Australia v South Africa: tri-series – as it happened

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2014/aug/27/australia-v-south-africa-tri-series-live

Version 0 of 1.

1.33am AEST16:33

In summary

It was a game dominated by the batsmen with Aaron Finch, Faf du Plessis and AB de Villiers all registering hundreds while Phil Hughes and George Bailey both made half-centuries. No innings was better than that of de Villiers, who anchored the South African chase and battled through a painful injury for the second half of his undefeated 136. The pick of the bowlers was Imran Tahir with 2-45 from 10 overs, which was far more impressive than it sounds.

The Proteas have drawn first blood against the Aussies, as they so often do in the preliminary games of one-day tournaments and Craig McDermott has plenty of work to do with the Australian bowlers, who were noticeably lackluster today.

You can stick a fork in me now because after seven and a half hours I’m all Harare Sports Clubbed out. This game saw us declare war on the rival OBO and it saw me losing a worrying amount of my hair. I can’t imagine what that means for the rest of the tournament but I’ll be here giving you strand-by-strand updates.

Updated at 1.37am AEST

1.26am AEST16:26

South Africa wins by 7 wickets - South Africa 328-3 (de Villiers 136, Duminy 33)

JP Duminy heeds my prayers and reduces the target to 1 run when he rolls his wrists over a splendid on-driven boundary and then draws Faulkner into bowling his second wide of the over. The winning runs come with a quick single and that’s an emphatic victory for the Proteas.

1.21am AEST16:21

46th over - South Africa 320-3 (de Villiers 135, Duminy 28)

Richardson comes back to fulfill his obligation to send down the full allotment of 10 overs and de Villiers fulfills his own to belt the poor kid all over the place, first over mid-off for a boundary and then with some improvisation over the head of cover. The Proteas need 8 from 24 deliveries and I hope they get it done quickly.

1.17am AEST16:17

45th over - South Africa 310-3 (de Villiers 129, Duminy 24)

Faulkner might be tempted to bowl his eighth over with his right arm to comically alter the deadening inevitability of this result but he keeps bounding in and doing his bit to keep it respectable.

1.14am AEST16:14

44th over - South Africa 305-3 (de Villiers 127, Duminy 21)

As I’ve said, this match is petering out to a rather dull and predictable conclusion at the moment and the only ways I’m keeping my eyelids in position is by focusing on my slightly irrational hatred of Pommie. This guy could commentate the moon landing and make it sound like a hardware sales conference, couldn’t he?

Back on the ground, Duminy raises my pulse further with a lovely straight six off the hard-working but so far toothless Richardson, so at least the end is a little closer now.

“Unless you get AB out, SA win. That’s the deal in white ball cricket isn’t it?” asks Gary Naylor, who is not only a newly-minted member of my OBO Wars team but entirely correct in that assessment.

1.09am AEST16:09

43rd over - South Africa 293-3 (de Villiers 123, Duminy 13)

We’ve now moved into a stagnant phase where the South Africans seem content to stalk this total down in dour and risk-free fashion, bunting singles and pushing the occasional two. It’s not exactly thrilling to watch but it’s still effective.

“Australia are getting rather thumped here,” says Robert Wilson. “I hate it when that happens. It makes me feel dizzy and old. How’s your hair? That was making me feel dizzy and old as well.” I feel old on account of the hair and dizzy on account of seven straight hours of live-blogging. Maybe I’ll be so delirious by the end that I’ll just shave my head and be done with it.

1.03am AEST16:03

42nd over - South Africa 282-3 (de Villiers 119, Duminy 7)

As Kane Richardson takes the ball again he’s got a broad smile on his face but he’s possibly the only Aussie to do so. He sends off-cutters past the edge of Duminy’s blade with both his third and fourth deliveries but he still goes for five runs for the over, keeping the Proteas required run rate at a comfortable level.

12.58am AEST15:58

41st over - South Africa 277-3 (de Villiers 116, Duminy 5)

Mitch Johnson is brought back for one last attempt at ripping out de Villiers and like every bowler bar Imran Tahir, he’s been expensive today. de Villiers works him for a painfully-run two and a cross-batted single and at the end of the over, South Africa need 51 from 54 deliveries, which they’ll reach in a canter at current levels of output.

12.53am AEST15:53

40th over - South Africa 273-3 (de Villiers 113, Duminy 5)

He’s been smashed all over the place today but MItch Starc is still steaming in and trying t muster a wicket ball. He goes close with an LBW shout against JP Duminy but as shadows start to creep across Harare Sports Club it feels like a bit of a lost cause for the Aussies. What have they got left?

12.49am AEST15:49

39th over - South Africa 269-3 (de Villiers 110, Duminy 4)

AB de Villiers is not human. Playing in what looks like agonizing pain, he’s hustling for twos and smashing Faulkner for spirit-lifting boundaries. He shouldn’t be able get through a full swing of the bat and yet he’s slaughtering them. It’s his first one-day ton against the Aussies and one of absolute quality.

12.44am AEST15:44

WICKET! du Plessis c Smith b Starc 106 - South Africa 257-3 (de Villiers 102) - 38 overs gone

Faf du Plessis finally breaks through for his maiden ODI century when he launches into Mitchell Starc, spearing a boundary through cover and ripping off his helmet in jubilation. Not to be outdone, his captain lofts a four over mid-off to bring up his own milestone estone. It’s some brilliant batting from the Proteas, even if they’ve still got a decent way to go in order to win this match.

Finally the Aussies claim their man though and it’s intriguing because it’s du Plessis and not the injured de Villiers who falls. Well, this is interesting. With 14 already scored from the over he heaved optimistically at Starc and holed out. He’s greeted warmly by teammates but who knows how this could change the complexion of the game?

12.38am AEST15:38

37th over - South Africa 243-2 (du Plessis 97, de Villiers 97)

James Faulkner is back into the attack to tighten the screws on the inured South African skipper. Neccessity being the mother of invention, de Villiers gets down on his knee and ramp-scoops a six off the final ball of the over. Sure, why not AB?

“I hope they’re paying you by the word,” says Jon Kiddle, my old mate from Alton CC in Hampshire. They’re not mate, it’s all about quality, not quantity. That is why I’m on the small bucks.

“For a few years now I’ve been telling anyone who’ll listen that Faf du Plessis isn’t that good and will ultimately be found out at this level,” says Rudi Edsall, “particularly if he remains at 3. I’m starting to doubt that my vindication will arrive.” Yes, revision of that theory is now due.

12.33am AEST15:33

36th over - South Africa 234-2 (du Plessis 95, de Villiers 90)

The de Villiers injury aside, it’s a fairly simple equation for the Proteas; 100 to win from 88 balls. That’s made even simpler when Bailey makes it his turn to drop a sitter, this one a regulation waist-high chance at point from de Villiers’ blade. de Villiers finishes the over by clubbing a boundary through mid-off. Stand and deliver is the only option now because he’s playing with limited mobility.

that is an absolute turkey from George Bailey #ausvsa

12.28am AEST15:28

35th over - South Africa 226-2 (du Plessis 94, de Villiers 83)

Of course de Villiers then edges the next delivery past the despairing lunge of Haddin and down to the third man boundary. Of course he does. It’s tempting to say that Johnson was unlucky there but there’s really no excuse for dropping a soda like that one.

12.24am AEST15:24

DROPPED CATCH!

Johnson puts down a simple returned catch off de Villiers, one of the most straight-forward you’ll ever see, even it it came agonizingly slow.

12.23am AEST15:23

34th over - South Africa 221-2 (du Plessis 94, de Villiers 78)

Kane Richardson is doing his damndest to jag the ball around and make something happen but there is no substitute for experience and class, so it’s no great shock when de Villiers turns a perfectly decent ball into fodder for a straight-driven boundary.

“I’m in! (But I want Rob Smyth and Mac Millings either side, like the old Pontypool front row - the Viet Gwent),” says Gary Naylor. How could I have forgotten our spiritual leader, the man about whom I have quite literally had dreams?

12.18am AEST15:18

33rd over - South Africa 214-2 (du Plessis 93, de Villiers 72)

Mitchell Johnson continues and like Steyn earlier, his powers appear to have been blunted by going the half-beard rather than fully embracing his facial hair. du Plessis is pushing de Villiers through for a brisk two but the latter is visibly struggling with what looks like a groin or hamstring complaint.

If the OBO Wars pilot is picked up, I think I’m going to need a bit of remedial work.

12.13am AEST15:13

32nd over - South Africa 204-2 (du Plessis 89, de Villiers 66)

Kane Richardson returns in time for the Proteas to bring up their 200 and AB de Villiers to register some sort of injury discomfort that we’ll have to keep an eye on.

“Forget shirt-talk,” says Robert Wilson, who clearly hasn’t yet read of my escalating hair problem. “OBO Wars has legs. A TV series. An isolated abandoned building, limited resources, large amounts of cricketing equipment and old Wisdens. One week to build an army and eradicate traitors. Then mega-violence (or sulking) and afterwards the winners play off against the hardcore survivalists from the county cricket live blog.”

“We could make hundreds of pounds.”

Can we pick teams? I want Ashdown because he’ll bring food, Geoff Lemon because he’s rangy, cunning and light-fingered and Gary Naylor as well because I just feel like his general knowledge and blogging aura would serve us well.

12.07am AEST15:07

31st over - South Africa 198-2 (du Plessis 88, de Villiers 61)

I miss the first half of Johnson’s over as I ponder the hair loss situation but look up in time to see du Plessis somehow dig out a yorker and send it to the boundary and then he biffs Johnson over mid-off. I must be honest though, this is the only South African cricketer I can think of at this time.

12.03am AEST15:03

30th over - South Africa 187-2 (du Plessis 78, de Villiers 60)

Australia might have a serious problem trying to break this partnership but if you’ll excuse the self-indulgence, I’m having a minor crisis of my own as every time I scratch my head a couple of hairs appear to fall down onto my keyboard. One can be explained away, two might have been stragglers from an earlier session, but you can’t explain away six thick hairs. It looks like the floor of a barber shop.

I thought it would be a bit of fun but this game appears to be sending me bald. Has this ever happened in OBO history?

Argh, I’ve run my hand through again and two more have fallen down. This is reaching crisis point now.

11.57pm AEST14:57

29th over - South Africa 180-2 (du Plessis 76, de Villiers 55)

Faf du Plessis is conscious of the need to escalate the scoring rate a little so he advances at Starc and lofts him for four and then pulls him over mid-wicket for another. That’s a bit better from this pair, though they still sit comfortably above the Australian ‘worm’.

11.52pm AEST14:52

28th over - South Africa 168-2 (du Plessis 65, de Villiers 54)

“Are you not getting any email love?” asks Robert Wilson, who again is a real person, I swear. “Are they all over on the Eng-Ind OBO?” Yes Robert, it would appear so. I’m losing the OBO wars.

“Seriously, how English do you have to be to prefer that match to these two teams? Say something pithy (or pornographic) about Scottish independence and the Celtic fringe will come in droves. Drive a wedge, man.”

While I ponder an appropriately vitriolic salvo to get the debate started again (or do I need to reintroduce some #ShirtTalk to get you people excited?), Maxwell has motored through another over, going for 8 this time as Nathan Lyon kicks up his heels with a Gatorade.

11.48pm AEST14:48

27th over - South Africa 160-2 (du Plessis 61, de Villiers 50)

Mindful of using all of Faulkner’s overs up too early, Bailey reintroduces Starc, who’s looked a little short on energy and pace today. de Villiers brings up his 50 by prodding down to third man but the South African pair were perhaps a little too subdued in welcoming the bowling change. The required rate has crept up to 7.30 now.

11.44pm AEST14:44

26th over - South Africa 157-2 (du Plessis 60, de Villiers 48)

Maxwell sprints through another over, conceding only six runs and thus performing his role perfectly. So perfectly in fact, that the DJ pumps out some Eiffel 65 to reward him. Why? Err, I’m really not sure.

11.41pm AEST14:41

25th over - South Africa 151-2 (du Plessis 55, de Villiers 46)

James Faulkner is putting in an admirable display here against two well-set batsmen, this time conceding only three runs and possibly opening up a wicket-taking opportunity for Maxwell if the Proteas feel the pinch of the required run rate. It’s up around 7 per over now.

11.37pm AEST14:37

24th over - South Africa 148-2 (du Plessis 54, de Villiers 46)

Finally the newly-bearded and surly looking Glenn Maxwell steps up to have a bowl and he’s immediately and animatedly directing his fieldsmen around and hustling the batsmen a little too. That means it’s over in a flash and he’s conceded six runs in a tidy if un-threatening start.

11.33pm AEST14:33

23rd over - South Africa 142-2 (du Plessis 50, de Villiers 43)

There’s no sign of panic in the Australian camp as Faulkner continues but they’ll be desperate to break this burgeoning partnership before the powerplay is deployed. Faf du Plessis brings up his half-century from 54 deliveries but it’s another frugal over from Faulkner. It’s a pity the pressure is not being backed up at the other end.

11.29pm AEST14:29

22nd over - South Africa 137-2 (du Plessis 48, de Villiers 40)

Smith continues at first tidily, but he’s comprehensively belted when he tosses one up. AB de Villiers is the man who makes some room, clubbing him long and high into the upper reaches of the media centre. Two balls later he drops short and gets smashed through cover for a boundary.

Glenn, warm up please pal.

11.26pm AEST14:26

21st over - South Africa 124-2 (du Plessis 47, de Villiers 28)

James Faulkner has switched to the golf course end now and he might wish he was playing a leisurely 18 holes instead of having to bowl to these two. Maybe I’m being a little pessimistic because because Faulkner actually keeps it tight with only 3 singles and a wide conceded in that over. Will Bailey turn to Maxwell or Finch if the Smith experiment fails or stick with his quicks?

11.21pm AEST14:21

20th over - South Africa 120-2 (du Plessis 46, de Villiers 26)

What time is it? ‘Maxwell time’ you say? Sorry, it’s Steve Smith filth time! The one-time Warne protege is more of a part-timer these days and it shows when his first delivery is walloped over deep mid wicket for a de Villiers boundary. As always with Smith, there’s a couple of promising deliveries in there as well but the rest is pretty ropey.

11.18pm AEST14:18

19th over - South Africa 113-2 (du Plessis 45, de Villiers 20)

Bailey places his faith in Marsh but his bowler can’t repay him by digging in half-trackers to a batting pair like these two. He has some cover in the deep but du Plessis is good enough to bypass them for a boundary. By the end of the over, conceding seven runs almost feels like a moral victory for Marsh but he looms as a liability for the Aussies in the same way Parnell was for the Proteas.

11.13pm AEST14:13

18th over - South Africa 106-2 (du Plessis 40, de Villiers 18)

Faulkner resumes his efforts and he’s lucky to escape with a slower-ball bouncer that sat up tantalizingly for de Villiers. That single matters not when du Plessis belts another through mid-wicket for a boundary to bring up both the Proteas 100 and a 50-run partnership and then an ugly flat-batted tennis shot through mid-on.

11.10pm AEST14:10

17th over - South Africa 97-2 (du Plessis 32, de Villiers 17)

Though I was expecting Bailey to maybe squeeze a few cheap overs out of Glenn Maxwell at this point, it’s Mitch Marsh who returns after the break from the opposite end from which he bowled earlier. He’s moving a little gingerly if you ask me but that’s possibly just how he normally walks.

After a succession of singles, du Plessis attacks the youngster head on, dancing down the pitch and flogging him over mid-on for a boundary and then whipping three more a little wider of that spot. I’m not sure if it’s a deliberate attempt to attack Marsh but 12 runs come from the over.

11.02pm AEST14:02

16th over - South Africa 85-2 (du Plessis 22, de Villiers 15)

James Faulkner has his first trundle of the day and like Richardson before him, opts for cutters in place of speed. It’s a proactive move from Bailey to bring him on, keeping both batsmen thinking and forcing them to adjust to the different trajectory.

And with that, drinks come onto the field.

10.58pm AEST13:58

15th over - South Africa 81-2 (du Plessis 19, de Villiers 15)

I will admit that after six hours and 65 overs, I am going a little cross-eyed from constantly glancing between a 17” screen and a 55” one. Do you think Cardus and Arlott ever had something close to this problem?

With that said, Neil Manthorp and HD Ackerman on the local coverage are talking about speed wobbles on pushbikes, so maybe I’m doing okay after all. AB de Villiers is going okay and belts Johnson straight for another boundary. Both batsmen are well set to launch their attack now.

10.54pm AEST13:54

14th over - South Africa 75-2 (du Plessis 18, de Villiers 10)

Faf du Plessis has had enough of this dot ball stuff, advancing to the net and walloping a double-fisted forehand smash down the line and nearly taking out both the umpire and the bowler in Marsh.

He’s getting biffed around a bit but I like Marsh’s swagger and presence; it’s like he’s the brother who was genetically engineered to be taller and stronger and faster than the rest of them. The Ivan Drago of the Marsh family, if you will.

10.49pm AEST13:49

13th over - South Africa 69-2 (du Plessis 13, de Villiers 9)

Mitchell of the Johnson variety is back on now and forcing de Villiers into a quite unconventional shuffling of the back foot before he prods defensively. His over is excellent, costing only two runs and giving neither batsman any room to play aggressively.

Batsmen being forced to face the sixth ball of an over is the biggest threat facing international cricket today. #SAvAUS

10.45pm AEST13:45

12th over - South Africa 67-2 (du Plessis 12, de Villiers 8)

Mitchell Marsh is into the attack now and it will be very interesting to see how his bowling has come along. Australian selector Rod Marsh has been glowing in his praise of the 140 kmph+ pace of the youngest Marsh and says it’s what has made him an irresistible prospect for the NSP.

Marsh squares up du Plessis with his first delivery but also gives him a rank half-tracker that’s gleefully dispatched through mid-wicket for a boundary. That one barely looked 120kmph to be completely honest.

10.41pm AEST13:41

11th over - South Africa 63-2 (du Plessis 8, de Villiers 8)

I’m struggling to think of a more irritating way to be dismissed than after an over had been prematurely called to an end. de Kock looked like he’d had his school lunch order stolen and the bully had just stood there and eaten it in front of him.

Starc carries on in slightly erratic fashion this time around with two quite pedestrian deliveries followed by a couple of jaffas and then some short trash that de Villiers slaps over the head of point for a boundary. He’s probably more angry with himself when he digs in an accurate bouncer that has de Villiers ducking for cover to finish the over.

10.36pm AEST13:36

10th over - South Africa 54-2 (du Plessis 5, de Villiers 3)

Richardson comes in to the new man, AB de Villiers, and the Proteas skipper is immediately on the attack. He cuts wide of point for three but otherwise it’s another frugal over from Richardson on the heels of the dreadfully unlucky demise of Quinton de Kock.

10.32pm AEST13:32

WICKET! de Kock c Faulkner b Starc 19 - South Africa 51-2 (du Plessis 5) - end of 9th over

“An error here and an error there and it all crashes down,” says Pommie Mbangwa, possibly talking about his own commentary work. Starc is not giving this fledgling pairing of de Kock and du Plessis much room for error and continues his more consistent efforts from two overs back. du Plessis drives for three but that won’t bother Bailey too much because it continues to bring the cordon into play.

There is some confusion when the over is called to a halt a ball too early but the umpires see the error of their ways and call Starc back to send down his final delivery. It’s a good thing they do as well because de Kock gets a top edge on a short ball and skies it to a fast-moving Faulkner in the deep. Oh dear, what a way to go.

Updated at 10.34pm AEST

10.25pm AEST13:25

8th over - South Africa 47-1 (de Kock 18, du Plessis 2)

After that lengthy delay to confirm the catch, Francois du Plessis arrives at the crease and gets an awkward lifter from Richardson, who appears to be bowling a different kind of cutter nearly every ball and bowling them reasonably well.

He also squares up du Plessis but the leading edge sprays through cover for two to get the batsman off the mark. That was a terrific over of variation and experimentation from Richardson.

10.22pm AEST13:22

WICKET! Amla c Smith b Richardson 24 - South Africa 44-1 (de Kock 18)

Amla is gone! Having spooked him slightly with a a sharp leg-cutter, Richardson bangs one in outside off stump and Amla cuts it hard and low to Steve Smith at point. The Aussie makes no mistake with the catch but the umpires want to make sure it carried. It did! Australia has the wicket they desperately needed.

10.18pm AEST13:18

7th over - South Africa 44-0 (de Kock 18, Amla 24)

Starc is back now for another go and he does a little better, drawing Amla forward and into a false stroke from his first ball and then almost squaring him up. He finishes with an accurate yorker to de Kock and Bailey should be relieved that at least one of his bowlers looks capable of sticking to the plan.

10.13pm AEST13:13

6th over - South Africa 41-0 (de Kock 17, Amla 22)

Richardson continues and de Kock strokes him elegantly through cover for three, after which Amla eases another two through the leg side. They look like they’re playing a gentle game of beach cricket right now, so lacking is any kind of pressure from the bowlers. This batting pair are really not even having to unduly impose themselves on the game.

It would be an understatement to say that Australia needs a circuit-breaking wicket.

10.09pm AEST13:09

5th over - South Africa 35-0 (de Kock 14, Amla 19)

Johnson continues to Amla and again his length is slightly off, so the upright and orthodox batsman smashes him straight for another boundary and then lets a wide fly down the leg side. The Proteas are going at 7 an over now and the Aussie bowlers have been underwhelming. Is it too early for spin? Oh hang on...

10.04pm AEST13:04

4th over - South Africa 29-0 (de Kock 13, Amla 15)

Well I spoke too soon on Starc getting another over to get it right; he’s immediately banished from the attack and now it’s Kane Richardson’s turn. Like Our Wayne he’s got the Pitchfork blogger beard and like Our Wayne he’s immediately thumped for a boundary.

Richardson’s unlucky as well though, because his next delivery to Amla takes the outside edge and falls just short of Brad Haddin before skipping away to the boundary. He also goes past the edge from his final delivery, one at which Amla wafted in most uncharacteristic fashion. There are plenty of runs out here for him if he reigns in loose strokes.

9.59pm AEST12:59

3rd over - South Africa 21-0 (de Kock 13, Amla 7)

Now it’s Johnson’s turn to give the South Africans some width and having seen enough now, Amla savagely cuts him behind point for a majestic boundary. That was just smoked to the fence with both timing and power. Johnson tightens up a little but his final delivery is tucked around the corner for three down to fine leg. This is a bright start for the Proteas.

9.55pm AEST12:55

2nd over - South Africa 14-0 (de Kock 13, Amla 0)

Mitchell Starc partners Johnson and though his first ball shapes away from de Kock it’s short and a little wide, allowing the diminutive Protea to punch it off the back foot for a boundary to deep extra cover. The bowler over-corrects a few balls later and de Kock whips him through mid-wicket for two more and then watches a wide sail down the leg side.

After two more, de Kock creams a cover drive to the boundary to finish off what was an asbolute Parnell of an over from Starc. Thirteen runs come from it and Bailey has an early issue to deal with if Starc can’t get it right in his next over.

9.50pm AEST12:50

1st over - South Africa 1-0 (de Kock 1, Amla 0)

Johnson steams in from the clubhouse end and starts by jamming a yorker towards the toes of Quinton de Kock, who’ll be hoping for a better showing with the bat than he managed with the gloves.

Once he’s off the mark, Amla has four sighters from Johnson and starts in subdued and watchful fashion.

9.45pm AEST12:45

Testosterone surges and fast bowler-batsmen

“re. Mitch six-hitting splurge. Where do you stand on the penalties or benefits of letting th oppo opening bowlers swipe a few runs at the end?” asks Robert Wilson.

“Does it reduce their venom in a glow of unexpected achievement or do they get generalised testosterone surges right up their noses? It depends whether you subscribe to the Devon Malcolm or Malcolm Marshall school of thought. Memorably a bad idea to upset Devon but when Marshall scored a fifty, opposition batsmen would lie down in a darkened room and jut sob.”

I think it depends on the bowler. The fitter they are, the better the ego boost of an unexpected batting triumph. A bowler like Shaun Tait, for instance, would be spent from more than half an hour of batting and probably fall in a heap after 3 overs (yes, I know he’d do that regardless). For someone like Mitch though? I think he loves it.

Meanwhile, he’s marking out his run now so let’s get back into it.

9.26pm AEST12:26

Is 327 enough?

The Aussies should be pleased with that effort after a couple of mid-innings stumbles and their total is an imposing one, but de Villiers and Amla could just as likely knock off these runs themselves so we might be in for an epic chase.

Bearing in mind that I’ll be motoring through the second 50 overs as well, I’m sure you’ll excuse me a quick refreshment break during this changeover period.

Back in a sec.

9.23pm AEST12:23

50th over - Australia 327-7 (Faulkner 10, Johnson 23)

Parnell is back! The battlers have been heard and our dodgy-haired King is back in the thick of the action. He starts with a tragi-comic half tracker, which Johnson duly cross-bats over the boundary rope at deep mid-wicket. This is deliciously predictable stuff and I love you for making it hapen, AB de Villiers!

From there he concedes two singles but then Johnson takes to another shabby slot-ball and clubs it over the fence for six before lobbing two more off the next delivery. Parnell’s final delivery is straight and full and Johnson creams it six inches wide of the bowler’s end stumps for a boundary.

Parnell has conceded 20 runs from the final over and I for one greatly enjoyed the entirely predictable calamity of that South African finish.

Updated at 9.45pm AEST

9.17pm AEST12:17

49th over - Australia 307-7 (Faulkner 9, Johnson 4)

Mitchell Johnson arrives at the crease now and he’ll be hoping to add to that batting highlight reel from the Zimbabwe clash, when he sent one crashing though the window of the commentary area. Standing in his and Faulkner’s way is Dale Steyn, who succeeds at death bowling where McLaren had mostly failed the over prior.

With one over remaining and despite the semi-regular momentum-killer of wickets, Australia are on track for 315-320. It’s a beautiful day but that will still take some getting.

9.11pm AEST12:11

WICKET! Smith b McLaren 31 - Australia 301-7 after 48 overs (Faulkner 7)

Boo! AB de Villiers keeps hings conservative and brings back Ryan McLaren, who has two overs up his sleeve and has bowled with far better control than Parnell today.

Well, I say that but then he produces a massive wide to gift the Aussies a run and an extra delivery fron which to clear the front foot and swing. Smith does just that from the next delivery, cross-batting a wide full toss for a boundary through cover and then replicating the exact same stroke from the next ball. Maybe de Villiers should have gone with Parnell after all...

He definitely should have. McLaren bangs the next one in short and Smith can’t belive his lucky, slapping it over cover for a third successive boundary and then scampering through for two more to bring up Australia’s 300.

Off the final delivery, McLaren finally gets it right with a straight one, bowling Smith neck and crop and putting to an end his own brief period of bowling hell.

9.05pm AEST12:05

47th over - Australia 284-6 (Smith 15, Faulkner 7)

Steyn continues as the threat of an expensive over or two from Parnell looms. Will AB de Villiers risk him? My guess would be no but it would be a win for cricket comedy if he threw him the ball.

Steyn does nothing wrong except maybe set his third man too wide, because Faulkner slashes him through gully for three and then Smith gets four through the empty slip region, turning a potentially frugal over into a good one for the Aussies.

8.59pm AEST11:59

46th over - Australia 275-6 (Smith 9, Faulkner 4)

Smith squirrels another single off Tahir and is looking his normal busy self but the Aussies are getting a little desperate for boundaries at this point. They’ll be glad to see the back of Tahir, who finishes his 10th and final over with 2-45.

8.55pm AEST11:55

45th over - Australia 270-6 (Smith 7, Faulkner 1)

James Faulkner is the new man for the Aussies and as we found out in memorable style during that last Australian ODI tour of India, the burly Tasmanian can give them some serious licks. He gets off the mark with a single and Smith pinches another to keep the strike.

8.53pm AEST11:53

WICKET! Haddin c Amla b Steyn 9 - Australia 268-6 (Smith 6)

Steyn finally gets some luck, just when it appeared to have desserted him. Following on from a rare AB de Villiers mis-field that resulted in three to Smith, the bowler draws an expansive drive from Haddin but the Aussie can only feather an edge to Amla at first slip.

8.50pm AEST11:50

44th over - Australia 265-5 (Smith 3, Haddin 9)

Haddin has picked up exactly where he left off on Monday and slog-sweeps Tahir for a majestic six over deep mid-wicket to get off the mark and then squeezing out a single. He has a little more trouble with Tahir’s wrong ‘un, which is a beauty again. It’s deliveries like that from Tahir that make you wonder how he hasn’t become a star.*

*Please do not store up that statement and use it against me in a week’s time.

8.47pm AEST11:47

43rd over - Australia 255-5 (Smith 3, Haddin 0)

Brad Haddin enters the fray for Australia and they need him to establish his authority quickly with only 7 overs remaining.

“You should be grateful for the “Crazy Frog”! 2003 was also the year of Guy Sebastian’s “ANGELS BROUGHT ME HERE”. I think the frog was marginally less grating,” says Wayne Allen.

8.44pm AEST11:44

Wicket! Maxwell c de Villiers b Morkel 7 - Australia 253-5 (Smith 2)

Quinton de Kock has had another shocker, this time standing in front of the stumps as a throw came in from the deep and thus in no position to take the bails ahead of a lunging Glenn Maxwell. Perhaps we’re now seeing why the Proteas have been reluctant to install him as their go-to Test keeper. He’s looked like a schoolboy at times today. That’s harsh but I also think it’s fair. He’s shaking his own head in disappointment.

The man he replaced has less trouble holding onto the ball when Glenn Maxwell slogs wildly and skies it to mid-on. It’s disappointing that Maxwell couldn’t hang around for a final tilt in the last 5 overs, but he’s an all or nothing player so you can’t really complain about his approach there.

8.39pm AEST11:39

42nd over: Australia 249-4 (Maxwell 5, Smith 2)

That Bailey decision was a howler, in fact. The ball had clearly passed his bat before the sound came but in lieu of any technological assistance, we have to go with the umpire’s call so Steve Smith is out there to join Maxwell.

“I feel like Finch is deserving of a better nickname than ‘Finchy’,” says Rudi Edsall, who is clearly not a fan of The Office. “I submit ‘Kelvinator’ cause he’s built like a fridge!” Well, Dave Warner is calling him ‘The Grinch’, further confirming my theory that Australians are generally pretty lame in the nickname-generation stakes.

8.35pm AEST11:35

WICKET! Bailey c de Kock b Morkel 66 - Australia 242-4 (Maxwell 0) - 41st over ends

Australia scored 143 off their last 10 overs against Zimbabwe but they might find the going a little tougher this time around, even with Maxwell and Bailey at the crease. South Africa miss a trick when Bailey skies one to the on-side and a mis-communication between de Villiers and McLaren ends with the ball plugging safely into the outfield turf.

Even worse is that after the resultant two runs, Bailey then swings around on the back foot and deposits Morkel over the fence at deep backward square leg.

Luck arrives for the Proteas when Morkel squares the Aussie skipper up and he’s given out caught behind, rather emphatically by Umpire Tiffin given the fact that it brushed his pocket. Well that changes things slightly. The Aussies have two new batsmen at the crease now and they need to get going quickly to lift this total beyond 300.

8.29pm AEST11:29

40th over: Australia 234-3 (Bailey 58, Maxwell 0)

One of the great things about cricket matches at sparsely-populated African grounds is the pop-cultural time-warp that is the DJ sets. Finch’s demise then was rather bizarrely sound-tracked by the Crazy Frog song. Hello 2003, glad you stopped by.

8.25pm AEST11:25

WICKET! Finch c Duminy b McLaren 102 - Australia 229-3 (Bailey 54)

Maxwell will get his chance after, because a tired-looking Finch has tried to hit one out of the surrounding suburb but instead skies a top edge to deep mid-wicket and departs for a most excellent century.

8.23pm AEST11:23

39th over: Australia 229-2 (Finch 102, Bailey 54)

AB de Villiers has seen enough of Parnell again so asks him to cool his jets while Morkel has another go. Bowling changes don’t seem to matter to Bailey at this point and he gives Morkel the full face of his Gray Nicolls to thump one over mid-off and bring up his half-century from 46 deliveries. This Australian pair is coasting along at a very comfortable rate and Glenn Maxwell also looks eager to get out there and take this Proteas attack to task.

Well played the grinch @AaronFinch5 very mature innings. Now we will see fireworks, lookout commentators that window may get broken again.

Updated at 8.23pm AEST

8.18pm AEST11:18

38th over: Australia 216-2 (Finch 100, Bailey 45)

Duminy continues for another over, which suits Aaron FInch just fine because he’s able to sweep him for four and then force a single to mid-on to bring up a mature and composed century. What an impressive international career he’s carving out now.

It’s his fourth hundred in just his 25th one-day game for his country, which is a very good strike rate for a player once considered to be unreliable. This one came off 111 balls, his slowest so far but also a vital innings to set a foundation for this Australian total.

8.13pm AEST11:13

37th over: Australia 207-2 (Finch 93, Bailey 42)

Parnell returns with another bag of all sorts, but limits the damage to singles, which is a pretty good result at this stage.

Robert Wilson is also back with French wicket-keeping suggestions. “Jeffrey Dujon, natch. And apparently there was a guy called Clermonte Depeiaza. If only Bravo had kept wicket, he’d have been perfect. Looking at it in another way, who would be the most wicketkeeping Frenchman? Everyone is going to go for Napoleon because he was a titch (and a notorious sledger) but it’s just gotta be Valéry Giscard d’Estaing. If only for the name.”

I feel like Tintin would have been a sneakily-prolific sledger as well, but he’s Belgian, isn’t he? Anyone who is familiar with his adventures in Africa would also be willing to bet that there’d be some ICC code of conduct breaches along the way as well.

8.07pm AEST11:07

36th over: Australia 201-2 (Finch 91, Bailey 40)

Duminy is back into the attack and Finch is looking to better Bailey’s six-hitting exploits from the over prior when he boofs one straight down the ground, sending some of the locals scrambling for safety.

“...and if you call this number now, you can grab yourself a limited edition print, which is just $500 unframed.”

Happy Birthday Sir Donald Bradman! #Cricket #WWOS pic.twitter.com/YkcPEnni8z

8.02pm AEST11:02

35th over: Australia 190-2 (Finch 81, Bailey 39)

Wayne Parnell is back and having walked into the house and taken one look at his hair, my fiance has screwed up her face and turned away from the screen. He’s copping it from all angles today. The crowd are so uninspired that they’re playing a huge game of “head and shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes.” Bailey adds “hips” to the equation when he glances a short Parnell ball from that region for another boundary and then flat-batting him over mid-on for a six.

Fourteen have come from the over and players stop for a drink. It’s an appropriate time to prognosticate further on Australia’s total, too, Six an over from here gets them 280, 8 an over gets them 310.

7.56pm AEST10:56

34th over: Australia 176-2 (Finch 80, Bailey 27)

Again McLaren is wearing a slightly put-upon expression as Bailey attacks him, though this time he’s at least drawn a false stroke when the Aussie slogs wildly over cover for two. I think Bailey’s streak innings has gotten under the skin of the big Protea.

7.53pm AEST10:53

33rd over: Australia 169-2 (Finch 78, Bailey 22)

There’s a subtle gust of wind in the Australian sail now and it might actually have come from the mouth of the huffing and puffing Dale Steyn, whose either being milked for singles or bowling wides in this over, which ends with Finch cutting him fora disdainful four.

To start the ‘French’ wicket-keepers discussion, Jack Russell’s painterly inclinations and dodgy facial hair surely make him a candidate, right?

“If I’d been really on my game I would have said ‘Bruce French, non?’ Je suis très désole,” adds Jack Fray. Richard Woods has the same suggestion. My you’re a clever lot today, aren’t you?

7.48pm AEST10:48

32nd over: Australia 162-2 (Finch 73, Bailey 21)

AB de Villiers continues to shun Parnell and this time throws the ball to McLaren, which is probably sound logic at this point, though the prospect of Glenn Maxwell arriving at the crease and taking to the left-armer always remains.

McLaren is unlucky when he draws an edge from Finch but it flies high and wide of of the un-populated slip region for a boundary. Two balls later there can be no disputing the colossal heave from Bailey that sends McLaren’s final delivery over mid-off for four. Bailey is seeing them a lot better now, it would appear.

7.43pm AEST10:43

31st over: Australia 152-2 (Finch 68, Bailey 16)

That was an eventful signalling of the Powerplay, actually. Poor Wayne Parnell was all set to have another bowl but upon noticing that Bailey had made his move, Parnell was promptly banished and Dale Steyn handed the ball. Sorry Wayne, you and your top-knot cannot be trusted.

Neither can Steyn right now, mind you. He gets his lines and lengths all wrong to start, allowing to Finch to turn yet another short, straight able to the fine leg boundary off his hip. It’s signaled leg byes to the mild disappointment of the batsman.

“Absolutely knockout Benaud piece,” says Robert Wilson, who I assure you is a real person and not my Mum using a pseudonym. “There is a definite darkness/light struggle for Healy’s soul. Wicketkeepers are weird that way. They’re either Gollum or the permanent, changeable sidekick, slavish to whichever new quick is king. If the French played cricket, they’d all be wicketkeeepers. Apart from Sartre.”

Who is the most French wicket-keeper of all-time? I’m going to mull this one over and will take any suggestions from readers.

7.38pm AEST10:38

30th over: Australia 145-2 (Finch 67, Bailey 13)

Bailey is struggling with Tahir as badly as Hughes was, but after an ugly mis-hit from which he’s lucky to claim two, he finally strikes one cleanly with an expansive lofted drive to the extra cover boundary. Both batsmen are attacking the spinner now and in truth they must otherwise Tahir will grind them down too.

Pommie reckons that Tahir has “seldom disappointed” his skippers in national colours. That’s possibly overstating things a little, but he’s bowled well today. Going on the logic that your total at the 30 over mark should be doubled by the end of the innings, the Aussies are looking at 290. Not totally sure that’s enough but they do have wickets in hand as the second Powerplay is taken.

7.34pm AEST10:34

29th over: Australia 136-2 (Finch 66, Bailey 6)

Morkel continues, conceding singles to each batsman and keeping things tight without looking particularly threatening.

Could Phil Hughes be a 21st century Deano or is he, as I suspect, more of a semi-tragic Bevan figure?

I miss Phil Hughes already. #SAvAUS

7.30pm AEST10:30

28th over: Australia 133-2 (Finch 65, Bailey 4)

What’s that I was saying about the Australian’s getting after Tahir? It’s a little hard when he bowls as beautifully as his first ball of the over, a superb wrong ‘un that might also have undone today’s birthday boy, The Don himself. Bailey’s lucky that it passes his stumps by millimetres and Finch equally so a ball later when he would have been metres short if de Villiers had hit the stumps with an underarm throw at short cover.

Quinton de Kock actually might have taken the stumps properly, too. Finch still might have been out if the keeper had gathered it and taken the stumps. It’s been a bad 20 minute period for the latter.

7.26pm AEST10:26

27th over: Australia 132-2 (Finch 65, Bailey 3)

Morkel’s next over starts with some eye-catching, though ultimately fruitless fielding from de Villiers, who dives acrobatically to cut off two but loses grip of the ball just as he was about to launch his throw. Finch gets his two, then four more to fine leg when he swings another short one around the corner.

7.23pm AEST10:23

26th over: Australia 124-2 (Finch 58, Bailey 2)

Quinton de Kock is having a far worse couple of minutes than even the most accident-prone nihilist, copping a sharply-spinning Tahir delivery in the throat this time. Tahir has 2-21 from his six overs and has really turned this game around for his side. The Aussies will be looking at 270 if they can’t get his last four overs away for a few more.

7.20pm AEST10:20

25th over: Australia 122-2 (Finch 57, Bailey 1)

Morne Morkel is back to replace Steyn and immediately draws an edge from a prodding Finch, but keeper Quinton de Kock can’t reach it so it flies away to the boundary. There’s further drama a ball later when Morkel cuts Finch in half and the Proteas appeal for caught behind when it merely brushed the batsman’s shirt.

Packing as much into the over as possible, Morkel concedes a free hit off his next ball after he oversteps, but Bailey can only manage an ugly single slogged through the on side.

Ravi Nair is back. “Just so you know - it’s Dan Harris doing the England-India OBO, so we’re going to get a faceful of nihilistic philosophy as well!” I fear I shall only be offering you the selected philosophical ramblings of Pommie Mbangwa. He’s no Bertrand Russell, I’ll admit.

7.15pm AEST10:15

24th over: Australia 115-2 (Finch 52, Bailey 0)

Australia’s fill-in skipper George Bailey arrives at the crease with his side reasonably well placed but he’ll be conscious of the need to increase the scoring rate heading towards the second PowerPlay. The Aussies will bat deep but they need to get a move on.

7.13pm AEST10:13

WICKET! M Marsh lbw Tahir - 5 (Australia 115-2, Finch 52)

Finch has been content to sweat on a loose ball from Tahir and in the first ball of this over he gets a short one he’s able to cut late and aggressively for a boundary and bring up his fifty, then he misses out on a duplicate result from the next delivery when he picks out the point fieldsman.

A ball later Tahir slides one towards leg stump and catches Marsh in no man’s land, so he’s adjudged LBW for 5 and the Proteas have another breakthrough.

7.10pm AEST10:10

23rd over: Australia 110-1 (Finch 47, Marsh 5)

Barry Richards thinks that Dale Steyn is “fresh and raring to go” but he’s been a little lacking in zip so far today and doesn’t look all that happy about his lot. Both Finch and Marsh have been untroubled by him in this over, chipping singles and twos with ease.

7.07pm AEST10:07

22nd over: Australia 105-1 (Finch 43, Marsh 4)

From what we’ve seen so far, what do we consider a winning total here? I’d be leaning towards something around the 300 mark, depending on how strongly Australia finish. What they’ll need to do from here is lift the run rate significantly because the introduction of Tahir, tidy again in this over, was the start of a tightening of the screws.

7.03pm AEST10:03

21st over: Australia 101-1 (Finch 41, Marsh 2)

With the Proteas on top now, Steyn is reintroduced to the attack to wind up and have a go at the 22-year-old Marsh. First he has to contend with Aaron Finch, who tucks a short one hurriedly around the corner for two runs to fine leg and then brings up Australia’s century with a single to deep mid-wicket.

The Aussies’ first 50 came off 48 balls but the second has taken 79, which is a pretty decent summary of the way the Proteas are turning this around a little in a run rate sense. They’s still like a few more breakthroughs before Australia launch from the 30-35 over mark though.

6.58pm AEST09:58

20th over: Australia 97-1 (Finch 37, Marsh 1)

Duminy continues, handing Finch a single and giving us our first decent look at Mitch Marsh today. He was impressive once he got going against the Zimbabweans on Monday but like then, he’s watchful to start his innings here and sees off the Duminy over in circumspect fashion.

6.56pm AEST09:56

19th over: Australia 96-1 (Finch 37, Marsh 1)

New man Mitchell Marsh gets a single from his first ball and then Tahir finally strays short and wide from the final delivery of the over, allowing Finch to cut late for three. It’s been a terrific 10-minute patch for the Proteas - exactly the start to this session that they needed.

6.53pm AEST09:53

WICKET! Hughes c de Villiers b Tahir 51 (Aus 92-1)

What was I saying about Hughes looking edgy? After a short period of the South Africans applying the clamps he’s lost patience and slapped one straight at the Proteas skipper off Tahir’s bowling. A big tactical win, that.

6.51pm AEST09:51

18th over: Australia 92-0 (Hughes 51, Finch 34)

Now it’s JP Duminy’s turn to roll his arm over with those off-spinners we saw in seemingly unlimited supply during that Test series five months back. He’s getting a little bit of drift but mainly because he’s over-pitching.

Overall though it’s a good call by de Villiers because Hughes loves pace on the ball and even against a back-up spinner like Duminy he looks a little edgy.

6.48pm AEST09:48

17th over: Australia 90-0 (Hughes 50, Finch 33)

There were lots of determined stares within the Proteas huddle at the break and hopefully for their sake they’ve gathered themselves and plotted out a a resurrection in the new session.

Tahir continues reasonable success, drawing a false sweep from Hughes that results in a spirited but unsuccessful LBW shout, after which the batsman squirrels a single to move to a well-compiled half-century. It’s contained 8 fours in all different directions and the much-discussed Aussie looks determined to make a decent fist of this chance to impress.

6.42pm AEST09:42

16th over: Australia 86-0 (Hughes 49, Finch 31)

McLaren continues, conceding only a streaky single to Finch to take us through to drinks. Proving that I have no grasp on the ICC rankings system, Fox flash up a stat revealing that he’s currently the 6th best ranked ODI bowler in the world. Really?

Meanwhile, Dean Jones is getting into the spirit of #ShirtTalk

Go Hugo! #austvsa and by god we look better in Canary Yellow!

6.38pm AEST09:38

15th over: Australia 86-0 (Hughes 49, Finch 30)

AB de Villiers is now looking for new methods of stemming the steady flow of runs so throws the ball to leg-spinner Imran Tahir. After conceding a pair of singles he draws a false stroke from Finch when the Aussie doesn’t quite get a hold of an ambitious sweep. It’s a tidy start for Tahir and South Africa might need 9 more overs from him like that one because they’re bleeding runs elsewhere and not particularly looking like breaking through either.

6.34pm AEST09:34

14th over: Australia 83-0 (Hughes 48, Finch 28)

Hughes can’t be kept down for long and has far less difficulty latching onto a slightly short one from McLaren, slicing it fine through gully for another boundary and then bunting a single.

“Thanks for the link to those 1992 shirts,” says Ravi Nair. “As I see it, the problem is Imran makes anything look cool, even that pistachio green, whereas Gooch makes anything look slobby, even the otherwise nice sky blue for England.”

My fiance said much the same thing about slobbishness when I wore my West Indies one to a a social event that apparently required something dressier than a 22-year-old souvenir cricket shirt. Pretty harsh if you ask me. What she doesn’t realise is that I paid for more for it than I would have for 2-3 nice shirts. I hope she’s not reading this.

6.30pm AEST09:30

13th over: Australia 77-0 (Hughes 43, Finch 27)

Morne Morkel has had enough of this Australian ascendancy and sends a quite frightening lifter down at Hughes. It jams into the raised hands of the batsman, causing him to duck and grimace. He rather spoils the beautiful brutality of the ball by staring at the pitch in puzzlement rather than bearing down on Hughes as though it was all his own doing as a bowling god.

I love this rivalry.

6.26pm AEST09:26

12th over: Australia 71-0 (Hughes 41, Finch 24)

Phil Hughes is in the mood, this time driving McLaren past the central umpire for a boundary after closing the face on another ungainly but effective drive. A ball later he hooks in uncontrolled fashion but though he skied it, it doesn’t carry to deep square leg.

“Portello is a solid choice,” says Rohan Phelps, but I feel a sledgehammer blow to his credibility coming... “However, what are your thoughts on Kirks Pasito? In the cricket season, after a day in the field, I’m yet to find better.”

Look Rohan, I just don’t think that Pasito measures up to the dearly departed Tarax Sunshine Pine. Sorry mate, I just can’t feign enthusiasm for an inferior pineapple soft drink. Pasito is better than Passiona, but that’s like saying Schweppes Cola is better than LA Ice.

Updated at 6.26pm AEST

6.22pm AEST09:22

10th over: Australia 65-0 (Hughes 36, Finch 23)

Anthony Reynolds knows the way to my heart is through some #ShirtTalk and he’s talking one of my all-time favourites, so I’ll just throw it over to him.

“Found out today that CWC 2015 ( whoever they are) are selling 1992 throw back WC shirt replicas (no doubt with a hefty markup).” he says. “Confirms though that these shirts - definitely from Aus perspective - are easily the best WC shirt designs (coloured at least), followed by 2007 WC design and then distance to the next. Particularly enjoy the uniformity in design for all the respective nations - Zimbabwe and India’s shirts are particularly good.”

The 1992 World Cup shirts are most certainly the greatest ever. I still have my West Indies, Pakistan and England ones and am willing to let go of vast quantities of cash/blood/organs to obtain any others, dear OBOers.

Three runs come in Morkel’s over but I am too distracted googling 1992 World Cup shirts. Glorious stuff.

6.18pm AEST09:18

10th over: Australia 62-0 (Hughes 36, Finch 23)

Ryan McLaren comes on for his first spell of the day but aborts his first delivery when he loses his run-up. Maybe that would have been a better approach for Wayne Parnell. Hughes clearly doesn’t rate him either because soon he’s advancing down the crease at him to upset his rhythm. A ball later McLaren overpitches, allowing Hughes to punch him through extra cover for a boundary, so maybe that tactic was a sound one.

John McEnerney writes in and he thinks the Aussies have found some mojo via Finch. “Hi Russell, great to see a player like Finch slapping the ball around the place, big & full of confidence, something the Aussies have that other top nations in cricket are missing is the swagger & self belief!”

With the powerplay now complete, Australia have all their wickets intact and look very comfortable with being sent in to bat.

6.13pm AEST09:13

9th over: Australia 56-0 (Hughes 31, Finch 22)

SOUTH AFRICA BEAT THE BAT!!!

Morne Morkel has actually managed to provide Finch with a moment of discomfort here, squaring him up with an absolute jaffa that flies past the outside edge.

“And also,” asks Ravi Nair, “since you presumably have inside information, any idea who will be doing the England-India OBO today? Guessing you won’t be attempting to multi-task?” I think Vish might be doing it, Ravi, I’ll check. I can’t even type and drink Portello at the same time, managing two blogs would be the end of me.

6.08pm AEST09:08

8th over: Australia 54-0 (Hughes 30, Finch 21)

Parnell continues with his mixed bag of varying line and length. A short one allows Phil Hughes to bend slightly on one knee and slash him through backward point like he’s unleashing the final winning flourish of a fencing match-up. Actually, that could be a sporting career change for him is CA tip him over the edge.

Another full one is slammed through cover for four more and Hughes is up and running.

Ravi Nair, a long-time friend of the OBO, also writes in. “Good to know you’ll be doing the whole OBO. More time to have a go at Pommie. More interestingly, since I presume you followed the India in England Test series with bated breath, what do you make of the Jimmy Anderson verbals/aggression shenanigans when set against de Villiers’ presser in which he seemed to take it as par for the course? (I’m secretly trying to get you to say something derogatory about Indian cricket or the BCCI so your inbox will get flooded with outrage!”

I love all sledging, Ravi. It’s an appalling character trait but I’m just being honest here.

6.04pm AEST09:04

7th over: Australia 44-0 (Hughes 20, Finch 21)

AB de Villiers doesn’t like what he’s seeing here so makes an immediate change, giving Steyn a spell on the boundary and calling Morne Morkel’s name. The latter slips as he bowls his first delivery and it’s a rank short ball from which Finch fails to breach the one metre zone either side of point that he needed to hit it.

Two balls later he over-pitches onto the pads of the well-upholstered Victorian and gets slammed for a boundary over mid-wicket and the next one is also dispatched for four more through cover. Finch’s teammates are looking on pensively from the players viewing area but will be pretty happy with this positive start.

“Hey Russell, just wanted to add that the pressure on Hughes in this game is immense,” says Matt Clark. “I really want him to do well here but even more so for the Aussie selectors to put some trust in him regardless.” The words “trust” and “Phil Hughes” rarely go together down at CA headquarters, I fear. The first line of his bio on the CA website contains the word “polarizing”, which seems uncomfortably symbolic.

5.54pm AEST08:54

5th over: Australia 27-0 (Hughes 16, Finch 10)

Aaron Finch, my current favourite blatantly unfit cricketer, is seeing them pretty damned well at the moment. He really should have capitalised on his start against Zimbabwe and he’s even pushing quick singles here, bunting one towards Morne Morkel at mid-on and taking off. He makes his ground and the newly-beared Dale Steyn is absolutely furious. So nothing’s changed there.

Hughes flirts with danger when bobs up off his hip to finish the over, but it doesn’t carry to the keeper.

5.49pm AEST08:49

4th over: Australia 22-0 (Hughes 15, Finch 7)

“If you’re going to have a sponsor for the OBO, it surely should be that Relentless energy drink as a nod to the Godfather Rob Smyth surely?” says Rudi Edsall. God I miss him. I wish I was taking the shine off the ball for the Godfather but I’m just going to have to soldier on like post 06-07 Australian spinners. I’m Stuart McGills dodgy hand/knee/shoulder. I’m Brad Hogg’s wagging tongue. I’m lost without you Smyth, come back!

Back at Harare, Parnell has found a much better range in his second over than in his first, which is damning it with faint praise I suppose. Only two singles come but he’s hitting ‘better areas’, as the slips cordon might say.

5.45pm AEST08:45

3rd over: Australia 20-0 (Hughes 14, Finch 6)

Our first email of the Australian season! Geoff Foley asks, “Rusty, what does Hughesy have to do to avoid being dropped if they lose today? 170 not out and three catches? Or is it inevitable regardless?”

INEVITABLE. So so inevitable, Geoff.

Steyn’s over is tidy, costing only a single and containing a muted LBW appeal against Finch.

5.41pm AEST08:41

2nd over: Australia 19-0 (Hughes 13, Finch 6)

Parnell partners Steyn to start with but overpitches towards Hughes’ pads to start with and gets turned away for two. He tends to be quite expensive, Parnell, and his first couple of balls are a pretty good summary of why. The second is almost comically short, so bad that Finch doesn’t even reach it.

Then he’s full twice more and the second of them is a full toss that Hughes whips off his pads with glee and watches the ball race away to the mid-wicket boundary. Parnell’s over went for a run less than Steyn’s but it was absolute filth to start with. The only way is up from that display.

Speaking of which, did I tell you all that I’ll be OBOing this entire game? I don’t know why I signed up for this but view this as a warning of sorts.

5.37pm AEST08:37

1st over: Australia 10-0 (Hughes 5, Finch 5)

Dale Steyn takes the new ball for the Proteas in front of a fairly sparsely populated stand and immediately draws an edge from Finch’s driving blade, but it streaks away safely to third man to get the Victorian off the mark.

Phil Hughes starts with a characteristic lack of flair, jumping around in a panic to defend off his hip and then striding forward to defend in awkward fashion. He’s far better in launching Steyn’s first ball over square leg for a boundary after the pacemen jammed it in too short. Steyn’s got plenty of that strange colourful tape down his arm like tennis players and sprinters wear. I’m just going to have to pretend I know what it does.

Aaron Finch isn’t pretending and drives the last ball of the over dead straight and along the turf past the umpire for four. That’s a great start for the Aussie pair. Where are those pitch gremlins the Proteas were hoping for?

5.31pm AEST08:31

And Pommie is right on the mark to start

“George Bailer” will skipper the Aussies, apparently. On Monday he claimed that Mitch Marsh was out of form with the bat, which came as surprising news to anyone who watched him blast 190-odd against India A a few weeks back.

Phil Hughes and Aaron Finch are now out in the middle and ready to face up. Let’s do this.

5.28pm AEST08:28

Some pitch and team news

This Harare pitch is reportedly a little soft and also green, hence the Proteas’ call to bowl first. Why not when you’re welcoming back Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel?

That final Aussie line-up: Aaron Finch, Phil Hughes, Mitchell Marsh, George Bailey (captain), Glenn Maxwell, Steve Smith, Brad Haddin, James Faulkner, Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Starc, Kane Richardson.

The Proteas: H Amla, Q. de Kock, F. du Plessis, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, D Miller, R McLaren, W Parnell, D Steyn, M Morkel, I Tahir.

And even better, I now have visibility and can confirm that this match actually is taking place.

5.16pm AEST08:16

South Africa win the toss

And they’ve elected to bowl, according to Cricket Australia, who I’m just going to have to believe because Fox Sports are sticking with a replay of some bloke named Gallacher making a bogey putt.

Why is this happening? Anyone?

5.14pm AEST08:14

Australian team news

Nathan Lyon is the man who makes way for the maligned Phil Hughes. The latter will open the Australian innings with Aaron Finch and Brad Haddin will slip down the order to number seven. I suppose that means we’ll still see Mitch Marsh at number three, though he’ll have a tougher time of it against the Proteas than he did on Monday.

5.11pm AEST08:11

A brief update on the day in cricket

In their infinite wisdom the good people at Fox Sports have decided that what I need right now is not a pre-match show and some team line-up news, but “Golfing World: Episode 158.” Their promise that “this programme will keep you informed and entertained” seems a little hollow so instead of making fun of Pommie Mbangwa like I should be, I can only offer you these morsels:

5.02pm AEST08:02

Shots fired!

“They can’t expect us to be mates with the off the field if things get personal.”

With that response to a series of questions relating to the sledging in their last meetings five months back, South African ODI captain A.B. de Villiers sounded a warning that the Proteas will take anything the Aussies dish up tonight.

“Now we move on though and it’s a new series,” he added in a less convincing attempt to redirect conversation. They really don’t like each other too much, these two sides. Their captain says he likes a bit of chirp but clearly a few of his teammates don’t.

Welcome to the first Guardian OBO for this tri-series in Zimbabwe. I don’t know about you but I’m quite excited about tonight’s clash. With no disrespect to the host nation, who Australia walloped on Monday night, this feels like the beginning of Australia’s intriguing next 12-month period of cricket. That period takes in this series, Tests and ODIs against Pakistan in the UAE, a home series against India (who else?) and the Cricket World Cup, among others.

In regards to the latter, the Aussies have barely a dozen games in which to refine and settle on their ideal team.

You can get me on russell.jackson@theguardian.com for all your comments, quips and slanderous accusations.

4.43pm AEST07:43

Russ will be here from around 5pm AEST/8am BST. In the meantime, good to see that Nathan Lyon is on familiar terms with Robert Mugabe:

Last time spinner Nathan Lyon toured Zimbabwe, he won a match for Australia A with a towering six and reckons he almost caused an international incident.

“I think Bobby Mugabe was under attack,” recalls Lyon, of the blow he struck off the second last ball of a game against South Africa A.

With no video footage available, we need to take the Test No11’s word for it that the walls of the presidential palace, which neighbours the Harare Sports Club, were under threat.

“It’s not on TV record, but you can ask a few of the guys - Mitch Starc was here, so were Mitch Marsh and Phil Hughes - ask them about it,” says Lyon.

“Second last ball of the game, three runs to win, it went the journey. It was probably about a 100-metre hit. Everyone was talking about how far Mitch hit his [into the commentary box window on Monday], but I hit mine 30 metres more.”