also doesn’t gauge the bounce correctly, and a top edge results. The keeper tidies up.
6th over: South Africa 46-2 (Rickelton 12, Brevis 9). SIX! Brevis picks up where he left off in Darwin as he hammers Dwarshuis ONTO THE ROOF beyond deep square.
With that, I will hand you over to Geoff Lemon to see how the Australians handle the young South African from here.
5th over: South Africa 39-2 (Rickelton 12, Brevis 2). Nathan Ellis sends Pretorius packing just he’s starting to motor along, but his replacement is in decent touch too. Dewald Brevis clobbered South Africa’s highest T20 score with 125 not out on Sunday, and immediately looks comfortable with a glance to fine leg.
WICKET! Pretorius c Hardie b Ellis 24 (South Africa 32-2)
Nathan Ellis comes into the attack and strikes with his second delivery just as Lhuan-dre Pretorius was laying the foundation for a big score. It’s a cheap scalp too, as Pretorius picks out Hardie at mid-wicket with a half-hearted pull shot.
4th over: South Africa 32-1 (Rickelton 7, Pretorius 24). Another productive over for the Proteas with Pretorius leading the way. The South Africa No 3 hammers Ben Dwarshuis for three boundaries – the first goes straight over the bowler’s head, the next is a glance to a vacant fine leg, and the last is the pick of the bunch with a crunching straight drive.
3rd over: South Africa 19-1 (Rickelton 7, Pretorius 11). A better over for South Africa as both batters find a boundary. Australia have had success with Glenn Maxwell opening the bowling in the first two matches in the series but seem to think there is a bit of life in this deck in Cairns.
2nd over: South Africa 8-1 (Rickelton 2, Pretorius 5). Rickleton survives a huge scare after testing Marsh’s arm. The South Africa opener drives to mid-off and sets off for a single but is short of his crease as the ball bounces narrowly wide of the stumps. Pretorius adds the first boundary with a loft over mid-on off Aaron Hardie.
1st over: South Africa 2-1 (Rickelton 1, Pretorius 0). Hazlewood takes no time to find his line and length. Markram and Rickleton pick up a single each before the Australia quick strikes with a trademark delivery outside off stump.
WICKET! Markram c Green b Hazlewood 1 (South Africa 2-1)
Josh Hazlewood gives Australia the ideal star as the removes the South Africa captain. Markram steps onto the back foot and swings hard but a thick edge is comfortably grasped by Green at slip.
Josh Hazlewood has the ball in hand and is at the top of his mark with South Africa skipper Aiden Markram on strike. Let’s get into it …
South Africa XI
South Africa: Aiden Markram (capt), Ryan Rickelton (wk), Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Dewald Brevis, Tristan Stubbs, Rassie van der Dussen, Corbin Bosch, Kagiso Rabada, Senuran Mutusamy, Kwena Maphaka, Lungi Ngidi
One change for the Proteas with Senuran Muthusamy coming into the XI for Nqaba Peter.
Australia XI
Australia: Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh (capt), Josh Inglis (wk), Cameron Green, Tim David, Glenn Maxwell, Aaron Hardie, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood
The hosts make three changes with Josh Inglis among those to return. Aaron Hardie and Nathan Ellis also come into the XI with Alex Carey, Sean Abbott and the concussed Mitch Owen making way.
Australia win the toss
Australia win the toss and elect to bowl first with captain Mitch Marsh wanting to get a look at the conditions.
South Africa skipper Aiden Markram seems pleased with the outcome and suggests that he would have batted anyway.
Preamble
Martin Pegan
Hello and welcome to live coverage of the third T20 international between Australia and South Africa, as the series goes down to the wire.
The three-match series is all square at one win apiece after a pair of batting powerhouses took turns to light up the fireworks for their team.
Tim David did the damage as Australia took out the first match in Darwin, but that was nothing compared to Dewald Brevis’s record-breaking century for South Africa in the second T20.
While the stakes are high between the pair of old rivals, this is also a historic occasion as the first men’s T20 played at Cazalys Stadium in Cairns.
First ball will be at 7.15pm local time / AEST. I’ll have the toss and team news for you in just a moment.
