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’Bloody hell’: Cricket world loses it over World Cup semi-final thriller

Australia will play India in the World Cup final after surviving yet another World Cup semi-final thriller against South Africa.

Andrew McMurtryAndrew McMurtry
@AndrewMcMurtry
11 min read
November 17, 2023 - 8:29AM
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Australia is into the Cricket World Cup Final after yet another semi-final classic against South Africa, claiming a three-wicket win with 16 balls remaining.

While it didn’t quite go all the way down to the wire like the 1999 World Cup semi-final between these two sides, the match was filled with tension as Australia crawled to victory in what was an extraordinary contest.

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The result sees South Africa knocked out in a World Cup semi-final for the fifth time - three times by Australia - and still searching for its first final appearance.

For the record, South Africa was eliminated at the semi-final stage in 1992 against England, 1999 in the tie against Australia, 2007 against Australia, 2015 against New Zealand and now in 2023 by the Aussies once again.

For Australia, it’s the eighth time the men in canary yellow have qualified for the final as they chase a sixth title in Sunday’s decider against India.

Australia had a perfect start taking early wickets in the power play for the first time in the tournament, leaving South Africa reeling at 4/24 in the 12th over.

Winners are grinners. Photo by Pankaj Nangia/Gallo Images/Getty Images
Winners are grinners. Photo by Pankaj Nangia/Gallo Images/Getty Images

But a brilliant 101 off 116 balls from David Miller ensured the Proteas had a decent score to bowl to as they scrapped their way to 212.

The Aussies looked as though they were playing on a different pitch early as David Warner (29 off 18 balls) and Travis Head 62 (48) helped push Australia halfway home by the start of the 15th over.

However, the dismissal of Head saw life become very difficult for Australia, as the South African spinners Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi turned the screws.

Regular wickets made it tense, and when Steve Smith (30) was the sixth wicket to fall, it left the tail exposed with 39 runs still to be made.

The unheralded Josh Inglis helped cut the lead to 20 before he was bowled by a stunning yorker from Gerald Coetzee, leaving the Aussie tail still plenty of work to do.

But Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins combined to get Australia home as the skipper hit the winning runs with 16 balls still remaining.

The agony of losing. Photo by Arun SANKAR / AFP
The agony of losing. Photo by Arun SANKAR / AFP

“The Australians have got out of jail,” ex-Aussie captain Ricky Ponting said in commentary.

“They’ve done just enough to win their way through to another World Cup Final and take on India in a few days time.”

While on paper, the low-scoring thriller didn’t seem like much, the fans watching were enthralled throughout the intense contest.

AAP’s Scott Bailey tweeted: “Bloody hell what a game of cricket.”

Former Aussie cricketer Tom Moody wrote: “8th World Cup Final for the Australian team, a remarkable record. Sunday’s final will be the toughest of them all.”

The Age’s Andrew Wu remarked: “Low 200s hard to get, that’s proper ODI cricket. Give me this over 300+ scores every time.”

Indian legend Virender Sehwag posted: “What a wonderful game at the Eden Gardens. SA’s semi-final curse continues. Miller scored a great 100, but the start Head gave Aus was the difference. DeKock missing that catch in the end could have been a turning point.

“And Pat ‘Doesn’t get out’ Cummins continues with his knack of finishing games calmly. A great final with the best two sides awaits us.”

Travis Head did it again. Photo by Arun SANKAR / AFP
Travis Head did it again. Photo by Arun SANKAR / AFP

Head, who also took two wickets in two balls in his five overs for 2/21, was named the man of the match.

Asked about the nerves after the match, he said: “It’s hard to unpack all that.

“Hoff (Josh Hazlewood) was sitting next to me in the sheds and didn’t move for the last couple of hours. Tense finish, amazing game but hard to unpack it all.”

For South Africa, it was just heartbreak.

“It’s quite hard to put it into words,” South African captain Temba Bavuma said.

“Our character came through. We showed the resilience we talk about and a bit of dogfight. The way we started with the bat and ball was the turning point, we always had to play catch-up.”

The feeling for South Africa. Photo by DIBYANGSHU SARKAR / AFP
The feeling for South Africa. Photo by DIBYANGSHU SARKAR / AFP

3.07am — Inglis out, 20 to go

C’mon Aussie tail, we believe in you.

There’s just three wickets left and 20 runs to get for Australia after Josh Inglis was squeezed with a brutal yorker from Gerald Coetzee.

It leaves the bowlers to do the work for the Aussies.

Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins are at the crease, while Adam Zampa and Josh Hazlewood are still in the sheds.

2.36am — This is getting tense

Steve Smith has given away his wicket and once again opened the door for South Africa.

Smith couldn’t help himself with a short ball from Gerald Coetzee, skying it for Quinton de Kock to take the simple catch.

His 30 off 62 balls had held the innings together, and with Josh Inglis, got Australia within 39 runs of victory.

And now Inglis has to do it with the tail.

This is tense.

1.53am — Twists keep on coming

Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne looked to be building a nice little partnership but it’s come undone and Australia are now four down.

The South African spinners are making it so tight and having plenty of close calls.

But Tabraiz Shamsi claimed the wicket of Labuschagne in a brutally close decision.

Given out by the umpire, the ball was only just clipping the outside of leg stump.

And Glenn Maxwell has come and gone for just one.

All of a sudden, it’s 5/137 and Australia still need 76 to win.

This is a game and the crowd have erupted.

1.08am — Head’s gone

Australia have got off to a rampaging start and are already just under halfway home after just 14 overs.

But Travis Head has been dismissed with the first ball of the 15th over, with Keshav Maharaj getting between bat and pad and crashing into the stumps.

The Aussie opener bashed 62 off 48 balls including nine fours and two sixes but there’s still plenty of work to do for Australia, while the door is slightly ajar for South Africa.

1.08am — Travis Head stealing the show

Travis Head has flown to 54 off 41 balls, thrashing three straight fours of Gerald Coetzee.

After 12 overs, Australia are 2/92, although he’s riding his luck.

Head was dropped on the point boundary after Reeza Hendricks put down a tough, low catch in the deep.

The following ball, he crushed a flat bat shot straight back at the bowler, only for it to just miss the bowler’s hands.

Head looks in a mood right now and has already almost got Australia halfway to their total.

12.53am — And now we have a game

Rassie van der Dussen has breathed life into the match. Photo: Fox Sports
Rassie van der Dussen has breathed life into the match. Photo: Fox Sports

Just like that, the match is wide open again.

Australia have lost 2/1 as Mitch Marsh followed David Warner for a six-ball duck.

Marsh slashed a ball through cover, only for Rassie van der Dussen to take a screamer, diving to his right.

12.42am — ‘Disastrous’: Australia go berserk

South Africa needed to follow Australia’s lead with powerplay wickets but it’s not going to plan.

After 10 overs, Australia had South Africa 2/19 off 10 overs.

After six, Australia are 0/60.

It all went wrong in the sixth over when Kagiso Rabada went for 21 runs.

It included a no ball that went for six. And the free hit also went for six.

Matthew Hayden called it “disastrous”.

But South Africa have finally struck with Aiden Markram bowling David Warner for 29 off 18.

It’s not over yet but South Africa will need more of that.

12am — South Africa 212 all out

South Africa have set a total on the back of David Miller’s 101 off 119 balls, tallying 212 off 49.4 overs.

Eerily, it nearly mirrors their — and Australia’s — score in the 1999 World Cup semi-final, where the Aussies scored 213, before bowling South Africa out for 213 — after 49.4 overs — to send Australia through to the World Cup Final.

24 years later, Australia are chasing, and a tie won’t be enough for either side.

If there’s a tie in the 2023 tournament, it will result in a Super Over, rather than sending the side who had won earlier in the tournament, much to South Africa’s chagrin.

But it was a stellar performance with the ball from Australia, with Josh Hazlewood finishing with 2/12 off eight overs with three maidens, Mitchell Starc going 3/34 off his 10, Pat Cummins 3/51 off 9.4 and Travis Head taking 2/21 in five overs, including two in two balls in his first over.

Glenn Maxwell was also very tidy — going 0/4 off his first three overs before finishing at 0/35.

Only Adam Zampa really copped some stick, going for 0/55 off his seven overs as the left-handed Miller teed off on him.

11.33pm — Well done David Miller

South Africa’s David Miller has hit a famous century to give his nation some hope against Australia.

Bringing up his hundred in the 48th over.

It was a brilliant innings after coming to the crease at 4/24, and is the highest score from a batter six or below against Australia at a World Cup.

But after a wide, the next ball, Miller didn’t quite get the next pull, hitting it straight to Travis Head on the boundary for a brilliant 101 off 119 balls.

11.11pm — Coetzee wasn’t out

Pat Cummins picked up his first wicket of the match — but it should have been out.

Australia would have been happy if Gerald Coetzee stayed out there considering he was 19 off 39 balls, but Cummins took the wicket with a wicked short ball that convinced the umpire it had caught the glove.

But the replays showed that it brushed his arm on the way through.

While Coetzee didn’t look sold, he didn’t call for the DRS review, even though it surely would have saved him.

At the end of the day, the big wicket is David Miller, who has almost single-handedly saved South Africa’s innings.

10.26pm — Travis Head tears South Africa apart

Travis Head has had the dream over. Photo: Fox Sports
Travis Head has had the dream over. Photo: Fox Sports

Adam Zampa has been getting a fair bit of stick from the South Africans but part-timer Travis Head has proven a game-changer, taking two wickets in successive balls.

After steadying the ship with a 95-run stand with David Miller, Heinrich Klaasen was clean bowled by Head for 47 off 48 balls.

The following ball, he trapped Marco Jansen LBW.

The third ball was about as good a hat-trick ball as you’d want to bowl, darting the ball in at the stumps with Gerald Coetzee just keeping it out.

The following over, Miller brought up his 50 with a four, but the South Africans are in deep trouble at 6/125 after 32 overs.

10.04pm — South Africa steady

The rain has appeared to settle the game down somewhat as South Africa have steadied through Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller.

The pair have put on 55 to the 25th over as South Africa struggled to 4/79.

But crucially, the Proteas haven’t lost any wickets.

At the rain break, Kerry O’Keeffe suggested another two wickets and the game was as good as over, not believing the South African lower order had much to offer.

Ricky Ponting also said the pitch had appeared to calm down, which may not be completely good news for the Proteas, especially if the rain stays away.

9.24pm — And we’re back …

That wasn’t too bad a break and no time has been lost — play on.

8.43pm — Only thing that can stop Australia strikes

Australia appeared destined for the World Cup Final after that start, and it looked like it would take an act of God to stop them.

Well, that’s what South Africa have got.

It’s raining in Kolkata.

While it’s not that hard at the moment, it shows that Australia has its work cut out for it, and they need more wickets — and quick.

Although no one looks that worried by it, and the fans are still dancing in the stands, it will be constant worry for Australia.

At least 20 overs each will need to be completed to constitute a match, and there is a wet weather contingency day tomorrow, although the forecast is even worse.

If there is no result, South Africa will go through to the World Cup Final to play India, after finishing the group stages with a superior run rate over Australia.

After 14 overs, South Africa are 4/44.

8.28pm — What is happening?!?

What a start from Australia. Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images
What a start from Australia. Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images

South Africa are four down now after Rassie van der Dussen was out edging to Steve Smith at second slip for a 31-ball 6.

It’s utter madness at Kolkata and just some bloody brilliant bowling from the Aussie bowlers.

“Relentless bowling from Hazlewood, backed up beautifully in the field once again,” Ricky Ponting said in commentary.

“Very, very safe hands of Steve Smith at second slip. Van der Dussen couldn’t get the ball through the field.

“This is big trouble now for South Africa.”

It’s 4/24.

8.22pm — South Africa three down

What a start from Australia.

Aiden Markram is back in the sheds after slicing Mitchell Starc to David Warner at gully for 10.

It’s been an incredible start for Australia, who now have South Africa 3/22.

Nasser Hussain said in commentary: “They’re in real trouble here South Africa at the start of this second semi-final at Kolkata.

“Bavuma opted to bat first and the top order have been held under lock and key by some brilliant Australia bowling and ground fielding.”

8.20pm — South Africa hit first boundary

This wouldn’t usually be a point in a blog but it’s taken 52 balls for South Africa to hit their first four of the match, with Aiden Markram slamming a ball over the boundary for four.

This has been pure insanity from Australia.

Australia has South Africa 2/18 off the first 10 overs.

In commentary, Shane Watson said that conventional wisdom is that the wicket would be dry and a batters paradise.

7.56pm — Australia are on fire

Hell of a catch from captain Pat. Photo by Arun SANKAR / AFP
Hell of a catch from captain Pat. Photo by Arun SANKAR / AFP

The commentators have been talking about Australia taking wickets in the powerplay — well they’ve saved that for the most important time in the World Cup.

Australia has South Africa 2/8 off 5.4 overs after Quinton de Kock skied a ball off Josh Hazlewood, with captain Pat Cummins taking the catch as the ball came down from the stratosphere.

Australia are all over the South Africans, who, remember, won the toss.

It’s a brutal start for Australia, who have not conceded a four so far in the opening six over of the match.

7.35pm — Australia’s perfect start

Mitchell Starc has done it again.

The Aussie quick may not have had the best tournament, but he has delivered in the first over of the match, drawing the edge of South African captain Temba Bavuma with the sixth ball of the match.

The ball is doing plenty for the Aussies and it’s been tough going for the Proteas.

7.10pm — Australia lose toss, make brutal call

Australia has lost the toss and will bowl first in Kolkata, with the weather around the ground setting a chaotic scene for the match.

If overs are lost later in the match, Australia could be facing reduced overs and a reduced run total, but at a higher run rate.

But Australia has had to make a brutal call, leaving out Marcus Stoinis for the semi-final, despite his ability to blast the ball around the field.

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With Glenn Maxwell and Mitchell Starc coming into the team for Stoinis and Sean Abbott, it means Marnus Labuschagne has retained his spot.

Although Labuschagne has had the superior performance in the World Cup, his strike rate is down compared to Stoinis.

Weather was seen as the one scenario that could save Stoinis spot, even though the all-rounder hasn’t fired in the World Cup but even that hasn’t been able to do it.

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Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/sport/cricket/world-cup/cricket-world-cup-2023-australia-vs-south-africa-live-stoinis-dropped-for-semi/news-story/0830cfbac57c0e9f96bcd2ff830d1bb5