Twitter Reactions: Australia hold nerves in low-scoring thriller to start Super12s on winning note

The Proteas fought until the very end to make a game out of it, but defending 118 in the end proved a tall ask.

By Pratyay Tiwari

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Australia. (Photo Source: Twitter/T20 World Cup)

Australia dragged themselves to a five-wicket win with two balls to spare over South Africa on a sluggish Abu Dhabi track to open their account in the Super12 at the earliest juncture. A collective bowling effort from Australia restricted South Africa to an underwhelming 118/9, but the Proteas fought until the very end to make a game out of it. A rebuild act from Steven Smith and Glenn Maxwell and some composed efforts of Marcus Stoinis and Mathew Wade, however, avoided a mishap and ensured two points in their team’s kitty.

South Africa’s powerless powerplay 

Having elected to bat first, Temba Bavuma could not have expected worse fate to befall on his side, with the Proteas losing no less than three wickets inside the powerplay. Bavuma showed positive intent at the onset, driving Mitchell Starc crisply for a couple of boundaries in what eventually turned out to be a false start.

Finch’s decision to introduce Glenn Maxwell in just the second over paid immediate dividends, with him rattling Bavuma’s stumps with a rather straightforward delivery. It just took Australia another over to strike, as South Africa’s practice game centurion Rassie van der Dussen nicked Josh Hazlewood behind to leave his side 2/16.

That further reduced to 23/3 with a dismissal as bizarre as one would see: Quinton de Kock attempted to scoop Hazlewood, only for the ball to lob up in the air and fall right onto the stumps, as he stood befuddled and watched all that happen right in front of his eyes. Equally bizarrely, Australia ended up playing a wicket-maiden that over, finishing the powerplay 29/3.

Slump, slump

If Bavuma and Co. thought that the team would be able to infuse any momentum into the innings later, they were in for a rude awakening, with Australia not letting any of their partnership flourish longer than 34 runs. Heinrich Klassen and Aiden Markram did halt the rut for a while, but the former struggled throughout to find any momentum before holing out off Pat Cummins for a run-a-ball 13.

Australia completely strangulated South Africa, who could only score a solitary boundary between overs 10-16. Known for his big-hitting, David Miller labored his way to 16 off 18 in a boundary-less knock before being trapped lbw by Adam Zampa, who also had Dwaine Pretorious caught behind in the same over before a suicidal run-out of Keshav Maharaj.

Markram held his end up, scoring a 36-ball 40 with three fours and a six, but once he picked Maxwell at midwicket off Starc’s bowling, any chances of South Africa managing an imposing total entirely faded. Kagiso Rabada did manage to find the middle of his bat for a couple of shots, but his 19 off 23 were only as good as taking his team to 118/9.

Nortje, Rabada make early inroads

Chasing a below-par target, Australia were rocked early as Anrich Nortje and Kagiso Rabada began a stern test of the Aussie openers with their hard lengths. Nortje had Finch caught at third man for a five-ball duck, while Warner, who had plenty of eyes on himself, found Klaasen at point off Rabada, perishing for 14 off 15, with three fours. The game still hung in balance, with Australia managing 28/2 in their powerplay in response to South Africa’s poor 29/3.

For all his sensational form before the start of the tournament, promoted to No.3 Mitchell Marsh could only hit a single four in his 17-ball 11-run stay before depositing Keshav Maharaj straight to the man at deep midwicket.

Smith, Maxwell rebuild; Stoinis, Wade hold nerves to finish

Australia were teetering at 39/3 at Marsh’s departure, which is when Steven Smith and Glenn Maxwell joined along for a 42-run stand in difficult conditions. Run scoring was not easy did not need evidence on the day, more so when despite Maxwell being in the middle, the runs came only as fast as a run every ball in the partnership even though he showed guts in attempting multiple reverse sweeps and switch hits.

On the other end, though, some calculated batting from Smith, who scored a 34-ball 35, meant Australia continued to stay in the hunt. It took a sensational catch in the deep from Markram off Nortje to cut him short, and only three balls later, Maxwell saw his stumps broken by Tabraiz Shamsi as he failed to connect a switch hit.

At Maxwell’s end, Australia were still 40 runs off their mark in the chase, with South Africa increasingly looking like to make a game out of it in the face of their listless batting, but a couple of fours in the 17th over by Wade (unbeaten 15 off 10) eased the nerves. The game eventually went down the wire, with Australia needing 8 off the last over bowled by Pretorius. A couple of fours from Marcus Stoinis (24 off 16) were enough to see Australia beyond the line.

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