The 250-run stand between Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh in the third ODI of the three-match series became the second-largest in ODIs between Australia and South Africa. In the 13th over at Mackay’s Great Barrier Reef Arena, the Australians cruised past the 100-run mark for the first wicket.
This was the first time in the last 24 ODI innings that Australia had put up a 100-plus stand in 50 overs. The last time this happened was during a round-robin match versus New Zealand at the 2023 World Cup. Head was also part in the 175-run stand, which came to an end when David Warner was removed on the first ball of the 20th over.
Highest partnerships by runs in ODIs involving Australia and South Africa
| S. No. | Partners | Runs | Wicket | Opposition | Venue | Year |
| 1 | David Miller, Faf du Plessis | 252 | 4th | Australia | Hobart | 2018 |
| 2 | Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh | 250 | 1st | South Africa | Mackay | 2025 |
| 3 | Steve Waugh, Michael Bevan | 222 | 4th | South Africa | Melbourne (Docklands) | 2000 |
| 3 | David Miller, Heinrich Klaasen | 222 | 5th | Australia | Centurion | 2023 |
| 5 | Faf du Plessis, AB de Villiers | 206 | 3rd | Australia | Harare | 2014 |
Coming to the current match, Travis Head and Marsh have looked in stellar form.
At the time of writing, Australia are 377/2 at the end of 45 overs. The aggressive left-handed batter has not had a white-ball series to remember. In the three T20Is and two ODIs before this match, he had scored only 59 runs in five innings. However, Head looked completely in his comfort zone in the current match in Mackay.
Speaking of skipper Marsh, he has had a couple of defining innings in the series so far (54 and 88 in the third T20I and first ODI, respectively). The remaining scores have read 13 (first T20I), 22 (second T20I) and 18 (second ODI). Head has been the aggressor in the partnership. He got to his seventh ODI ton with a single towards long-off on the second ball of the 27th over. The partnership came to an end after Head (142 off 103) was caught in the deep by Dewald Brevis with Marsh four runs away from his ton at the other end.
The Proteas have already taken an unassailable lead in the series by winning the first and second ODIs by 98 runs and 84 runs, respectively. Respective five-wicket hauls by Keshav Maharaj (5/33) and Lungi Ngidi (5/42) helped the Temba Bavuma-led team to clinch the series after a 2-1 loss in the 20-over leg. The 250-run stand between Head and Marsh became the highest for the first wicket in the ODIs played between Australia and South Africa, after crossing the one (170 runs) between Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist in 2002.
India
