Australia survived a last-over scare to chase down a 205-run target for a dramatic five-wicket victory against the Proteas at the Wanderers on Sunday.
Mitchell Marsh got the two runs off the last ball to level the T20I series at 1-1 – with the finale to come at Newlands on Wednesday (6pm start) – and end a run of five T20 defeats in a row for the visitors in front of a capacity crowd in Johannesburg.
David Warner and Glenn Maxwell put on an Australian T20 record partnership for any wicket of 161 off 13.1 overs to take their team to the brink of victory after captain Steve Smith won the toss and elected to bowl first.
But Chris Morris snared the vital wicket of Maxwell for 75 off 43 deliveries (7x4, 3x6) with seven balls to go to give South Africa a sniff.
Kagiso Rabada then had 11 runs to defend in the final over, but with the explosive Warner on strike, Australia were in the driving seat.
However, Rabada produced yet another piece of magic this summer as he clean-bowled the left-handed Warner for 77 (40 balls, 6x4, 5x6) – which won him the Man-of-the-Match award – with a magnificent yorker.
But the 20-year-old Proteas star sent down two wides and was hit for consecutive twos by James Faulkner, which saw Australia needing just three to win off two balls.
Faulkner, though, got a single after an inside edge into his pads, and it was up to fellow all-rounder Marsh to step up with two to win off the last ball.
Rabada fired in another full delivery as he searched for a yorker, but Marsh got enough bat on it to squeeze it past the bowler, and the ball bounced over the stumps. The lack of pace give Marsh and Faulkner enough time to scamper back for two as David Miller fumbled the ball, although the batsmen would’ve made it anyway.
It was a demoralising defeat for the Proteas as they would’ve thought that their total of 204/7 would’ve been enough to win.
And they made a great start in the field as they reduced Australia to 32/3 in the sixth over, with Aaron Finch (2), Shane Watson (9) and skipper Smith (19) already gone.
Rabada thundered through Finch to bowl him with a wonderful yorker, Smith followed to an unbelievable catch by Rabada at third man off Dale Steyn, and Watson also fell to an excellent catch by Duminy in the same Steyn over.
Steyn bowled quickly and with good skill in his return to international cricket, grabbing 2/32 in four overs, while Rabada was the best bowler again with 2/25 in his four.
But the rest of the attack were slaughtered by Warner and Maxwell as the Proteas battled with their lines and lengths. There were too many short balls that just sat up and waited to be hit, and also a number of full tosses that were sent high into the stands, with some even above waist height, resulting in free hits.
One massive six by Maxwell off David Wiese went out of the ground as it bounced off the top of the Wanderers scoreboard and into the road.
Even leg-spinner Imran Tahir, who has been in wonderful form lately, wasn’t spared as he conceded 47 runs in his allotted four overs, Morris claimed 1/39 and Wiese 0/58.
Australia nearly messed it up with Maxwell’s dismissal off Morris, with the ball slicing off the bat to AB de Villiers on the cover boundary. But Marsh and Faulkner pulled it through to ensure there is a series decider at Newlands on Wednesday.
Earlier, Proteas skipper Faf du Plessis whacked an impressive 79 off 41 balls (5x4, 5x6) to propel his team to beyond the 200 mark.
Du Plessis received good support from Quinton de Kock, who got 44 off 28 (8x4, 1x6) and Miller’s quick-fire 33 off 18 (2x4, 2x6).
But in the end, the 204/7 wasn’t enough, although the Proteas will hopefully have learnt some valuable lessons from a tight game, such as when to bring back Rabada after his opening spell.
He was held back until the last over while Warner and Maxwell flayed the Proteas bowlers around the Wanderers, so perhaps the youngster have been brought back earlier to break the partnership.
Also, Morris’s bowling is a real concern despite his exploits with the bat in recent weeks, as he has been on the expensive side in most games.
@IndyCapeSport