Australia impressed in every department to power to a 93-run win over South Africa on Wednesday in the rain-affected first one-day international at SuperSport Park.
South Africa was 129 all out chasing a revised Duckworth/Lewis target of 223 in 29 overs after Australia made 183-4. However, even with a tough calculation for the host, Australia dominated throughout a curtailed match to take an early lead in the three-match series.
Former skipper Ricky Ponting made 63 in an unfamiliar role opening the batting and shared a 102-run partnership with current captain Michael Clarke (44) as the tourists shrugged off a four-and-a-half hour rain delay in the middle of their innings.
Highly rated teenager Pat Cummins then shone on his ODI debut with crucial wickets in his 3-28 as South Africa collapsed in 22 overs in its first ODI since the World Cup — and first 50-over game under new coach Gary Kirsten.
Mitchell Johnson took 3-20 and Mitchell Marsh, another teenager on debut, had 1-19 as Australia’s new breed of youngsters blended powerfully with the experienced campaigners to serve up a strong performance in the series-opener.
“Great start by the boys, a great team performance,” said Ponting, who won the man-of-the-match award.
Ponting’s 82nd one-day half-century in a rare outing as opener laid the foundation for Australia’s imposing start and Michael Hussey also hit valuable late boundaries in his 30 from 21 balls after the long rain delay to set the challenging target.
South Africa never came close after Cummins removed Jacques Kallis (15) and JP Duminy (4) in the same over. Allrounder Marsh grabbed the wicket of Proteas stand-in skipper Hashim Amla (24) off his fifth ball in one-day internationals two overs later.
“There’s room for improvement but very happy with the start,” Clarke said. “It’s nice to spend some time in the middle and I’m not surprised with Ricky. It’s just the start of things to come.
“He’s faced a lot of pressure in his career and that’s when he plays his best. He’s been creaming them in the nets and he looked great today.”
Ponting took advantage of some wayward bowling by South African strike bowler Dale Steyn at the start of Australia’s innings to cruise to 40 off 55 balls when the rain came. Clarke supported well and Australia was 96-1 in 19 overs — and going strongly — when players were forced off by the weather.
Clarke and Hussey — who hit three fours and a six – gave Australia its impetus as it chased quick runs after the reduction in overs.
Steyn led the Proteas bowlers with 2-48, but South Africa’s main weapon looked rusty in his first international in six months, while Clarke, Ponting and Hussey were all sharp in their first games of the tour after missing the drawn Twenty20 series.
“We haven’t had any consistency,” Amla said. “In the game to follow we need to set things right. It’s been a rusty start but there’s two games to go in the series.”
Out-of-form Graeme Smith, the former South Africa limited overs captain, was dismissed in the first over for the second time on this tour and Cummins and Marsh ripped the heart out of South Africa’s top order as its three best batsmen went in the space of 15 runs to leave the home team 55-4.
Faf du Plessis (27) and Johan Botha (25) resisted, but Botha stepped back onto his own stumps to give Cummins his third wicket and cap South Africa’s disappointing day.
Left-arm paceman Johnson swept up the tailenders and spinner Xavier Doherty also contributed with 2-33 as Australia’s all-around performance saw it strike the first blow at the business end of a monthlong tour.
The teams contest remaining one-dayers in Port Elizabeth and Durban before a two-match test series starts early next month. — Sapa-AP