Do you believe in miracles?
It took 17 One-Day International games but South Africa's women have finally beaten Australia and they did so in emphatic fashion in North Sydney on Wednesday.
Batting first they put up a competitive 229/6 off 45 overs with Marizanne Kapp the mainstay of the innings with her 75 off 86 balls before bowling their hosts out for 149 to win by 84 runs (DLS method).
The victory was built around Kapp's clean hitting with the bat and skill with the ball as she broke the back of the Aussie batting lineup with 3/12 from five overs to secure the Player of the Match award.
There had been some doubt about whether the star allrounder would play after being hit by a ball on the elbow on Saturday during the first ODI of the series but she pitched up and carried her side to victory.
She wasn't the only heroine on the day though as all of the bowlers, barring Masabata Klaas - whose radar was a little off, played their part.
After Kapp had dismissed Alyssa Healy (four from 10), Beth Mooney, with an absolute peach, (nought from two) and Phoebe Litchfield (14 from 18), ODI debutant Ayanda Hlubi got into the action, taking down the dangerous Ellyse Perry (two from six) and Georgia Wareham (nought from five).
Between Hlubi's scalps, Eliz-mari Marx saw to Annabel Sutherland (one from six) before taking care of Ashleigh Gardner (35 from 52) after the hamstrung Gardner and No 10 Kim Garth (42 from 48 not out) fought back and had the South African hands sweating.
Before Gardner and Garth came together the Aussies were 71/8 after Nadine de Klerk dismissed both Tahlia McGrath (22 from 26) and Alana King (nought off three) in the 14th over.
Chloe Tryone wrapped up the victory by trapping Megan Schutt (one from five) plumb in front after 29.3 overs, setting off the wild celebrations.
South Africa started their innings poorly with skipper Laura Wolvaardt caught third ball, without a run on the board.
Tazmin Brits and Anneke Bosch put on 55 before Brits was caught by McGrath off Sutherland for 21.
Bosch was caught on the boundary by Sutherland off Gardner for a splendid 44 off 46 with Sune Luus now joined by Kapp.
Luus played well for her 19 but would be disappointed that she didn't push on after getting herself in on a tough wicket.
With rain falling and the players yo-yoing on and off the field De Klerk and Kapp kept the runs flowing until De Klerk was caught behind by Healy off Garth for 14 off 19.
Tryone started slowly but she didn't need to go crazy from ball one with Kapp striking the ball so cleanly until she was finally out for her highest score against Australia in ODIs.
Then Tryone took bull by the horns and ended with 37 from 36 (Marx finished two not out in a partnership of 31) as South Africa started to believe they could finally topple this magnificent Australian side for the first time ... no miracle needed.
The next ODI is at the same venue on Saturday before the Test match wraps up the series, which Australia lead 6-4, in Perth.
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