ICC World Cup: De Kock drives Proteas to a Solid Total Against Aussies

ISLAMABAD:  Quinton de Kock brilliant hundred set a tone for South Africa to score 311 runs Against Australia in the ICC World Cup contest being played at Lucknow India on Thursday. After de Kock, the inform Markram also knocked a half century to guide his side into a decent total. However, the Australian bowlers also managed to restrict their opponents to 311, which was early predicted over 330.

Earlier winning the toss Australia invited South Africa to bat first. Protea’s openers took a caution start in the first five overs and then accelerated the run rate to above five runs per over. De Kock completed his half century and took his side over 100 runs in the first 18 overs. In over number 20 Maxwell managed to get red of the skipper Bavuma on 35 who played 55 balls. On the other side de Kock accelerated the innings further.

Meanwhile Adam Zampa dismissed the number third batter Dussan on 26 when South Africa were 158 in the 29^th over. When the number four batter Aiden Markram joined de Kock both the batters consolidated the innings with a better run rate. De Kock completed his blistering hundred including 5 sixes and 8 boundaries. In over number 35 Maxwell grabbed another wicket for Australia when de Kock was dismissed on 109 while facing 106 balls. Later the inform Markram also reached his half century, however soon he was removed by Pat Cummins on 56 when the score reached 263 in the 44^th over.

The Aussies despite having wickets assisted by sparkling innings of Markram and de Kock, managed to take wickets with interval and restricted the protest below the average of 6 till the 43rd over. In the 45^th over Hazlewood removed Klaasen on 29. David Miller and Marco Jansen added some valuable runs at the end. Jansen was removed by Stark in the final over on 26 while facing 22 balls. Stark removed Miller also in the same over. Stark conceded just 1 run in the final over. South Africia managed to score 311 runs in 50 overs for the loss of 7 wickets

From Australia Maxwell was the leading wicket taker with 2 for just 34 runs in his ten over spill. Mitchell Starc took two wickets while Josh Hazlewood, Pat Commins and Adam Zampa took one wicket each.

Australia Team: David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Steven Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis †,

Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa and Josh Hazlewood

South Africa Squad: Quinton de Kock, Temba Bavuma (c), Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen David Miller, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, and Tabraiz Shamsi