After conceding the ODI series with consecutive defeats, Australia unleashed carnage on South Africa in the third ODI on Sunday, smashing a whopping 431-run total against South Africa at the Great Barrier Reef Arena, Mackay, while equalling a unique ODI world record.
Led by centuries from openers Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh, Australia got off to a blazing start before no. 3 Cameron Green joined in on the fun by smashing his maiden hundred to propel Australia past 400 and mark a rare instance of three centuries in a men’s ODI match.
FOLLOW LIVE: AUS vs SA 3rd ODI Match Blog
Three hundreds in the top 3: Australia equal WR
Australia produced only the second instance across 4897 ODIs in history where all the top-three batters recorded a century in an innings. Incidentally, South Africa was the first team to achieve the landmark, against the West Indies in 2015. Openers Hashim Amla (153*) and Rilee Rossouw (128) racked up heavy tons before AB de Villiers pulverised the West Indies bowlers with his 44-ball 149, an innings during which he recorded the fastest ODI hundred in only 31 balls.
Most hundreds in team ODI innings
3 – SA (Amla, Rossouw, AB villiers) vs WI, Jo’burg, 2015
3 – SA (Quinton, Faf du Plessis, AB villiers) vs IND, Wankhede, 2015
3 – ENG (Salt, D Malan, Buttler) vs NED, Amstelveen, 2022
3 – SA (Quinton, Rassie, Markram) vs SL, Delhi 2023
3 – AUS (Head, M Marsh, C Green) vs SA, Mackay, 2025*
Australia, Cam Green smash scoring records
Featuring in his 31st ODI, the 26-year-old provided the finishing impetus, smoking his maiden century in only 47 deliveries. Green’s ton is only the second sub-50 balls hundred for Australia, only behind Glenn Maxwell’s 40-ball century against the Netherlands during the 2023 ODI World Cup in Delhi.
Fastest 100s for Australia in ODIs
40 – Glenn Maxwell vs NED, Delhi, 2023
47 – Cameron Green vs SA, Mackay, 2025*
51 – Glenn Maxwell vs SL, Sydney, 2015
57 – James Faulkner vs IND, Bengaluru, 2013
Australia ended up on 431/2 with wicket-keeper Alex Carey also chipping in with a half-century in 37 deliveries, their second-highest total in all ODIs behind the famous 434/4 against the Proteas in Johannesburg in 2006.
Highest totals for Australia
434/4 vs SA, 2006, Johannesburg
431/2 vs SA, 2025*, Mackay
417/6 vs AFG, 2015, Perth
