AUS vs SA, ODI World Cup live updates: Australia drops five catches as South Africa races away to 311/7

Josh Inglis, Sean Abbott, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Marcus Stoinis all dropped a catch each as South Africa raced to 311/7 in the first innings.

Mitchell Starc dropped David Miller in the 48th over during Australia vs South Africa ODI World Cup match. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Australian fielders dropped five catches during the ICC ODI World Cup league match against South Africa at Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Thursday.

Josh Inglis, Sean Abbott, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Marcus Stoinis all dropped a catch each as South Africa raced to 311/7 in the first innings.

Follow AUS vs SA live match score and updates

The first instance came in the 13th over of the innings, leg-spinner Adam Zampa’s first over, where Temba Bavuma was brought forward with a loopy delivery that spun away from the batter and got the outside edge of the bat but wicketkeeper Inglis, brought in for Alex Carey today, couldn’t hold on to it. Bavuma was on 19 at that time.

A little more than two overs later, Bavuma was dropped again, this time at boundary by substitute fielder Sean Abbott. The South African opener had pulled one towards square leg off Stoinis. Abbott jumped and grabbed, close to the boundary ropes, but went off balance, and tried throwing the ball towards Mitchell Starc for a relay catch but ended up throwing it too far away from him.

Bavuma scored 35 off 55 balls after being dropped on 19 and 32.

Cummins then dropped Aiden Markram in the 30th over. The pacer bowled a full toss and Markram chipped it straight towards the bowler, but Cummins couldn’t hold on to it. Markram had then just came into bat and was on one. He ended up scoring 56 off 44 balls with the help of seven fours and a six.

In the 48th over by Cummins, Australia dropped two catches. David Miller, playing on 10, got a top edge trying to go for a wild swing. The ball went towards backward square, Starc had to run in, he grabbed the ball diving in front, and spilled it as soon as he touched the ground. Miller added seven more runs from his bat post that.

Two balls later, Marco Jansen hit one up in the air towards covers where Stoinis was positioned. However, the all-rounder, who replaced Cameron Green today, dropped it despite coming in line with the ball. Jansen, on 25 then, added one more run to his tally after that.