Aussies win seven-over thriller

Full scorecard here

It was seventh heaven for Australia in Durban on Wednesday night, winning a rain-affected thriller by five wickets.

Set 81 off seven overs, David Warner blasted 40 off 16 balls before veteran Brad Hodge used all his experience to sink South Africa, launching two sixes in the final over to win with two balls to spare.

Heavy rain postponed the start of the match to within 20 minutes of extinction, relying on a forest of sawdust to satisfy match referee Chris Broad that the surface was fit and safe for international cricket.

The patient crowd was glad Broad did, witnessing Australia and Hodge track down 15 from the final over and 13 from the last three balls bowled by left-armer Wayne Parnell.

Back-to-back maximums from balls four and five reduced the equation to one off two before a wild bouncer was deemed too high by the square-leg umpire, securing the win for the tourists.

Warner played with the freedom and stillness that’s highlighted his incredible run of form, pouncing on anything over-pitched or dropped short.

He took 16 out of 21 from the first over of the innings, then 17 in the third over to swing the momentum toward the vibrant yellow of Australia.

The chase was almost derailed when Australia lost 3-6 in eight balls, including Warner adjudged lbw attempting a reverse sweep off JP Duminy’s first ball.

A mix-up in the penultimate over saw skipper George Bailey depart for two, sent back by Hodge attempting a second run.

But the old boys Hodge and Brad Haddin brought Australia home to go one-nil up in the series with one match to play.

The Proteas competitive total was thanks to 21-year-old Quinton de Kock who blasted an unbeaten 41 off 20 balls in a 74-run second-wicket partnership with captain Faf du Plessis (27 off 13).

The pair plundered 55 from the final four overs of South Africa’s innings to catapult the hosts into a strong position at the mid-way mark.

De Kock targeted allrounder Shane Watson, sending him over his head for 10 off is first two balls, then rounding out his innings with three giant bombs, the first of which met the looming cloud cover that hung overhead at the peak of its ascent.

The total was probably enough if not for Hodge’s final over flourish and Parnell’s slight err in length.

Centurion plays host to the final match of the tour on Friday, where Australia will look to win its second-consecutive T20I series and head to Bangladesh full of confidence and momentum.