AB de Villiers laments South Africa's 'lack of basic discipline'

                          AB de Villiers made a brisk half-century but South Africa lost their way after his dismissal.
 South Africa's captain, AB de Villiers, was once again left frustrated after his side crumbled to a massive 73-run loss to Australia in the third One Day International at Canberra. The hosts now lead the series by a 2-1 margin.

Chasing a mammoth 330 for victory, South Africa were on track, thanks to a sublime hundred from opener Hashim Amla, his 17th in ODI cricket. He added 108 runs for the first wicket with Quinton de Kock. Skipper, AB de Villiers, then upped the ante with a 34-ball 52, but his dismissal, with the score on 224, opened the floodgates as South Africa were bundled out for 256. 

Speaking after the match, de Villiers lamented that his side failed to execute the basics properly. "We bowled too many extras," de Villiers said after the match. "There were small basics that we got wrong which cost us the game today. If we were chasing 290 or 300 max we could have handled it a lot differently. We would have approached the situation differently; Hashim (Amla) and I could have maybe taken our time a little bit, and the guys to follow. Unfortunately we lacked a little bit there I feel," he added.

de Villiers added a brisk 76 runs with Amla and said that it was his responsibility to take his team home. "It's disappointing, I thought we were in the game there," de Villiers said of the collapse of six for 68. "I got out at a bad time. Australia never had two new batters at the crease throughout their innings and that was part of our game plan tonight but unfortunately Hash (Amla) and I got out within a few balls of each other. Its always difficult on these types of decks, which are a lot slower, with a little bit of reverse swing and a softer green ball, which is difficult to see. When you have two new batters at the crease the run-rate is always going to slow down a bit and unfortunately we lost our way."