SA vs AUS 2nd ODI 2026: Miller’s 142 Wins the Series

South Africa beat Australia by 32 runs in the second ODI at The Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg, to take an unassailable 2–0 lead in the three-match series. David Miller produced the defining innings, smashing a career-best 142 from 93 balls, while captain Temba Bavuma added 103 from 116 as South Africa recovered from an early setback to post 365/9. Australia were eventually bowled out for 333 in 49.5 overs.

Mitchell Marsh won the toss for Australia and put South Africa in, without Pat Cummins in the side. The decision seemed to work at once. Hazlewood’s first delivery found Aiden Markram’s edge, and Cooper Connolly held a sharp one-handed chance. Quinton de Kock struck two sixes and then nicked Hazlewood behind at 36 for 2. When Jack Edwards drew an edge from Matthew Breetzke in the 16th over, South Africa were 93 for 3.

From there the innings belonged to Temba Bavuma and David Miller. They added 156 together. Bavuma played the anchor and reached 103 from 116 balls, his sixth ODI century. He was also fortunate. Bartlett missed a run-out when he was on 32, and Edwards put down a diving chance soon after. Miller played the other role. He took 73 balls to reach three figures and then accelerated to 142 from 93, hitting 12 fours and nine sixes. The day was a charity fixture for breast cancer awareness, and Miller’s shirt carried his mother Jenny’s name. Bavuma fell at 249 and Miller at 331.

Ellis went off injured with a side strain after just four overs, which cost Australia their best option at the death. Edwards took over the burden and finished with 5 for 67, his first five-wicket return in List A cricket. It wasn’t enough to hold South Africa back. Their scoring rate jumped to around nine an over after Ellis went off, and Duan Jansen’s unbeaten 27 off 18 balls helped push them to 365 for 9. No side had made more against Australia since the 2023 World Cup.

The chase began as if it might succeed. Marsh and Travis Head put on 130 in 17 overs. Marsh struck 84 from 53 balls with five sixes before Fortuin bowled him. Head, who also made 84, was dropped twice off Markram’s off-spin. He was given lbw sweeping at 191 for 3, and the pressure shifted to the middle order.

South Africa’s spinners then took over. Bavuma gave Maharaj, Fortuin and Markram 10 overs each, and they allowed very little. Carey fell lbw to Maharaj, and Renshaw followed the same way for 32. Green faced 34 balls for 17 and was caught off Fortuin. Australia needed roughly 7.5 an over from the 30th onwards. They took only 38 runs for two wickets in the following 11 overs. Zampa went wicketless for 77 runs.

Xavier Bartlett made a late bid. His 28-ball fifty included five sixes, and he took 19 from one Fortuin over. He and Edwards added 61, but Marco Jansen removed Edwards and Zampa on successive balls. Williams then bowled Bartlett a yorker that struck his pads and ended the chase, and took the last wicket with the innings in its final over. Australia finished on 333, 32 runs short. South Africa now lead 2-0 after winning the opener in Durban by 67 runs, and they have won six bilateral ODI series in a row against Australia. Miller took the Player of the Match award. Today’s third ODI in Potchefstroom is a dead rubber.