Abbott, Shamsi set up thumping win

Kyle Abbott and Tabraiz Shamsi shared seven wickets as South Africa cruised to a comprehensive six-wicket win over Australia in the fourth one-day international at St George’s Park in Port Elizabeth on Sunday.Swing bowler Abbott ended with 4-40 while left-arm wrist spinner Shamsi nabbed career-best figures of 3-36 as Australia were shot out for 167 off just 36.4 overs. South Africa then reached 168 for four off 35.3 overs, thanks mainly to 69 off 87 balls from skipper Faf du Plessis as the Proteas took a 4-0 series lead with one match left to play. Mitchell Marsh tried his best to hold Australia’s innings together with 50 off 72 balls while he shared in a 62-run sixth-wicket stand with Matthew Wade. Wade weighed in with 52 off 58 deliveries with five fours and two sixes and he also added 46 runs for the 10th wicket with Chris Tremain (23 not out).Steve Smith (21) was the only other batsman to reach double figures as the tourists struggled against an impressive bowling performance.South Africa had made wholesale changes to their line-up with the injured David Miller replaced by Farhaan Behardien and Dale Steyn, Kagiso Rabada and Imran Tahir all rested. Abbott, Shamsi and left-arm spinner Aaron Phangiso made up a new-look bowling attack and the new men rose to the challenge after Australia had won the toss and elected to bat on a pitch which offered seam movement for the quicks and turn for the spinners. Abbott struck twice early on, to bowl both Aaron Finch (2) and David Warner (6) through the gate while Dwaine Pretorius (1-33) trapped George Bailey (1) leg-before as Australia crashed to 12 for three. Smith and Marsh took the score to 49 before Smith was out leg-before to Shamsi who struck again in the same over when he trapped Travis Head (0) leg-before to leave Australia on 49 for five. Marsh and Wade tried to steady the innings but Marsh departed was caught behind by keeper Quinton de Kock off the bowling of Abbott. John Hastings (4) and Adam Zampa (5) departed in quick succession before left-arm spinner Aaron Phangiso (2-17) ended the match in one over when he had Wade and Scott Boland both given out leg-before. South Africa had a bit of a rocky start to their innings as they lost Hashim Amla (4) and De Kock (18) early. But Du Plessis, who struck eight fours during his knock, and JP Duminy (25) steadied the innings with a 55-run third-wicket stand before Duminy slapped a delivery from legspinner Zampa straight to mid-off.Du Plessis and Rilee Rossouw (33 not out) then took their team to the brink of victory with a 55-run fourth-wicket stand before Du Plessis tried to smash a Marsh delivery out of the ground only to be caught at deep mid-wicket.