Added as a replacement in the Australia squad for the three-match ODI series against South Africa, Cooper Connolly impressed in the only match he played in the series finale earlier today (August 24) by taking his maiden fifer in professional cricket.
In the process, the 22-year-old went past Australian legend Shane Warne and Brad Hogg to register the best figures by an Australian spinner in ODIs. Connolly finished with 5/22 to overtake Brad Hogg’s (5/32) and Shane Warne’s (5/33).
Cooper Connolly also became the youngest Australian to pick up a five-wicket haul in men’s ODI cricket. At 22 years and 2 days old, Cooper Connolly shattered 38-year-old Craig McDermott’s record, who achieved the feat at 22 years and 204 days old against Pakistan in 1987.
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The fifer from Connolly helped the Aussies thrash the Proteas in the AUS vs SA 3rd ODI by a massive margin of 276 runs. After posting a towering 431 for 2 courtesy of triple tons from Travis Head (142 off 103 balls), Mitchell Marsh (100 off 106 balls) and Cameron Green (118* off 55 balls), the hosts bundled out South Africa for a trivial 155 in just 24.5 overs.
Despite a 2-1 series loss, Australia ended on a powerful note with the mammoth win. This victory stands as their second-biggest ever in ODIs, only behind their record 309-run win over the Netherlands in the 2023 World Cup. Overall, this win is the sixth-largest by margin of runs. On the other hand, for South Africa, it was their heaviest defeat in all of ODI cricket history.
With the next ICC event being the T20 World Cup next year in India and Sri Lanka, Connolly will hope to make the most of the chances he gets in a bid to earn a spot in the squad. While Australia already have the likes of Glenn Maxwell, Adam Zampa, Matthew Short in their T20I setup as spinners, Connolly can too stake a claim since the tournament will be held in the spin-friendly pitches of the subcontinent. Furthermore, he is more than capable with the bat and can chip in with crucial runs.
