Malan, Ngidi give SA series triumph

Australia won the toss and chose to bat, posting 271 all out as South Africa seamer Lungi Ngidi completed career-best figures of 6-58 on a slow wicket to halt what had been an electric start from the visitors. Malan, who was out to the first ball of the match on debut on Saturday, anchored the South African reply, taming his usual swashbuckling style to score 129 not out from 139 balls and lead the home side to victory with nine balls to spare.

Australia made a fast start to its innings, racing to 50 in the seventh over before David Warner (35) became the first victim for Ngidi, who later dismissed Steve Smith (13) and Marnus Labuschagne in consecutive balls.

Aaron Finch (69) looked fluent in the early part of his innings, but when South Africa strangled his scoring areas, he edged Anrich Nortje to wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock trying a flamboyant drive. D’Arcy Short (69) put on 66 for the fifth wicket with Mitchell Marsh (36), and when they fell, Ngidi returned to mop up the lower order as Australia added only 49 runs for the loss of six wickets in the final 10 overs.

South Africa lost key batsman De Kock for nought to the third ball of their reply, the left-hander having his stumps shattered by Mitchell Starc for the third time in five innings.

But Malan, who has not been selected for South Africa’s ODI tour of India later this month, and JJ Smuts (41) put on a patient 91 in 20.1 overs to edge the home side closer to its target.

In-form Heinrich Klaasen added a run-a-ball 51 that provided momentum when it was needed, and David Miller (37 not out from 29 balls) joined Malan to finish off a record chase in ODIs at the Mangaung Oval as the host reached 274 for four in 48.3 overs. South Africa leads the series 2-0. The third and final match is in Potchefstroom on Saturday.

Brief scores: Australia 271 all out in 50 overs (A Finch 69, D Short 69, L Ngidi 6/58) beat South Africa 274/4 in 48.3 overs (J Malan 129*, H Klaasen 51, JJ Smuts 41, A Zampa 2/48) by six wickets