Cooper Connolly’s Historic Fifer: Breaks 38-Year-Old Australian Record, Tops Shane Warne
Australia signed off the ODI series in Mackay with a brutal display, hammering South Africa by 276 runs, their biggest defeat in terms of runs.
After opting to bat, Travis Head (142) and Mitchell Marsh (100) piled on a 250-run opening stand, before Cameron Green smashed the second-fastest ODI hundred for Australia off just 47 balls. Australia racked up a mammoth 431/2, with Alex Carey chipping in an unbeaten 50 off 37.
The second innings belonged to Cooper Connolly, who, just two days after turning 22, became the youngest Australian to take a five-wicket haul in ODIs. His left-arm spin dismantled South Africa’s middle order, finishing with 5/22 in 6 overs and surpassing Craig McDermott’s 1987 record.
South Africa, shell-shocked, folded meekly, handing Australia a consolation win after the Proteas had already sealed the series 2-1. For the visitors, Wiaan Mulder endured a horror outing, conceding 93 runs in seven overs, the second-worst economy (13.30) for any bowler with a six-over spell in ODI history.
