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Australia’s run chase went from bad to worse in a hurry, completely going off the rails to end in a disastrous 98-run defeat to South Africa. A single wicket triggered a sequence of events that saw the innings spiral out of control.
The “bad” was the first wicket of Travis Head, breaking a promising 60-run partnership. While not ideal, it was a manageable situation. However, what followed was far worse. The middle order offered no resistance, capitulating to the spin of Keshav Maharaj.
Wickets fell at an alarming rate as the situation deteriorated rapidly. The loss of six wickets for 29 runs was the point of no return, as the required run rate climbed and the number of available batters dwindled.
By the time Mitch Marsh was dismissed for 88, the chase was already a lost cause. The innings was a perfect example of how quickly momentum can shift and how a single setback can cascade into a full-blown disaster.