Proteas consign Australia to record World Cup defeat

Australia have sunk to a record World Cup defeat as a controversial third umpiring decision marred South Africa's thumping 134-run win in Lucknow.

The result may have been a forgone conclusion at 5-70 in pursuit of the Proteas' 7-311 when Australia's last specialist batter Marcus Stoinis gloved a rising Kagiso Rabada delivery down the leg side with diving Quinton de Kock completing a spectacular catch.

Stoinis was initially given not out by on-field umpire Joel Wilson with South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma opting to send it upstairs and the allrounder started to walk off before replays confirmed the ball had indeed touched his right glove.

Third umpire Richard Kettleborough asked Wilson to reverse his decision as he believed Stonis' "hand (was) connected to the top hand" which was holding the bat despite a split screen appearing to show a gap between the two gloves.

Under Law 5.6.2, any part of a glove worn on the batter's hand holding the bat is regarded as the ball being struck by the bat.

After a long discussion with Wilson, and then fourth umpire Chris Brown after leaving the ground, the decision stood, with former Australia captain Aaron Finch labelling it a "strange" call on commentary as a clearly bewildered Stoinis made his way back to the sheds for five.

It was the second reviewed decision that left Australia's batters bemused, after Steve Smith (19) was given also out on review lbw to Rabada (3-33).

Smith had just crunched the right-arm speedster for consecutive boundaries in the 10th over when he stepped across his stumps and struck on the pad, initially adjudged not out by Wilson with Bavuma sending it upstairs for another look.

Smith and partner Marnus Labuschagne both appeared shocked when technology showed the ball clipping the leg stump with replay screens at Ekana Stadium and the television broadcast failing to show the ball tracking down the pitch before the end result revealed an undisputed three reds.

But the contentious Stoinis review did little to mask another Australian batting collapse and sloppy fielding effort as they lost 2-0 and 4-20 during the chase and dropped five catches in the field.

The losing margin of 134 runs was their heaviest defeat by runs at the 50-over World Cup, eclipsing a 118-run defeat to India in Chelmsford 40 years ago. It's also the first time Australia have lost four consecutive matches in their World Cup history after going down to India in their tournament opener last Sunday and losing their last two matches in 2019 (final group match against South Africa then the semi-final to England).

Labuschagne (46) and Starc (27) salvaged what could have been an even heavier defeat with a 69-run seventh-wicket stand – Australia's highest of the World Cup so far for any wicket – but they perished soon after Marco Jansen (2-54) found the glove of Starc through to de Kock, all out for 177 in the 41st over.

The Proteas made the most of the new ball as Jansen removed Mitch Marsh (7) in the sixth over, before Lungi Ngidi (1-18 off eight overs) had David Warner (13) spooning a catch to point seven balls later – the fourth time Ngidi has dismissed the left-hander opener in five ODI meetings.

Josh Inglis – recalled after selectors' shock axing of wicketkeeper Alex Carey – followed shortly after Smith, bowled by spearhead Rabada for five in his following over before Glenn Maxwell (3) chipped a return catch to Keshav Maharaj and Stoinis – who edged out fellow West Australian allrounder Green for the No.7 spot – was ruled out caught behind by third umpire.

De Kock had earlier set up South Africa's fourth straight defeat of Australia by more than 100 runs in the 50-over format with a second century in as many matches to begin the World Cup.

The left-hander shared in a 108-run partnership for the first wicket with skipper Temba Bavuma after his counterpart Pat Cummins sent the Proteas in at Ekana Stadium.

Australia missed several chances to break the century opening stand earlier, before Maxwell finally got the breakthrough when Bavuma (35) picked out Warner at deep midwicket.

De Kock looked in control from the outset, hitting five sixes in his 106-ball 109, including a trademark flick off his pads into the stands off Starc in the fifth over.

Cummins' penultimate over of the innings highlighted Australia's recent woes in the field which sees them hold the lowest catching percentage (57.1) so far this World Cup of the 10 competing nations.

With the first ball of the over Maxwell conceded a two by letting the ball pass through his legs at cover before Starc dropped David Miller on the next delivery when a skied hook to fine leg bobbled out of his hands when he hit the ground, prompting Finch to lament on the broadcast that Australia "hadn't been at their best in the field".

Two balls later Stoinis – in his first game back from a hamstring injury – dropped Jansen with a skied drive that didn't make it out of the fielding restriction circle before Miller smashed the next ball for six to rub salt into the wound.

Cummins (1-71) had earlier dropped a caught and bowled chance to remove Aiden Markram on one when he spooned a full toss back to him in his follow through. Markram went on to his seven fours and a six in his 44-ball 56.

Maxwell was the pick of the bowlers with 2-34, conceding just 3.4 runs per over without being hit for a boundary in his 10 overs and adding the key wickets of Bavuma and de Kock.

Adam Zampa toiled hard for his 1-70 from 10 overs, while Josh Hazlewood finished with 1-60. Allrounders Stoinis and Mitch Marsh bowled just three overs between them.

Speaking post-match about the controversial third umpire decision to give Stoinis out, Labuschagne said replays appeared to show "clear dayilght between the two gloves and the handle".

"For me, I was on field, I can't see but it looked like his hand was off the bat (when) it hit the glove," he said.

"Marcus and I were just asking have they checked (the side on angle) because they just saw the spike from the front on and they didn't get a close up, zoom in of the side, not one that we had.

"That just looked like there was clear daylight between the two gloves and the handle. But once again, I have been into the third umpire room and the screens are big and everything's much clearer than me standing in the middle looking at pretty pixelated screen."

Australia will remain in Lucknow where they face Sri Lanka on Monday, who are also yet to open their World Cup account. South Africa travel to Dharamsala to take on the Netherlands on Tuesday.

Australia's 2023 ODI World Cup fixtures

October 8: Lost to India by six wickets

October 12: Lost to South Africa by 134 runs

October 16: v Sri Lanka, Lucknow (D/N), 7.30pm AEDT

October 20: v Pakistan, Bengaluru (D/N), 7.30pm AEDT

October 25: v Netherlands, Delhi (D/N), 7.30pm AEDT

October 28: v New Zealand, Dharamsala, 4pm AEDT

November 4: v England, Ahmedabad (D/N), 7.30pm AEDT

November 7: v Afghanistan, Mumbai (D/N), 7.30pm AEDT

November 11: v Bangladesh, Pune, 4pm AEDT

November 15: First semi-final, Mumbai (D/N), 7.30pm AEDT

November 16: Second semi-final, Kolkata (D/N), 7.30pm AEDT

November 19: Final, Ahmedabad (D/N), 7.30pm AEDT

Australia squad: Pat Cummins (c), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa

2023 World Cup standings

Team	Matches played M	Wins W	Losses L	Ties T	No results N/R	Net Run Rate NRR	Deductions Ded.	Total points PTS
1 India Men IND	9	9	0	0	0	2.57	0	18
2 South Africa Men SA	9	7	2	0	0	1.261	0	14
3 Australia Men AUS	9	7	2	0	0	0.841	0	14
4 New Zealand Men NZ	9	5	4	0	0	0.743	0	10
5 Pakistan Men PAK	9	4	5	0	0	-0.199	0	8
6 Afghanistan Men AFG	9	4	5	0	0	-0.336	0	8
7 England Men ENG	9	3	6	0	0	-0.572	0	6
8 Bangladesh Men BAN	9	2	7	0	0	-1.087	0	4
9 Sri Lanka Men SL	9	2	7	0	0	-1.419	0	4
10 Netherlands Men NED	9	2	7	0	0	-1.825	0	4

Legend

M: Matches played

W: Wins

L: Losses

T: Ties

N/R: No results

NRR: Net Run Rate

Ded.: Deductions

PTS: Total points