Australia’s bowlers have come to life under stormy skies in Kolkata, ripping the heart out of South Africa with an unplayable opening barrage to leave the Aussies needing 213 runs to make it to their eighth World Cup final.
Mitchell Starc (3-34) and Josh Hazlewood (2-12) breathed fire into Australia’s quest, producing near unplayable deliveries on a lively pitch in a mesmerising Power Play where they allowed just 18 runs and took two wickets.
They had South Africa on the verge of turning tail at 4-24 before rain halted play.
However, a scintillating 101 after the break from David Miller kept the Proteas competitive, as they were dismissed for 212.
Starc looked a new man as the ball came to life in the Kolkata gloom, removing South African skipper Temba Bavuma in the first over for a duck.
Josh Hazlewood had Proteas talisman Quinton de Kock beaten on the outside and run-machine Rassie van der Dussen beaten on the inside.
De Kock bided his time but could wait no more in the sixth over, skying Hazlewood high into the murky clouds.
Pat Cummins made light work of the difficult chance to hand his side the perfect start.
After eight overs, South Africa finally reached double digits and found their first boundary 52 balls into the innings.
But the fall of Aiden Markram for 10 had the Proteas in deep trouble at 3-22.
It only got worse as Hazlewood put van der Dussen out of his misery, caught at second slip for six off 31.
Drizzle handed the Proteas respite and momentum as Miller found confidence along with boundaries.
He and Heinrich Klaasen picked their strokes perfectly against Adam Zampa and Glenn Maxwell, putting on nearly 100.
But a stroke of genius from Travis Head brought South Africa crumbling down again.
He got met with two straight fours from his first two deliveries from around the wicket.
So he moved over the wicket and found himself on a hattrick as he bowled Klaasen for 47 and then trapped Marco Jansen plumb lbw with a low turner for a golden duck.
Miller continued to find the rope as he needed to, taking a particular liking to Zampa.
But it was a colossal maximum off Cummins over mid-wicket that saw the South African celebrating triple figures, but the ecstasy was short-lived as he was out caught one legal delivery later.