South Africa vs Australia, 3rd ODI Stats: South Africa seal second-highest ODI run chase

David Miller’s century and Andile Phehlukwayo’s cameo helped South Africa clinch the ODI series 3-0 after they secured the second-biggest run chase in ODI history. Despite battling with an injury, Miller finished on 118* and put on a century partnership for the seventh wicket to help them chase 372 with four balls to spare.

For the first time in the series, Australia clicked with the bat and had David Warner and captain Steve Smith both score centuries. That coupled with some lusty blows towards the end of their innings meant they put on 371/6.

In response, South Africa got off to the perfect start thanks to Quinton de Kock and Hashim Amla. Although both failed to score a century and no one in the top order converted their starts, Miller, who was battling with a groin injury, managed to score an unbeaten century and helped South Africa take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series.

Here are some interesting stats from the match:

2 – This was the second-highest run chase in ODI history. The best remains South Africa’s chase of 435 against Australia at Johannesburg in 2006.

3 – This is the third-highest second-innings total ever achieved in an ODI. South Africa’s 438/9 is the world record chase while Sri Lanka’s 411 in a losing cause against India in 2009 is the only other time a team had managed more than 372 in the second innings of an ODI.

4 – Of the top five highest successful run chases in ODI history, four have come against Australia. The top four highest successful chases have all been against Australia.

5 – This is the fifth time that Australia have lost the first three ODIs of a five-match series. Three of those came against England while the other aside from this ongoing series came at the hands of New Zealand.

5 – The number of ODI centuries that were scored on October 5 is the joint-most on any day in history. On two other occasions, 3 September 2013 and 23 January 2015, there were five centuries scored.

6 – Miller’s 69-ball century is the seventh-fastest by a Proteas batsman in ODIs. Of the six times, a quicker century was hit, five belong to AB de Villiers.

42 – Phehlukwayo’s unbeaten 42 is not only his career-best ODI score but also his best List-A score as well. His previous best was 34*.

69 – David Miller’s 69-ball century is the fastest by a South Africa against Australia in ODIs. The previous-best was Quinton de Kock’s 74-ball century just last week.

96 – Dale Steyn conceded 96 runs in his 10 overs, which is the most by a South African bowler in an ODI. Wayne Parnell’s 95 against India at Gwalior in 2010 was the previous highest.

102 – Vinay Kumar’s 102 runs conceded against Australia at Bangalore in 2013 remains the most runs conceded by a bowler who still ended up on the winning side. Steyn’s 96 is the second-highest figure by a bowler who still won the game.

117 – David Warner’s 117 is the highest score by an Australian opener against South Africa, beating the previous best of 115 by Mark Waugh set in 1997.

271 – The previous highest successful run chase on this ground was 271. It was achieved by Australia against South Africa in 2002 when they scored 271/2.

910 – David Warner now has 910 ODI runs in 2016, which is the most he has made in a calendar year in ODIs. His previous best was 840 in 2012.

2000 – The last time and only time before today that two Australians scored a century in the same ODI against South Africa was in 2000. On that day it was Michael Bevan and Steve Waugh, in this game it was David Warner and Steve Smith.