SOUTH AFRICA VS AUSTRALIA

We haven't played anywhere near our best: Matthew Wade

by Cricbuzz Staff • Published on

Matthew Wade scored a fighting 52 in the fourth ODI © Cricbuzz

Australia's woes during their tour of South Africa continued as they suffered yet another loss which saw them 0-4 down for the first time in a five-match bilateral One Day International (ODI) series. Bowled out for only 167 after opting to bat, the visitors suffered a six-wicket loss in Port Elizabeth on Sunday (October 8) on a pitch that was on the slower side.

Matthew Wade, whose half-century went in vain, admitted to Australia's shortcomings in the series and said they were at least 60 to 80 runs short of what he felt would have been a par score on a sluggish wicket in the fourth ODI.

"I don't think any game that you lose for Australia is tougher than the next, they all hurt just as much," a disappointed Wade said after the game. "Having said that, on that wicket, if we could have posted a reasonable total, anywhere around 230-250, I think we would have been right in the game. So I think it's disappointing we didn't get those runs on the board because I feel like the wicket was deteriorating and getting a touch slower as the game moved on."

Lack of application from the top-order batsmen led to a collapse and Australia were reduced to 49 for 5 at one stage. While Mitchell Marsh and Wade tried to revive the innings by scoring fighting fifties, disciplined bowling from South Africa throughout the innings meant that Australia could not get away from the stranglehold.

"It wasn't ideal to be out there that early, obviously, but it was good to get it with Mitchy and work as hard as we could to build a partnership. Unfortunately, we just kept losing wickets at crucial times of the game today," Wade said.

Their dismal performance in the series has now left Australia facing the possibility of a humiliating whitewash. While Wade is hopeful that Australia can avoid that ignominy, he admitted that they have to show tremendous improvement in their next game to end their winless run. "We wanted to really win the last two games and go home on a high, that hasn't happened. We haven't played anywhere near our best throughout the first four games. We've got to have a long, hard look in the mirror and find a way to produce our best in the next game. We're not in a position where we can just walk out and play under par and win games of cricket."

Meanwhile, Kyle Abbott, who picked up four wickets in the fourth ODI, said South Africa will go in with the same intensity on Wednesday for the fifth ODI in their bid to become the first team to hand Australia a 5-0 whitewash in a bilateral series.

"We can't even begin to think what it might be like on Wednesday night if it does happen. It has been phenomenal. We celebrated well on Wednesday night after winning the series and that was the big challenge today, to put in another performance knowing that the series was secured and not take our foot of the gas. We did that pretty well. Coming up to Wednesday, I don't think we will do anything differently. We will stick to what we've done that's won us four games and hopefully make it five and make some history," Abbott said.

Abbott got an opportunity to play in Port Elizabeth as the home team decided to give front-line pacers Dale Steyn and Kagiso Rabada a break. Abbott, who won the Man of the Match award for his bowling figures of 4 for 40, admitted that it was tough waiting on the sidelines, but his desire to make every opportunity count is what keeps him going.

"It's tough not knowing when you are going to get a game. The key is to still tick the boxes at practice and when those opportunities come, there is no time for questioning out there, 'have I done the work'? Coming up against a quality batting line-up like Australia, you need to stay on top of your game even if you are not playing," Abbott said.

© Cricbuzz

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