Cooper Connolly became the youngest Australian to take a men's ODI five-wicket haul when he ran through the South Africa batting order in MacKay on Sunday (August 24).
Batting first, the hosts put on a massive 431-2 riding on the back of centuries from each of their top three batters: Travis Head (142), Mitchell Marsh (100), and Cameron Green (118 not out). Green's ton came off just 47 balls, making it the second quickest by an Australian in men's ODIs after Glenn Maxwell.
South Africa started their run-chase poorly. Xavier Bartlett and Sean Abbott got appreciable movement in the air and off the surface with the new ball, accounting for Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Temba Bavuma and Tristan Stubbs in the first ten overs to leave the visitors reeling at 50-4.
Connolly was introduced to the attack in the 14th over and was treated with a boundary off his second delivery by Tony de Zorzi. But the left-arm spinner got his revenge immediately, having de Zorzi caught at the mid-wicket boundary off the very next ball for 33. Playing just his fifth ODI, this was Connolly's third wicket in the format.
Connolly then took the wicket of the dangerous Dewald Brevis, who was looking in fine rhythm, having already hit five sixes en route to 49 off 27 balls. A full ball was sliced to the hands off long off and South Africa were reduced to 124-6. Next over, he got rid of Wiaan Mulder thanks to a brilliant catch by Marnus Labuschagne. Corbin Bosch and Keshav Maharaj became his fourth and fifth victims as South Africa succumbed to their worst-ever defeat in men's ODIs, losing by 276 runs.
3rd ODI, Australia vs South Africa
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- Ball by ball Over
Cooper Connolly breaks multiple records with maiden ODI five-for
The left-arm spinner, who celebrated his 22nd birthday two days back, finished with figures of 5-22 in six overs, breaking Craig McDermott's record for being the youngest Australian to take a five-for in men's ODIs. McDermott was aged 22 years 204 days when he took 5-44 against Pakistan in the 1987 World Cup semi-final at Lahore, 38 years ago.
Among Australian spinners, the record previously belonged to Michael Clarke, who took 5-35 against Sri Lanka aged 22 years 326 days in 2004.
Connolly's figures are now also the best by an Australian spinner ever, surpassing Brad Hogg's 5-32 against West Indies in Melbourne 20 years back.
The fact that Connolly had played only 10 List A games before this, and only had four wickets to his name makes the feat all the more astonishing. Having also made his Test debut earlier this year in Sri Lanka, he is yet to pick a first-class wicket, and had best figures of 3-25 in his professional career before this ODI.
Youngest Australians to take a men's ODI five-for
| Player | Age | Figures | Opposition | Ground | Start Date |
| Cooper Connolly | 22y 2d | 6-0-22-5 | v South Africa | Mackay | 24 Aug 2025 |
| Craig McDermott | 22y 204d | 10-0-44-5 | v Pakistan | Lahore | 4 Nov 1987 |
| Mitchell Starc | 22y 211d | 10-2-42-5 | v Pakistan | Sharjah | 28 Aug 2012 |
| Bruce Reid | 22y 318d | 10-0-53-5 | v India | Adelaide | 26 Jan 1986 |
| Michael Clarke | 22y 326d | 7.5-0-35-5 | v Sri Lanka | Dambulla | 22 Feb 2004 |
| Mitchell Starc | 23y 2d | 6.5-2-20-5 | v West Indies | W.A.C.A | 1 Feb 2013 |
| Mitchell Starc | 23y 4d | 8-1-32-5 | v West Indies | W.A.C.A | 3 Feb 2013 |
| Brett Lee | 23y 79d | 8.5-1-27-5 | v India | Adelaide | 26 Jan 2000 |
| Cameron Green | 23y 86d | 9-0-33-5 | v Zimbabwe | Townsville | 28 Aug 2022 |
| Mitchell Marsh | 23y 117d | 9-0-33-5 | v England | Melbourne | 14 Feb 2015 |
| Carl Rackemann | 23y 241d | 8.2-2-16-5 | v Pakistan | Adelaide | 30 Jan 1984 |
| Josh Hazlewood | 23y 312d | 9.4-2-31-5 | v South Africa | W.A.C.A | 16 Nov 2014 |
| Gary Gilmour | 23y 357d | 12-2-14-6 | v England | Leeds | 18 Jun 1975 |
| Gary Gilmour | 23y 360d | 12-2-48-5 | v West Indies | Lord's | 21 Jun 1975 |
