New captain Marsh leads Australia to crushing win

Australia thrashed a woeful South Africa by 111 runs in the first KFC T20I at Hollywoodbets Kingsmead in Durban on Wednesday night.

Australia, put into bat by Aiden Markram on a superb pitch for the format, powered to 226 for six wickets in their knock thanks largely to an unbeaten 92 by man of the match Mitchell Marsh and 62 by Tim David.

In reply, the Proteas slumped to 115 all out in 15.3 overs with only opener Reeza Hendricks able to hold his head up high with 54 in 43 balls, including five fours and two sixes.

The Australian hero was debutant legspinner Tanveer Sangha who finished with 4-31 in his four overs, ripping the heart out of the Proteas’ middle-order.

🚨 RESULT | AUSTRALIA WIN BY 111 RUNS

Reeza Hendricks (56) fought hard to keep the team in the chase but ran out of partners as Australia take a 1-0 lead in the #KFCT20Iseries#SAvAUS #BePartOfIt pic.twitter.com/8IFYOYgmwV

— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) August 30, 2023

Sangha might have been fortunate with his first two scalps, with Markram slashing a long-hop to backward point while Dewald Brevis belted an innocuous delivery straight to long-off.

But his delivery to have Tristan Stubbs stumped first ball was a beauty and he bowled with good control thereafter, collecting his final scalp when he bowled Marcus Jansen in his final over.

Sangha only played because regular leg-spinner Adam Zampa pulled out of the game late in the day because of illness.

He was given excellent support by Marcus Stoinis who claimed 2-18 in his three overs, including the wicket of Temba Bavuma in the first over, with the diminutive batsman being bowled for a duck.

South Africa’s only real moment of hope with the bat came with a second-wicket partnership of 46 in 24 balls between Hendricks and Rassie van der Dussen (21) before the latter drove Sean Abbott loosely to Marsh at wide mid-off.

Thereafter, the South African batsmen served as skittles for the entertainment of the disciplined Aussie bowlers with only Jansen reaching double-figures as the innings folded.

Aiden Markram blamed “rust” for South Africa’s sorry showing and they will have to improve quickly if they are to provide stiff competition for the tourists in the remaining two matches on Friday (6pm) and Sunday (2pm).

BLITZKRIEG

Earlier, skipper Marsh flogged the Proteas’ bowlers for a brutal unbeaten 92 in 49 balls as the South African bowlers produced a ragged display.

Marsh, who batted at three, featured in partnerships of 63 in 28 balls with opener Matt Short and then a breathtaking 97 in 52 balls with David who dominated their partnership.

David blitzed 64 in 28 balls, including six fours and four sixes. Marsh himself struck 13 fours and two sixes in his knock – his fastest T20 half-century – which managed to be both highly aggressive and the spine of the innings as he batted through.

The delights of T20I cricket was immediately apparent in the first over of the match as Travis Head slogged at Jansen’s first delivery without making contact before slashing his second ball for six over point. He then departed to the third ball, neatly caught by Hendricks at slip.

Short and Marsh raced along, with Australia’s 70 in the first powerplay the fastest in the format at Kingsmead, but there was a mini-collapse as first Short was caught by Hendricks before Josh Inglis was deceived by a superb slow yorker by Gerald Coetzee that knocked back his off-stump.

And when Stoinis slammed a pull straight to Jansen at midwicket, South Africa were back in the contest with the tourists losing their fourth wicket for 77 in the seventh over.

The breathless pace of the match continued, however, with Marsh and David tucking into all the South African bowlers who each went for more than 10 an over in their spells. As Marsh took a metaphorical breath, it was David who pounded the bowling, hitting some massive blows all around the wicket, contributing 64 to their stand of 97.

David was eventually dismissed by a marvellous running catch at long-off by Bavuma, giving Tabraiz Shamsi his only wicket.

Debutant Aaron Hardie continued the blitzkrieg, slamming 23 in 14 balls, but it was Marsh, who finished eight short of a richly deserved century, who saw his team through to their challenging total.

It was a bruising outing for the Proteas’ bowlers with Lizaad Williams the most successful, taking 3-44 in his four overs.

Lungi Ngidi struggled the most, going for 49 in his four overs including 20 off his first.

SOUTH AFRICA: Temba Bavuma, Reeza Hendricks, Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram (capt), Dewald Brevis, Tristan Stubbs (wk), Marco Jansen, Gerald Coetzee, Lungi Ngidi, Lizaad Williams, Tabraiz Shamsi

AUSTRALIA: Matt Short, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh (capt), Josh Inglis, Marcus Stoinis, Tim David, Aaron Hardie, Sean Abbott, Nathan Ellis, Tanveer Sangha, Spencer Johnson