South Africa secured the three-match One-Day International series against Australia with a 32-run victory at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on Sunday, extending the hosts’ strong start to a campaign that carries added significance ahead of the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.
The Proteas posted 365 for nine after being asked to bat, with captain Temba Bavuma making 103 from 116 balls and David Miller producing a career-best 142 from 93 deliveries. Australia, despite a rapid opening partnership in their chase, were bowled out for 333 in 49.5 overs.
The result followed South Africa’s 67-run victory in the opening ODI at Kingsmead in Durban, where Matthew Breetzke’s century helped the hosts defend 297 for eight. Australia therefore cannot overturn the series result when the teams meet for the final ODI in Potchefstroom on Wednesday.
For South Africa, the Johannesburg victory was built around recovery after an uncertain beginning. Aiden Markram was dismissed from the first ball of the innings and Quinton de Kock followed for 15, leaving the hosts 36 for two. Bavuma and Matthew Breetzke then steadied the innings before Miller joined the captain to construct a 156-run fourth-wicket partnership.
Miller’s innings provided the acceleration. He struck 12 fours and nine sixes, reaching his eighth ODI century and setting a new career-best score. Bavuma’s century was more measured, but together the pair transformed an innings that had initially been under pressure into a total that placed Australia under sustained demand.
Australia’s response initially suggested that the chase remained within reach. Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head added 130 inside 17 overs, with both eventually making 84. Their dismissals, however, were followed by a sequence of wickets that prevented Australia from establishing another substantial partnership.
Xavier Bartlett provided a late surge, reaching 50 from 26 balls, but his dismissal left Australia needing a substantial number of runs with little batting support remaining. Lizaad Williams finished with three wickets for 54 runs, while South Africa’s spin options, including Keshav Maharaj and Bjorn Fortuin, contributed to the pressure exerted through the middle portion of the chase.
Jack Edwards was Australia’s leading bowler, taking five wickets for 67 runs in his second ODI. He removed both Bavuma and Miller, limiting the extent to which South Africa could convert its strong middle-order partnership into an even larger total. Edwards had made his ODI debut in the opening match in Durban, where he took no wickets.
Australia were also without captain Pat Cummins for the match, while Nathan Ellis was restricted to four overs after suffering a side injury during the contest. The absence of key bowling resources placed additional responsibility on the remainder of the attack as South Africa accelerated during the latter stages of their innings.
The series is taking place against a broader Southern African cricketing backdrop. The 2027 Men’s Cricket World Cup will be jointly hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, with 12 venues across the three countries and the tournament returning to Africa for the first time since 2003. Johannesburg’s Wanderers Stadium is among the designated venues, while Zimbabwe will host matches in Harare, Bulawayo and Victoria Falls.
That regional dimension gives the current series relevance beyond the immediate contest between two established international sides. Australia are using their tour of Southern Africa to assess combinations and conditions ahead of their title defence, while South Africa are developing their own preparations on home territory. The ICC has described the 2027 tournament as a return to Africa centred on the three host nations, rather than a competition confined to one national cricketing environment.
South Africa will now look to complete the ODI series with another strong performance in Potchefstroom, while Australia will seek to avoid a clean sweep before the tour moves into its longer-format phase. The final ODI will therefore provide both sides with another opportunity to assess personnel and tactics before attention turns towards the Test series.
