In conditions that offered swing and seam movement, Australia's bowlers restricted South Africa to a below-par total. Their batsmen, sans David Warner who was rested for the final game, chased it down like a team in a hurry and they are - to get to the World T20 in Bangladesh.
Australia will go there far more prepared than South Africa after a clinical performance that exposed South Africa's vulnerabilities, especially without their two pace spearheads. Neither Dale Steyn nor Morne Morkel were included in the XI as they complete their rehabilitation from hamstring and shoulder injuries respectively but even they may have found it difficult to defend this total.
South Africa fell significantly below the average first innings score at this ground of 197. That number does not take into account the sluggish nature of the surface given the unseasonal wet weather but Australia showed run scoring was not as difficult as South Africa made it look.
They were pinned down by Australia's speedy assessment of the conditions and tactical nous in exploiting it. Mitchell Starc found extra bounce immediately and hit Quinton de Kock at the end of his first over - a maiden, which set the tone for Australia's effort in the field.
Although de Kock persisted and succeeded to some extent in moving forward to Nathan Coulter-Nile, Australia drew first blood when Starc trapped Hashim Amla lbw with a full delivery that swung into him and caught him in the crease.
George Bailey introduced spin in the fourth over and Glenn Maxwell had reward almost immediately. Faf du Plessis looked to clear mid-off but Brad Hogg proved age is nothing but a number. He backpedalled and took the catch to put South Africa in trouble at 20 for 2.
That was where South Africa made a tactical error. Instead of sending in their best batsman, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy was deployed at No.4. He smoked two gorgeous boundaries before becoming the second man to give it away. Duminy picked out the man at deep cover which meant de Villiers faced pressure from the moment he walked out.
He also found a fielder, at deep square leg, which brought South Africa's finishers to the crease too early. David Miller tried to drive on the up and was caught at short cover. De Kock, who saw very little of the strike after the first six overs, was a victim of turn and Albie Morkel was yorked after striking two meaty sixes.
South Africa managed 24 runs off the last three overs. Their highest partnership was only 25 and it was always unlikely to be enough.
Even though the juggling of their batting line-up did not work, South Africa chose to do the same with their bowling. They opened with Duminy but the gamble did not pay off.
Aaron Finch took advantage of anything short or wide and after Duminy, South Africa's slew of left-arm seamers offered plenty. By the end of the fourth over, Finch had brought Australia's required run-rate down to less than a run a ball.
Finch and Cameron White posted the highest partnership in the game, 43, and the contest was all but decided there. It still required Shane Watson to anchor the rest of the chase after Finch mis-timed his slog sweep off Imran Tahir.
The legspinner was the only positive for South Africa in the field. He bowled smartly, mixing his googly with his stock delivery and tossing it up generously in search of a wicket. He even claimed a second one, that of Watson, who also got the slog sweep wrong but by then, the deal was sealed.
Watson had already taken 12 off three balls off Morkel's over and Maxwell added to the returnee's misery. Morkel's second over cost 18 runs and by then Australia only needed 26 runs off the last eight overs. They got there in three to emphasise their dominance over South Africa and leave du Plessis and Russell Domingo with questions to be answered about how they will make best use of their resources at the World T20.
SA 128/7 20 overs
FOW Amla lbw b Starc 2 15/1 plumb in front, a Starc inswinger does Mighty Hash in! This was a terrific ball, kept nice and full and it swung in rather sharply too. Amla was stuck in his crease and was swiping across the line. Very unlike him, but he's been troubled by the ones that are full and at his stumps lately
F du Plessis c Hogg b Maxwell 5 20/2 oops, he's chipped that straight to mid-off and Maxi sends him off with a stare This happed in slow-motion. Faf moved outside leg again, the bowler followed up with a full one. He lifted it and I guess he wanted to beat the fielder, but the fielder backpedaled and chipped it straight to him
Duminy c Henriques b Maxwell 13 44/3 he's picked out the man at deep cover! This was smoked, I tell you! Tossed up on leg stump and he made some room to loft it over the infield and he would have hoped for it to go over the ropes too, but has to watch has Henriques comes up and pouches an easy catch
AB de Villiers c Hodge b Hogg 11 68/4 they're all finding the fielders on the boundary! Neat catch by Hodge at deep sqauare leg. This was short and asking to be hit. AB obliged with a pull but he has struck it hard and flat. Hodge comes forward and picks it as it was dying on him
Miller c Bailey b Henriques 2 75/5 the ball is definitely holding up! This one goes straight to short cover. Length ball angled across him and Miller seeks a drive on the up. Bad shot considering the pitch and he perishes
Q de Kock c Haddin b Hogg 41 81/6 that is a corker! de Kock can just tuck his bat in under his shoulder and walk back. Tossed up on middle and leg but once this hits the pitch it turns viciously. He was playing with a closed bat looking for midwicket. Only manages an outside edge through to the keeper's gloves. Terrific take from Haddin as well. There's another golden oldies combo
Morkel b Starc 18 103/7 take that! Yorker seeking to topple middle and Albie can't dig this out. Again favours making room, but this one isn't the kind of ball he can swing away to cow corner. Tries to kep it out but he's too slow
AUS 129/4 20 overs
FOW: White c Tahir b Parnell 14 43/1 there's the wicket! Goes for the upper cut as this was dug in short and just outside off. Got far too much height on this and Tahir, at deep third man, collects a good catch
Finch c Miller b Tahir 39 he's gone! Tahir has done the trick! This was tossed up and Finch goes for the slog sweep. Doesn't get good enough bat and this gains too much height towards deep midwicket. Miller's there and he clings on to an important catch
Maxwell lbw b Hendricks 17 105/3 walks across his stumps to whip this away fine and is struck in line of middle. De Kock screams an appeal and the bowler joins in as an afterthought which I thought was strange, because this was pretty adjacent. Minor hiccup, or the start of a collapse?
Watson c Du Plessis b Tahir 35 107/4 skewed straight up and it falls into the waiting hands of cover and Tahir is pumped! This was tossed up well wide of off stump, but Watto was looking for the slog sweep, or perhaps the flat bat down the ground. The turn snares the edge and the batsman has to walk back
FOW: White c Tahir b Parnell 14 43/1 there's the wicket! Goes for the upper cut as this was dug in short and just outside off. Got far too much height on this and Tahir, at deep third man, collects a good catch
Finch c Miller b Tahir 39 he's gone! Tahir has done the trick! This was tossed up and Finch goes for the slog sweep. Doesn't get good enough bat and this gains too much height towards deep midwicket. Miller's there and he clings on to an important catch
Maxwell lbw b Hendricks 17 105/3 walks across his stumps to whip this away fine and is struck in line of middle. De Kock screams an appeal and the bowler joins in as an afterthought which I thought was strange, because this was pretty adjacent. Minor hiccup, or the start of a collapse?
Watson c Du Plessis b Tahir 35 107/4 skewed straight up and it falls into the waiting hands of cover and Tahir is pumped! This was tossed up well wide of off stump, but Watto was looking for the slog sweep, or perhaps the flat bat down the ground. The turn snares the edge and the batsman has to walk back
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