SA vs AUS: Concussion substitute Marnus Labuschagne helps Australia recover from 113/7 to register 3-wicket win

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Australia registered an emphatic 3-wicket win after being reduced to 113/7 in the first ODI of the 5-match series against South Africa at the Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein on Thursday.

Concussion substitute Marnus Labuschagne stole the glory from South Africa and smashed unbeaten 80 runs off 93 balls to help Australia chase down a 223-run target with three wickets and 58 balls remaining. Notably, Marnus Labuschagne hasn't been named in the Australia squad for World Cup 2023. To make things more special, the right-hander's mother and family were present at the ground.

Australia lost four wickets in the powerplay overs after South Africa pacers - Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi and Marco Jansen ran riot on an extremely difficult batting surface.

Jansen dismissed David Warner for a 2-ball duck, while Micthell Marsh and Josh Inglis were outdone by Rabada. Travis Head, who scored 33 off 28 while opening with Warner, was dismissed by Ngidi.

The tension rose in the Australia dressing room in the sixth over when a Rabada delivery shot up viciously and hit Green on the helmet even before he could react. He was immediately escorted out by the physio.

Labuschagne was confirmed as the concussion substitute for Green after Gerald Coetzee got a first-ball wicket on his home ground to dismiss Alex Carey (3 off 9) and reduce Australia to 72/5. The 22-year-old pacer struck again in the 14th over to get rid of Marcus Stoinis (17 off 10) and leave Australia reeling at 93/6. Later in the 17th over, Keshav Maharaj clean bowled Sean Abbott.

Labuschagne-Agar spoil South Africa's party

Just when it looked all over for Australia, Labuschagne and Australian number nine Ashton Agar spoiled the party for the hosts. Marnus Labuschagne did not take a long time to settle and played his shots freely to counterattack on a firing South Africa bowling unit.

He got the perfect partner in southpaw Agar who showed tremendous grit to score 48 unbeaten runs off 69 balls. The 29-year-old smashed a boundary on the second ball of the 41st over to reach his highest ODI score and win the match in style for Australia. The unbeaten partnership for the eighth wicket between the duo accounted for 112 runs off 145 balls.

After electing to bowl first, Australia reduced the hosts to 100/5 in 25.4 overs. But captain Temba Bavuma kept going from one end and forged a 57-run partnership for the sixth wicket with Marco Jansen who scored 32 off 40. Bavuma stayed unbeaten till the end to score 114 off 142 and help South Africa post 222 before they got bundled out for 222 in 49 overs.

Josh Hazlewood picked three wickets, while Marcus Stoinis scalped two wickets for 20 runs in six overs. Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Adam Zampa and Cameron Green picked a wicket each. Six South Africa batters scored in single digits.