KOLKATA, Nov  16, 2023 (BSS/AFP) - Travis Head starred with bat and ball as
Australia set up a World Cup final clash with India after a tense three-wicket
win over South Africa in Kolkata on Thursday.

Chasing a tricky 213 for victory, Australia wobbled after Head hit 62 but
Steve Smith (30) and Josh Inglis (28) helped the five-time champions reach
their target with 16 balls to spare in the second semi-final in Kolkata.

"It's hard to unpack all of that. I didn't move for the past couple of
hours. It was a tense finish and an amazing game," said Head.

As Australia reached an eighth World Cup final, South Africa were left to
rue a fifth semi-final loss despite David Miller's 101.

Australia slipped to 137-5 and then 193-7 before Mitchell Starc (16) and
skipper Pat Cummins (14) kept their nerve to steer the team home.

Left-hand batsman and part-time off-spinner Head stood out after taking two
wickets and then with his 48-ball innings laced with nine fours and two sixes.

Australia were in trouble when they were five down as spinners Keshav
Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi struck in quick succession to rattle the
middle-order.

Maharaj bowled Head, who was dropped on 40 and 57, and Shamsi, a left-arm
wrist spinner, trapped Marnus Labuschagne lbw for 18 and bowled Glenn Maxwell
for one in his next over.

Australia started the tournament with two losses but registered their
eighth straight win.

"The way we started with the bat and ball was the turning point, we always
had to play catch-up," said South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma.

- 'Ruthless Australia' -

"The conditions combined with the quality of the Australia attack. They
were ruthless and exploited every bit of advantage, and really put us under
pressure."

Starc led the bowling charge with figures of 3-34 and Cummins also picked
three wickets to bowl out South Africa for 212 in 49.4 overs.

Left-arm quick Starc struck in the first over to send back Bavuma, who had
said he was not "100% fit" at the toss, for a fourth-ball duck.

Josh Hazlewood claimed the wicket of in-form Quinton de Kock for three as
Cummins took a stunning catch.

De Kock, who will quit one-day international after the World Cup, ended
with 594 runs including four centuries to sit behind the tournament's leading
batsman Virat Kohli (711).

The new-ball bowlers kept up the attack with the wickets of Aiden Markram
(10) and Rassie van der Dussen (six) as South Africa slumped to 24-4 and were
44-4 when rain interrupted play.

Klaasen and Miller hit back after the 45-minute rain break as the two put
on 95 runs but Head broke through to bowl Klaasen for 47.

Head trapped Marco Jansen lbw on the next delivery to be on a hat-trick,
which was saved by Gerald Coetzee, who put on a 53-run partnership with Miller.

The left-handed Miller smashed eight fours and five sixes in his 116-ball
knock.

The final is on Sunday at the world's biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad.