Power-packed David Slams 83 as Australia beat SAfrica

Darwin, Aug. 11: Tim David and Josh Hazlewood led the charge as Australia sealed a comfortable 17-run victory over South Africa in Sunday evening’s T20 series opener in Darwin.

Chasing a 179-run target for victory, the Proteas limped towards 9-161 courtesy of a clutch bowling performance from the returning Hazlewood, who claimed 3-27 from four overs in the Northern Territory capital. South African opener Ryan Rickelton cracked a 55-ball 71, but the left-hander didn’t receive any support from the middle order.

It was Australia’s ninth consecutive victory in men’s T20Is, setting a new national record.

Earlier, Australia was bowled out for 178 following a 52-ball 83 from David, who rescued the hosts following an early collapse of 6-60 at Marrara Stadium. The powerful slugger, later named player of the match, cracked eight monstrous sixes in front of the sold-out crowd, with a double-parked spectator holding onto a one-handed chance.

Teenage paceman Kwena Maphaka was the pick of the South African bowlers with career-best figures of 4-20 from four overs, while fellow speedster Kagiso Rabada claimed two wickets.

“We were pretty far from our best tonight,” South Africa skipper Aiden Markram confessed during the post-match presentation.

Australia’s top-order swung for the fences after Markram won the toss and chose to bowl, with captain Mitchell Marsh slapping the first delivery over the long-off boundary.

The slogging hosts lost three wickets within eight deliveries during the Powerplay as Rabada created early inroads with the new ball — Marsh and opening partner Travis Head both fell victim to the superstar quick, while wicketkeeper Josh Inglis picked out point for a golden duck.

Cameron Green clobbered three sixes during a 13-ball 35 before top-edging a well-disguised slower ball from Lungi Ngidi, prompting another brief collapse of 3-5 from 12 deliveries.

The Australians were suddenly in strife at 6-75 in the eighth over when all-rounders Mitchell Owen and Glenn Maxwell fell cheaply, exposing the tail before the drinks break.

The scoring tempo steadied when David and Ben Dwarshuis, who struck a career-best 17, rebuilt the innings with a 59-run partnership for the seventh wicket. Tristan Stubbs put down a regulation chance at long-on to gift David an extra life on 56, with the West Australian rubbing salt into the wounds by thumping the next two deliveries into the stands.

David, dropped again on 83, farmed the strike following Dwarshuis’ departure but holed out to long-on during the penultimate over, earning a standing ovation as he trudged off the field.

South Africa’s run chase got off to a shaky start, with captain Markram departing in the first over after chipping Hazlewood towards extra cover for 12. Young guns Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Dewald Brevis each fell cheaply during the Powerplay, leaving the Proteas in a spot of bother at 3-48 in the sixth over.

The required run rate grew as Rickelton and Tristan Stubbs struggled to find the boundary rope during the middle overs, with the duo adding 72 runs for the fourth wicket.

However, Hazlewood returned in the 15th over and removed Stubbs caught behind for 37 (27), sparking a frantic collapse of 4-3 from ten balls, all but sealing Australia’s triumph.

South Africa needed 21 runs from the final over for an unlikely victory, but Dwarshuis (3-27 from four overs) successfully defended the target, with Glenn Maxwell producing yet another acrobatic effort on the boundary rope to end Rickelton’s resistance.

“That is freakish,” former Australian batter Mark Waugh said on Fox Cricket commentary. The second T20 between Australia and South Africa gets underway at the same venue on Tuesday. (AFP)