Crushing victory seals T20 series for Australia

Mitch Marsh has continued his dream run as Australia's Twenty20 captain, punishing South Africa's bowlers for the second time in three days to rocket his side to a series-clinching eight-wicket win at Durban.

After thumping 92no in his captaincy debut in the first game, Marsh produced an equally swashbuckling encore, thumping an unbeaten 79 off 39 balls at Kingsmead on Friday night (Saturday morning AEST).

He made South Africa's 8-164 look completely inadequate as Australia sprinted to victory with 31 balls to spare, securing an unassailable 2-0 series lead.

The Proteas have been powerless to find any answers for Marsh, who thumped six sixes in his thrilling knock and has racked up 171 runs off 86 balls for the series without being dismissed.

He had a wonderful ally in Matt Short who followed his promising 20 on debut in the series opener with 66 off 30 deliveries, which included four sixes.

After Travis Head departed for 18, Short's clean striking and Marsh's brute power paved the path for a second successive belting.

Short crunched Lungi Ngidi's second over for 20 to close the Powerplay strongly before Marsh smashed spinner Bjorn Fortuin's first over for 18.

Short then made light work of hapless seamer Gerald Coetzee who sprayed back-to-back wides before going for 4-4-4-6.

Marsh offered one tough chance on 32, Temba Bavuma almost pulling off a screamer in the outer.

The dynamic duo combined for 100 runs - Australia's best ever second-wicket partnership against South Africa - before Short, the dominant partner, sliced spinner Tabraiz Shamsi to Aiden Markram.

Marsh went to another level of aggression following Short's exit, swinging hard to the finish.

Earlier, South Africa captain Markam's 49 helped the Proteas to a respectable 8-164 after their top order had been blown away.

Opener Temba Bavuma thumped 35 of South Africa's first 36 runs but his departure sparked a 4-10 collapse from the last three overs of the powerplay.

Seven of those runs came from a no-ball and free hit six thumped by Rassie van der Dussen off Sean Abbott.

Markram and wicketkeeper Tristan Stubbs (27) joined forces at 4-46 and put on 51 for the fifth wicket to give their attack something to bowl at.

Seamers Sean Abbott (3-22), Nathan Ellis (3-25) and Jason Behrendorff (2-25) all managed to produce appreciable sideways movement and manufacture regular breakthroughs before Marsh and Short provided the real fireworks.

2023 Qantas T20s v South Africa

August 30: Australia won by 111 runs

September 1: Australia won by eight wickets

September 3: Third T20I, Durban, September 3, 10pm AEST

Australia T20 squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Jason Behrendorff, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Matt Short, Marcus Stoinis, Ashton Turner, Tanveer Sangha, Matthew Wade, Adam Zampa

South Africa T20 squad: Aiden Markram (c), Temba Bavuma, Matthew Breetzke, Dewald Brevis, Gerald Coetzee, Donovan Ferreira, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Sisanda Magala, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs, Lizaad Williams, Rassie van der Dussen

2023 Qantas ODIs v South Africa

September 7: First ODI, Bloemfontein (D/N), 9pm AEST

September 9: Second ODI, Bloemfontein (D/N), 9pm AEST

September 12: Third ODI, Potchefstroom (D/N), 9pm AEST

September 15: Fourth ODI, Centurion (D/N), 9pm AEST

September 17: Fifth ODI, Johannesburg, 6pm AEST

Australia ODI squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Marnus Labuschagne, Tanveer Sangha, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa

South Africa ODI squad: Temba Bavuma (c), Dewald Brevis, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Brjor Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Sisanda Magala, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi, Wayne Parnell, Kagiso Rabada, Tristan Stubbs, Rassie van der Dussen