David Warner showed he wasn’t a one-hit wonder but it was South Africa that struck the perfect notes in their three-wicket one-day triumph at the SCG.
Stocky Sydneysider Warner bludgeoned the Proteas in his knock of 69 off 60 balls but he received precious little support in Australia’s 269 from 49.2 overs in their day-night clash.
In reply, Herschelle Gibbs (64 from 52 balls) started the job and man of the match Albie Morkel (40 off 22 balls) finished it off as the tourists won the clash with 21 balls to spare.
The result handed South Africa a 2-1 lead in the five-match series heading into game four on Australia Day in Adelaide.
Chasing 270 to win, Australia handed the Proteas the opportunity for a flying start by giving both Hashim Amla (13) and Gibbs lives in the first over of their reply.
It ended up costing them dearly as Gibbs’ scintillating knock meant the target remained in reach despite South Africa losing 4-38 in the middle of their reply.
Morkel was also grassed early in his innings by Shaun Tait in the deep as Australia were made to pay for their mistakes in the field.
It was the highest successful run chase in a one-day international at the SCG.
After Ricky Ponting opted to bat, the question was whether Warner could cut the mustard after backing up his spectacular Twenty20 debut with two failures.
By his standards, he played his way into his innings before peeling 15 runs off Dale Steyn in the fourth over on the way to reaching his half century off 41 balls.
Warner displayed his unorthodox ways with an audacious hook shot for six off Jacques Kallis as he and Shaun Marsh put on an opening stand of 114 off 18.5 overs.
It was a welcome performance for national selectors so soon after Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden’s retirements.
However after Warner has his stumps scattered by Steyn, Proteas skipper Johan Botha (3-32 from 10 overs) dragged his side back into the contest as Australia lost their last nine wickets for 125.
No side had scored more than 260 in a successful run chase at the ground.
But Australia handed the visitors a head start with Ponting and David Hussey dropping Amla and Gibbs respectively in the opening over by Tait.
Amla only reached 13 before falling in a comical mix-up but Gibbs made the most of his chance with an enterprising knock.
Mitchell Johnson had Gibbs caught at first slip and Nathan Bracken soon after sent AB De Villiers (5) packing.
Even the classy JP Duminy (9) couldn’t steady the innings, a ball from spinner Nathan Hauritz staying low and hitting his off stump.
Jacques Kallis (60 off 72 balls), who became just the eighth cricketer to reach 10,000 one-day international runs in his innings, fell two balls later to Tait.
His dismissal left the Proteas at 5-163 before Neil McKenzie (27) and Mark Boucher (31no) pushed the score to 208 when Warner’s arm brought McKenzie undone.
That brought Morkel to the crease and he smashed 14 off a Johnson over with four of those runs coming off a dropped catch by Tait in the deep.
Another heart stopper looked on the cards before Morkel smashed his team to the brink of victory.
Botha said his men were hungry to wrap up the series in Adelaide.
“That would be huge,” he said.
“Yesterday I had a chat and I said to the guys it has been a really good series so far but if we want to make it a really great series, then we have to win the one-day series.
“We are one game away and as a team we don’t want to leave it to Perth.”
Ponting said his side had just made too many mistakes.
“Lots of mistakes whether it be with the bat not capitalising on partnerships or dropping catches early on,” he said.
“A couple of mistakes from us were probably the difference in the game.”
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