As South Africa scorched Australia for a series-opening Twenty20 triumph, captain Aaron Finch was almost singed – literally.
The Proteas banked a seven-wicket victory on Wednesday night, cruising to their 145-run target with an over to spare at Adelaide Oval.
The tourists (3-145) reeled in Australia’s middling 6-144, underpinned by Shane Watson’s classy 47 in his first international outing in seven months, to take a one-nil lead in the three-game series.
Finch had more than South African batsmen and loose Australian bowling to worry about.
In the fourth over, the T20 skipper chased a teasing Quenton de Kock drive which beat him over the boundary.
As the skipper went to retrieve the ball, a burst of colourful flames two metres behind the boundary went off – as they had all match to herald a big hit.
Finch understandably cowered, quickly hunched and took a backward step before mouthing an obscenity and picking up the ball.
The incident summed up the match for Finch and his Australians – close to a disaster.
Australia’s batting innings was rescued by Watson, who top-scored in his comeback from ankle and calf injuries, and allrounder James Faulkner (41 not out).
After the hosts limped to 4-67 after 10 overs with both their debutants – Ben Dunk (two) and Nathan Reardon (four) failing – Watson and Faulkner offered steadying hands.
The pair put on a half-century partnership from 35 balls, with Watson clubbing three sixes and Faulkner getting close to lifting Australia to a competitive total.
But on a true batting deck before 26,370 spectators, South Africa’s supposedly second-stringers cantered past the post.
After quick Doug Bollinger took a third-ball wicket, the Proteas unveiled an axeman, Rilee Rossouw, who chopped down the Australian bowlers.
Rossouw, making his T20 international debut, plundered a half-century from just 32 balls.
The 25-year-old finished with 78 from 50 balls, striking three sixes and seven fours in a match-defining knock.
Rossouw put on 129 runs in 14.3 overs with De Kock, who played second fiddle with a composed 46 from 39 balls to leave Finch plenty to ponder before game two in Melbourne on Friday.
Build your own fantasy cricket team and put it to the test with Draftstars daily fantasy competitions. Pick your match, pick your team and watch the points roll in to take out cash prizes on each match. What are you really gambling with? Set a deposit limit.
After Rajasthan opener Yashasvi Jaiswal hit a boundary off the first ball, the Punjab player got revenge a few balls later - and ultimately…
"No cricketer that has ever lived hit the ball so often, so fast and with such a bewildering variety of strokes.” - HS Altham…
Featuring Aussie cricket star Usman Khawaja and taking inspiration from multiple horror films, Amazon Prime's promo for the 2024 T20 World Cup has certainly…
After a career that has spanned more than two decades, James Anderson leaves cricket as a legend of the game, up there with the…
Calvin Harrison mixed things up in his delivery stride starting behind the-non-striker, then going between the umpire and the stumps to deliver the ball…
Backing up too far, the Dehli Capitals batsman was caught out of his crease when Shai Hope hit the ball to the bowler who…
