Watch: Glenn Maxwell Clinches T20I Series Win For Australia With Ingenious Reverse Sweep vs South Africa
Hot favourites Australia won the first match but were stunned by a 52-run defeat in game two before moving to Cairns in northern Queensland, which hosted its first T20 international.
"It was a little nerve-racking," Maxwell said. "I tried to stay on strike as much as I could and cash in on anything loose."
Watch: Glenn Maxwell wins it for Australia in style
GLENN MAXWELL WINS IT ON THE SECOND LAST BALL! #AUSvSA pic.twitter.com/gvrzvyHnGc
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) August 16, 2025
Australia captain Mitchell Marsh elected to field in helpful conditions for seam bowlers, a contrast to the batting-friendly surfaces used in the opening two games in Darwin.
Veteran quick Josh Hazlewood rebounded from an errant performance in game two by dismissing captain Aiden Markram for one in the first over.
Lhuan-dre Pretorius hit a quick-fire 24 before falling to Ellis, bringing to the crease Dewald Brevis who smashed a South African T20 record of 125 not out in game two.
He crunched his sixth delivery onto the roof before a diving Maxwell dropped a tough one-handed chance at long-on.
Brevis motored to his half-century off 22 balls.
Maxwell, a brilliant fielder, redeemed himself in the 12th over with a superb diving catch in the outfield to halt Brevis' charge on 53.
South Africa's innings ran out of steam and their total appeared well short when Marsh dominated a 66-run opening partnership with Travis Head.
But South Africa hit back with the quick wickets of Head (19) and Josh Inglis for a first ball duck.
Marsh made 54 before holing out to 19-year-old quick Kwena Maphaka, who later in the 11th over dismissed Cameron Green (nine).
Australia's collapse of 6-56 was complete when in-form Tim David (17) and Aaron Hardie (one) were dismissed before Maxwell took over.
The Australian players wore black armbands in honour of former captain and coach Bob Simpson, who died at the age of 89.
The three-match One-Day International series between the teams starts in Cairns on Tuesday.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
5 minutes ago
- Indian Express
‘I wasn't a natural': How Rahul Dravid became one of cricket's greatest slip fielders with help from Bob Simpson
Former India captain Rahul Dravid had evolved from a wicket-keeper batter at the age-group level in Karnataka to an all-time great Test No. 3 for India. Even in India colours, Dravid had stepped up as the makeshift glovesman behind the stumps, but his legacy as one of the finest slip fielders in the game also remains firmly in place. Dravid held the world record for most Test catches for nearly 13 years since his retirement until England's Joe Root surpassed him during the recent Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. The legendary batter had once put down his snappy reflexes in the slips to a fruitful stint with legendary Australia cricketer and coach, Bob Simpson, who passed away aged 89 on Saturday. 'I wasn't a good enough bowler to be able to contribute with the ball. I tried my best. So I sort of figured out 'How do you contribute to the team? What do you do?'. I mean, sitting there as a batsman, what can I do really well, and one of the things was, if I catch well, it's a contribution. You feel you're involved, you're playing a part,' Dravid had once said on the Lessons Learnt with the Greats podcast. 'I had to work on it, I don't think I was as much a natural, but I had to practise a lot of slip catching, and one of the really good pieces of technical advice that I received early on was to ensure that the weight was on the balls of my feet and ensuring that my balance was really good as a fielder, and ensuring I got into a really good position.' Dravid recollected how a stint with Simpson between 1998-1999 helped him ace the slip fielder's technique and went on to break Mark Waugh's world record to become the first designated fielder to collect 200 Test catches. Simpson, who coached Australia to the 1987 World Cup title, joined the Indian national side on a consultant basis only two years after Dravid made his Test debut. 'I remember Bobby Simpson came and spent some time with the Indian team in 1998/99 and he took us through a lot of slip catching drills. And one of the things he stressed on a lot was having your feet bent a little bit so that you could get your weight into the balls of your feet. That was something I took to heart and practised a lot.' 'Even watching someone like Mark Waugh, the way he stood, in some ways I used to watch that. It was a really good Australian slip-catching unit: you had [Mark] Taylor, Waugh, they were really, really good, and you used to sort of watch them.' An out-and-out trier, Dravid had said that his 210 catches in 164 Tests was a product of diligence, exhorting that slip fielding was an art that got better with practice. 'Slip catching, a lot of it, is about practice – the more practice you can do, the variety of practice you can do – it's not mindlessly taking catches. I think catching [to] spinners was a very important thing for India, about a hundred of those catches are off two spinners – [Anil] Kumble and Harbhajan [Singh], I took about 60 of them playing in India – we do prepare turning tracks!' Regarded as one of the pioneers of modern-day Australian cricket, Simpson's transition from a great leader and astute slip fielder to coaching ensured that he unearthed a horde of stars during his coaching tenure. As one of the great slip fielders of his time, he is credited with training drills that helped Mark Waugh become one of the great catchers and more importantly turn David Boon into one of the sharpest short-leg catchers of all time. Simpson played 62 Tests for Australia from 1957 to 1978, scoring 4,869 runs at an average of 46.81, including 10 centuries and 27 half-centuries. He captained Australia in 39 Tests and was their head coach for 10 years from 1986, helping them win the 1987 World Cup in India, the famous 1989 Ashes in England and an epic away series win in West Indies in 1995.
Time of India
34 minutes ago
- Time of India
Khamzat Chimaev defeats Dricus Du Plessis to win UFC middleweight title at UFC 319
Khamzat Chimaev captured the UFC middleweight championship Saturday night, August 16, defeating defending champion Dricus Du Plessis by unanimous decision in a dominant performance at the United Center in Chicago. The 31-year-old Russian controlled the fight with superior wrestling, recording more than 10 takedowns throughout the five-round contest. Chimaev spent the majority of the bout in top position, delivering knees and punches to Du Plessis while neutralizing the South African's striking ability. Also read: UFC fans push for changes as $7.7b Paramount deal promises end to PPV model by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like An engineer reveals: 1 simple trick to get all TV channels Techno Mag Learn More Undo All three judges scored the fight 50-44 in favor of Chimaev, reflecting his complete dominance across all five rounds. The victory improved Chimaev's professional record to 15-0, maintaining his undefeated status while claiming his first UFC championship. Chimaev's wrestling dominance overwhelms champion Chimaev's wrestling proved the decisive factor throughout the championship bout. The Chechen-born fighter consistently took Du Plessis to the ground, utilizing a crucifix position to control his opponent while landing ground strikes. Live Events Du Plessis, whose record dropped to 23-3 with the loss, failed to defend his UFC middleweight title for the first time after two successful defenses. The 31-year-old South African struggled to establish his striking game against Chimaev's relentless takedown pressure. The only moment of danger for Chimaev occurred in the fifth round when Du Plessis attempted a guillotine choke submission. However, the new champion quickly escaped the hold and regained control to close out the victory. Round-by-round breakdown shows complete control From the opening round, Chimaev established his gameplan with an immediate takedown. The Russian maintained top control throughout most of round one, landing left-hand strikes while Du Plessis struggled to create space. Round two followed a similar pattern, with Chimaev securing another quick takedown and controlling Du Plessis against the fence. The challenger delivered knees to Du Plessis's body while the Chicago crowd chanted his name. By the third round, the punishment became more visible as Du Plessis's face showed signs of damage from Chimaev's ground strikes. The Russian continued his wrestling assault, maintaining the crucifix position to land elbows and punches. Round four saw Chimaev's takedown success rate reach 7-for-8 attempts, completely neutralizing Du Plessis's offensive capabilities. The former champion showed resilience but could not escape Chimaev's grappling control. The final round provided Du Plessis's best moments, including the guillotine attempt and a late reversal that put him on top with 30 seconds remaining. However, the damage was already done on the scorecards. New era begins in UFC middleweight division Chimaev's victory marks a significant shift in the UFC middleweight division. The Russian fighter's undefeated record and dominant wrestling style establish him as a formidable champion moving forward. Also read: Dana White gives major update on proposed UFC fight at the White House Du Plessis entered the fight looking to make his third successful title defense but was unable to solve Chimaev's grappling-heavy approach. The loss represents the first defeat for Du Plessis since 2018.
India.com
35 minutes ago
- India.com
Dewald Brevis Breaks Major Virat Kohli Record In Explosive Knock vs Australia
South Africa's young batting sensation Dewald Brevis lit up the final T20I against Australia with a remarkable innings that not only rescued his side but also helped him etch his name in the record books. The right-hander produced a breathtaking 53 off just 26 balls, an innings decorated with six towering sixes and a boundary, as South Africa posted a competitive 172/7 in their allotted 20 overs. South Africa Under Pressure Early Batting first, South Africa's innings got off to a rocky start after losing captain Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, and Lhuan-dre Pretorius inside the first seven overs with the scoreboard reading just 49. Facing the danger of finishing with a sub-par total, the visitors were in desperate need of a counterattack. That is when Brevis walked in and completely shifted the momentum. Brevis and Stubbs Rescue the Innings Brevis combined with Tristan Stubbs (25) in a crucial 61-run partnership off just 29 balls. The duo took the attack to the Australian bowlers, especially targeting the spinners and middle-overs pacers. Their stand lifted the run rate and brought South Africa back into the contest. Later, Rassie van der Dussen chipped in with a valuable 38, ensuring the Proteas reached a respectable total. Brevis Goes Past Virat Kohli The highlight of Brevis' knock was his clean six-hitting ability. With six maximums in the innings, his tally of sixes in the series against Australia in Australia rose to 14, the most by any player. He overtook India's Virat Kohli, who had struck 12 sixes in 10 innings Down Under. Remarkably, Brevis needed only three innings to surpass the Indian great, underlining his explosive talent. Brevis also ended the series with 180 runs in three matches, placing him third on the all-time list of most runs scored against Australia in a T20I bilateral series in Australia. Australia Strong in the Chase Despite South Africa's fighting effort, Australia looked in control of the chase. Openers provided a solid start, racing to 52 without loss in the powerplay. With wickets in hand and the required run rate under check, the hosts were cruising towards a comfortable win and a series triumph.
