Summary

  • Australia book World Cup final date against hosts India

  • Cummins and Starc see Australia to three-wicket victory

  • Regular wickets keep SA in contention on spinning wicket

  • Head (62) and Smith (30) top-score for Australia

  • South Africa bowled out for 212

  • Miller hits 115-ball century, bringing up hundred with a six

  • Klaasen (47) & Miller put on 95 for fifth wicket

  • South Africa slump to 24-4 under grey skies

  • Starc & Cummins take three wickets each

  1. SA 8-2published at 7 overs

    Eight runs in seven overs! What a start for Australia and it is a maiden for Mitchell Starc.

    He beats Rassie van der Dussen three times in the over, twice on the drive and then as the Proteas number three plays back to the last.

    Even when Van der Dussen does connect with a drive, there is no run as David Warner makes another diving stop in the covers.

  2. Postpublished at 09:00 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2023

    Steven Finn
    Former England bowler on BBC Test Match Special

    I'm biased as a former bowler but cricket like this is fascinating. Ball is dominating bat, we've only had eight runs in six overs.

    For me, this is a better contest than having a team 60-0 off six overs and just watching the ball flying everywhere.

  3. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 09:00 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2023

    #bbccricket, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (standard network charges apply)

    Australia’s bowling attack is relentless - as a kiwi fan I would have liked to see India v SA but that’s looking less and less likely at this point.

    Anon

  4. SA 8-2published at 6 overs

    A wicket maiden from Josh Hazlewood.

    He has been phenomenal so far. The South Africa batters have hardly been able to lay a bat on him and, the moment Quinton de Kock showed any sort of aggression, he was gone.

    Australia could scarcely have dreamt of a better start.

  5. Postpublished at 08:58 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2023

    Steven Finn
    Former England bowler on BBC Test Match Special

    You can tell how big a wicket that is because of the celebration from Cummins. It is the first real sign of aggression from Quinton de Kock.

    It was like time stood still when that ball went high, high into the air. It is a crucial breakthrough.

    It looks like the pressure is getting to South Africa.

  6. Postpublished at 08:58 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2023

    Geoff Lemon
    BBC Test Match Special commentator

    CumminsImage source, Reuters

    That is a huge breakthrough.

    Pat Cummins has made that catch look very straightforward when it was actually so hard to take a catch from that height under this murky sky.

  7. wicket

    WICKETpublished at 5.4 overs

    De Kock c Cummins b Hazlewood 3 (SA 8-2)

    Huge wicket!

    Slightly fuller ball from Josh Hazlewood, Quinton de Kock's eyes light up and he tries to launch it back over the bowler's head.

    The timing isn't quite there, though, and De Kock skies it. The ball hangs in the air for a long time but Pat Cummins back-peddles furiously to get underneath it and take a very tricky catch.

    The Aussies are ecstatic! They know how big that wicket is.

  8. SA 8-1published at 5 overs

    You've gone very early there, Lee! We've got another 45 overs left in this innings.

    South Africa are really being made to work hard, though.

    But Rassie van der Dussen shows signs that he might be starting to acclimatise to the conditions, drilling the ball into the covers, where David Warner makes a sharp stop.

    The right-hander does find the gap later in the over and gets two.

  9. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 08:52 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2023

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    Oh well that’s the India v Australia final sorted then!

    Lee, Camberley

  10. Postpublished at 08:50 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2023

    Steven Finn
    Former England bowler on BBC Test Match Special

    This is one of the only times I can remember in this tournament where the ball is really moving and zipping past the outside edge.

  11. SA 6-1published at 4 overs

    South Africa's strategy in this World Cup has been to bide their time and make sure they have wickets in hand to go into all-out attack mode late in the innings.

    That has meant some relatively steady starts but this is taking it to the extreme. They're being forced onto the defensive by the Australia bowlers.

    Josh Hazlewood gets through another superb over, snaking the ball past Rassie van der Dussen's edge as the batter played back.

  12. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 08:46 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2023

    #bbccricket

    LaLa: I think it's a bit silly of Temba Bavuma to insist on playing in a World Cup semi final when he knows he's not 100% match fit. That's just wrong and it may cost them dearly.

  13. SA 4-1published at 3 overs

    Just two runs off the bat in the first three overs but two extras make this is South Africa's most productive of the innings so far.

    A leg bye and a wide come from it after Mitchell Starc began the over with a swinging delivery that beat the drive of Quinton de Kock.

  14. Postpublished at 08:41 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2023

    Steven Finn
    Former England bowler on BBC Test Match Special

    There is definite movement out there for the seamers. That sliced Van der Dussen in half and it was not far away from off stump.

  15. SA 2-1published at 2 overs

    Brilliant delivery from Josh Hazlewood to end a superb over from the Australia fast bowler.

    It nips back sharply to beat Rassie van der Dussen on the inside edge and with plenty of bounce, too.

    South Africa look like they're going to have to soak up a bit of pressure early on in these muggy, cloudy conditions.

  16. Postpublished at 08:35 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2023

    Steven Finn
    Former England bowler on BBC Test Match Special

    Smart bowling from Starc, getting the ball full and allowing it to swing which is what he does best.

    It's quite damp out there and the moisture is going to help the seamers. It's just nibbled away slightly and Temba Bavuma was playing tentatively.

    The worst possible start for South Africa.

  17. Postpublished at 08:35 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2023

    Jonathan Agnew
    BBC cricket correspondent on Test Match Special

    He is not in form, he is not fit and the pressure on him was immense.

    It was in a good area, but that was the uncertain prod of a man out of form.

  18. wicket

    WICKETpublished at 1 over

    Bavuma c Inglis b Starc 0 (SA 1-1)

    Edged and gone!

    Temba Bavuma admitted he wasn't 100% fit, he hasn't looked comfortable in this first over and he nicks behind.

    It was a probing line from Mitchell Starc and nipped off the seam a tad but Bavuma played at it with no conviction.

    A regulation take for Josh Inglis behind the stumps.

  19. SA 1-0published at 0.2 overs

    South Africa are away second ball as Quinton de Kock times the ball nicely to square leg and, when the fielder doesn't gather it cleanly, the batters scamper through for a single.

    There is a bit of swing for Mitchell Starc, though.

  20. Postpublished at 08:31 Greenwich Mean Time 16 November 2023

    Jonathan Agnew
    BBC cricket correspondent on Test Match Special

    Quinton de Kock has had a terrific tournament. It will be interesting to see how Temba Bavuma goes at the other end because he has admitted that he isn't 100% fit.