Epic Klaasen ton for Proteas as Aussies smashed for 416

Steve Barrett | September 16, 2023

Heinrich Klaasen has bludgeoned the eighth highest one-day international score by a South African, catapulting the Proteas to a massive 5-416 against a battered and bruised Australia at Centurion.

Klaasen (174 off 83 balls) and David Miller (82no off 45 balls) belted 19 fours and 18 sixes between them in the fourth ODI on Friday (Saturday morning AEST).

Their 222-run fifth-wicket stand from just just 94 deliveries has put South Africa on the cusp of levelling the series 2-2.

After smashing 173 from the last 10 overs, the Proteas amassed their fifth highest total in ODIs and their best at this venue, while it was the third biggest score ever yielded by Australia in the 50-over format

None of the tourists’ bowlers were spared in the onslaught, with only Michael Neser (1-59) in his first ODI since 2018 going at under a run-a-ball.

Legspinner Adam Zampa fared the worst, plundered for 0-113 from his 10 overs, equalling the long-standing record previously held outright by former Aussie paceman Mick Lewis (against the Proteas in 2006) for the most runs conceded by a bowler in an ODI.

After raising his half-century off 38 balls, Klaasen rattled off 50 off his next 19 to bring up his third ODI 100 from 57 deliveries, which he celebrated with a massive leap and mid-air fist pump.

It was the fourth fastest ODI ton by a South African, bettered only by AB de Villiers (twice) and Mark Boucher.

When Klaasen holed out to Nathan Ellis in the deep off the final ball of the innings, he fell four runs shy of Quinton de Kock’s venue record of 178.

The home side’s circumspect start – 0-30 after the first eight – offered no hint to the carnage that would follow.

When Reeva Hendricks (28), de Kock (45) and acting captain Aiden Markram were back in the sheds, the score was 3-120 in the 26th over, and 300 looked a long way off, let alone 400.

Rassie van der Dussen, recalled after being dropped for the Potchefstroom clash, started the attack on Zampa in a classy 62 before feathering Josh Hazlewood to Alex Carey, which was the cue for the Klaasen-Miller show.