Australia clinched a series victory over the Proteas Women in the third and final One-Day International (ODI), securing a 110-run win through the Duckworth Lewis Stern (DLS) method in a rain-interrupted encounter at the North Sydney Oval on Saturday.
The triumph granted the home side a 2-1 series win and a four-point advantage in the multi-format tour ahead of the commencement of the four-day Test match between 15 - 18 February at the Western Australia Cricket Association Ground in Perth.
Bert Mooney played a pivotal role with an unbeaten 82* off 91 deliveries (10 fours), complemented by Alyssa Healy's 73-ball 60 (9 fours, 1 six), as Australia posted a total of 277/9. Masabata Klaas achieved career-best figures of four for 56.
The home side then limited South Africa to 127 all out, with Alana King leading the way, securing four wickets for 26 runs in her five overs and securing the win with 6.3 overs remaining in the rain-shortened innings.
Opting to bat first after winning the toss, Australia faced an early setback with the dismissal of Phoebe Litchfield (5) by Klaas. Healy and Ellyse Perry (24) steadied the ship, contributing to an 82-run partnership for the second wicket.
Klaas then claimed Perry's wicket, breaking the partnership. Healy reached her 17th career fifty but fell to Eliz-Mari Marx (1/45) shortly after, leaving Australia at 119/3 in the 25th over.
Despite losing two quick wickets, Australia countered effectively, with Mooney and Tahlia McGrath (44) adding 67 runs for the fourth wicket before Chloé Tryon (1/50) dismissed McGrath, and Marizanne Kapp (1/28) took the wicket of Ashleigh Gardner (1). Another half-century partnership between Mooney and Annabel Sutherland (18) pushed Australia past the 200-run mark.
With the hosts looking dominant, Klaas and Nadine de Klerk (1/49) picked up two wickets prior to Australia finishing at 277/9 after 50 overs.
In their chase, the Proteas faced early setbacks with Laura Wolvaardt (3) and Anneke Bosch (4) departing, leaving them at 29/2 in the seventh over. Tazmin Brits (31) and Suné Luus (34) added 23 runs before Australia struck back with two quick wickets.
Rain interrupted play after 14 overs, and when the match resumed, South Africa faced a revised target of 238 in the shortened 31-over innings. Luus and de Klerk (20) partnered for a promising 50-run stand for the fifth wicket before de Klerk's dismissal.
That wicket marked the beginning of the end for South Africa as McGrath (3/23) and King combined to take three more wickets in six deliveries, including Tryon (11), Luus, Sinalo Jafta (0), and Klaas (0).
Despite efforts from Marx (7*) and Ayanda Hlubi (4), South Africa was bowled out for 127 in the 25th over, securing Australia's series win and a four-point lead in the multi-format tour.
Cricket South Africa