After being dismissed for under 200 in the first two games, Australia rebounded in style with Marsh and Head adding 250 runs for the opening wicket \u2013 marking the team\u2019s fifth highest ODI opening partnership.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Their 34-over assault, with Head making 142 and Marsh hitting exactly 100, left ample time for Green, who smashed a maiden ODI hundred off just 47 balls and the second-fastest century for Australia behind Glenn Maxwell.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Green finished unbeaten on 118 from 55 balls, as Australia finished on a towering 431\/2, their second-highest total in the format and the highest they have ever hit in a men\u2019s ODI at home. Alex Carey applied finishing touches to the innings with a brisk 37-ball half-century, while adding 164 runs for the third wicket with Green in just 13.3 overs, as Australia plundered 126 in the final 10 overs.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
It also marked only the second instance in men\u2019s ODI history of the top three batters from one side scored centuries in the same innings. South Africa\u2019s reply never gathered momentum in a mammoth chase of 432. Sean Abbott and Xavier Bartlett struck early in the powerplay to reduce the visitors to rubble, before Connolly ran through the middle and lower order to pick a career-best 5-22.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
As a result, the Proteas were bundled out for 155, suffering their heaviest ODI defeat as Australia wrapped up victory by 276 runs \u2014 their second-largest margin of win by runs in men\u2019s ODIs. Connolly, 22, has also become the youngest Australian bowler to take five wickets in an ODI and finishes with the best ever figures by an Australian spinner in men\u2019s ODIs.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Despite the emphatic win, the series went South Africa\u2019s way 2-1, marking the first time since 2018\/19 that Australia have lost back-to-back bilateral ODI series, following their 2-0 defeat to Sri Lanka earlier this year.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
As a result, the Proteas were bundled out for 155, suffering their heaviest ODI defeat as Australia wrapped up victory by 276 runs \u2014 their second-largest margin of win by runs in men\u2019s ODIs. Connolly, 22, has also become the youngest Australian bowler to take five wickets in an ODI and finishes with the best ever figures by an Australian spinner in men\u2019s ODIs.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Brief Scores: Australia 431\/2 (Travis Head 142, Cameron Green 118 not out; Keshav Maharaja 1-57, Senuran Muthusamy 1-75) beat South Africa 155 in 24.5 overs (Dewald Brevis 49, Tony de Zorzi 33; Cooper Connolly 5-22, Sean Abbott 2-27) by 276 runs<\/p>\r\n\r\n