Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, and Cameron Green smashed blistering hundreds as Australia steamrollered South Africa by 276 runs in the final one-day international in Mackay.
Australia were playing for pride, with South Africa having already clinched the series, and they secured it by the bucketload – and in some style.
A 250-run opening partnership between player-of-the-match Head (142) and Marsh (100), followed by an incendiary hundred from Green, powered Australia to a mammoth 431-2.
The hosts hit 18 sixes as they posted their second-highest total in ODIs-behind only their 434 against the same opposition in 2006.
In response, South Africa were all out for 155 in just 24.5 overs, as spinner Cooper Connolly claimed 5-22, sending the Proteas into their forthcoming white-ball series in England – live on Sky Sports – mulling over their heaviest defeat in ODI cricket.
Electing to bat, Head and Marsh milked 86 runs from the first 10 overs to signal Australia’s intent against a South Africa attack lacking pace and firepower in the absence of the missing Kagiso Rabada and rested Lungi Ngidi.
Australia raced to the 100-run mark in the 13th over and Head reached his hundred off 80 balls, taking a single off spinner Senuran Muthusamy to reach the milestone.
Australia got to 250 in the 34th over but immediately lost Head, who was caught off spinner Keshav Maharaj after hitting five sixes and 17 fours.
Marsh, who also struck five sixes, brought up his hundred before he fell fluffing a slog-sweep to Muthusamy, but there was no respite for South Africa as Green picked up the baton with a sensational display of power-hitting.
The all-rounder raced to a 47-ball hundred, his maiden and the second-fastest by an Australian in an ODI, and blasted eight sixes in his unbeaten 118 off 55 balls. Alex Carey contributed 50 not out.
In reply, South Africa slumped to 50-4 in the ninth over and never recovered.
Dewald Brevis (49) and Tony de Zorzi (33) provided brief resistance but Connolly, backed up by superb catching from his team-mates, ran through South Africa’s middle order.
South Africa ODI squad to tour England
Temba Bavuma (captain), Corbin Bosch, Matthew Breetzke, Dewald Brevis, Nandre Burger, Tony de Zorzi, Keshav Maharaj, Kwena Maphaka, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Lungi Ngidi, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs
South Africa T20 squad to tour England
Aiden Markram (captain), Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Donovan Ferreira, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kwena Maphaka, David Miller, Senuran Muthusamy, Lungi Ngidi, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Lizaad Williams.
England v South Africa: Limited overs fixtures 2025
- First ODI: Tuesday September 2 (1pm) – Headingley
- Second ODI: Thursday September 4 (1pm) – Lord’s
- Third ODI: Sunday September 7 (11am) – Utilita Bowl
- First T20: Wednesday September 10 (6.30pm) – Sophia Gardens Cardiff
- Second T20: Friday September 12 (6.30pm) – Emirates Old Trafford
- Third T20: Sunday September 14 (2.30pm) – Trent Bridge
