By IANS,
Melbourne : Debutant David Warner’s breathtaking 89 from 43 balls saw Australia thump South Africa by 52-runs in the Twenty20 International here Sunday.
Australia scored 182 for nine in their 20 overs while South Africa, despite Jean-Paul Duminy’s 78, were all out for 130 in 18 overs at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Warner blasted seven fours and six sixes to bring the crowd at its feet. He scored bulk of the runs for Australia with Ricky Ponting (21) and David Hussey (19) the next best scorers.
Warner also wrote a different piece of history. He became the first man to debut for Australia in any format without first-class experience since 1877.
The 22-year-old raced to his half-century from 19 deliveries, the second-fastest in T20 internationals after Yuvraj Singh’s 12-ball effort.
South African bowlers had no answer to Warner’s innovative strokeplay. His innings included a six paddled over fine-leg and a baseball-style slog over midwicket off Dale Steyn in the first two deliveries he faced off the speedster.
The bowlers changed their line and forced him to play on the off-side but that did not work. A cut off Kallis screamed through to the boundary splitting the point and backward point.
Warner was finally out to Ntini in the 14th over. Luke Ronchi (11) and James Hopes (13) contributed in the last overs.
South Africa made a disastrous start losing three wickets in the first three overs. Herschelle Gibbs was trapped lbw by Nathan Bracken (2-18) in the third ball of the innings while Ab de Villiers was out hit-wicket to comeback man Shaun Tait (2-36) in the next over. Jacques Kallis was third to go, bowled by Ben Hilfenhaus (2-15) as South Africa were reduced to 12 for 3.
South Africa kept losing wickets save Duminy, who made a 48-ball 78 that included nine fours and one six. But Duminy did not get any support from the other end as the visitors folded up in 18th over. David Hussey took three wickets for 25 runs.