Australia have dominated South Africa’s largely unknown batting line-up to claim an unlikely victory in the first match of a three-game Twenty20 series in Darwin.
South Africa lost by 17 runs in Sunday night’s clash at Marrara Oval, bowled out for 161 after Australia were dismissed for a modest 178 from the final ball of an innings rescued by Tim David’s 83.
South Africa’s innings was built around 71 in 55 balls from wicketkeeper and opening batsman Ryan Rickelton.
Josh Hazlewood was the hero for Australia, claiming 3-29, while veteran legspinner Adam Zampa finished with 2-32 from his four overs.
Opening the bowling, offspinner Glenn Maxwell took 1-29 from four overs and claimed a typically spectacular leap-over-the-boundary and toss-the-ball-in-the-air catch to get rid of Rickelton in the final over.
https://x.com/cricketcomau/status/1954529574047351191
The Proteas have managed only six wins from their last 13 matches and had not won any of their last three bilateral series.
Wild batting saw Australia collapse to 6-75, attempting to cash in on fielding restrictions during the first six overs, but a bad miss in the field allowed Tim David to salvage matters, hitting eight sixes in his 52-ball innings while batting with the tail.
David was given a costly life on 56 when he skied spinner Senuran Muthusamy to long on, only for Tristan Stubbs to drop a straightforward outfield catch. The next two balls went for six, with the first landing on the roof of a stand.
“It’s obviously not the team plan to be four down within six overs, but that happens at times,” said David, who was named player of the match.
“We’ve got what we believe is a great calibre of batsman in our batting order, and we back each guy to make the right decisions.”
In the form of his life, David scored an unbeaten 102 not out from just 37 balls against the West Indies just two matches ago.
“He’s very competitive,” Rickelton said. “He backs his ability, which is great. It’s cool to sea young guy stand up to Australia in their backyard.
“It’s very promising for South African cricket. He’s quite a relaxed guy in the change room, but when he crosses that line, he’s got a bit of white line fever, which is, again, quite exciting for us.”
Australian captain Mitchell Marsh set the tone by smashing the first ball of the match, from Lungi Ngidi, over long off for six after South African captain Aiden Markram won the toss and chose to bowl.
But Travis Head (2) went in the second over and new No.3 Josh Inglis for a first ball duck in the third.
Marsh (13) skied Kagiso Rabada to Maphaka at deep square leg, Cameron Green (35 in 13 balls) skied Ngidi straight up in the air and Mitch Owen (2), played the worst shot of the night, charging Maphaka to lose his off stump.
Rickelton was frustrated that he was unable to score more quickly.
“No excuse. I just really tried to hit the ball, and I just kept clocking it,” he said.
“In the end, it just wasn’t enough to. I wasn’t finding my groove quick enough in order to get the team over the line.”
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