Aussies hold their nerve to see off South Africa

AUSTRALIA put their dreadful T20 form behind them to pull off a tense five-wicket victory over South Africa as the World Cup’s Super 12 stage got under way in Abu Dhabi.

There were only two balls to spare when Marcus Stoinis heaved Dwaine Pretorius over midwicket for the winning boundary — though at 81 for five in the 16th over in pursuit of a lowly 119, the Australians were in danger of fluffing their lines on a slow surface.

But Stoinis pulled the dangerous South African fast bowler Anrich Nortje for four from the penultimate ball of the 19th over, then settled nerves by straight-driving Pretorius for another boundary from the 20th’s second delivery.

He finished with an unbeaten 24 off 16 balls, while wicketkeeper Matthew Wade chipped in with 15 not out off 10, allowing the Australians to belie the form that had produced five successive T20 series defeats, including 4-1 thumpings in the West Indies and Bangladesh

‘The dugout was probably a bit more relaxed than I was,’ said Australia skipper Aaron Finch, who began the chase with a five-ball duck. ‘Stoinis and Wade kept their cool there. It’s what experience can do.’

Earlier, Australia fielded all three of their big fast bowlers — Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins — in a T20 game for the first time, and the move paid off as South Africa limped to 118 for nine.

Hazlewood picked up two for one in his first two overs, while Cummins finished with a miserly one for 17 from his four. Aiden Markram made 40, but no one else reached 20. ‘As much as it was a day that didn’t go to plan, we can take positives. We showed fight,’ South Africa captain Temba Bavuma said.