Australia beat South Africa by 17 runs in T20

Darwin: Tim David bludgeoned eight sixes in his robust 83 and led Australia to a 17-run win over South Africa in the first T20 on Sunday as international cricket returned to Darwin after 17 years. David’s aggressive knock off 52 balls pushed Australia to 178 all out after the home team had lost five big hitters inside the first seven overs.

Opening batter Ryan Rickelton (71) and Tristan Stubbs (37) kept South Africa in the hunt, but Josh Hazlewood’s (3-27) twin strike in the 15th over and Glenn Maxwell’s spectacular catch of Rickelton in the final over limited the Proteas to 161-9 and earned Australia its ninth successive win in T20.

Stubbs and Rickelton revived South Africa hopes with a 72-run stand after the visitors had lost three wickets inside the batting powerplay and slipped to 48-3.

Captain Aidan Markram, returning to lead the side after being rested for the triangular series in Zimbabwe, struck three boundaries in Hazlewood’s first over before he was caught in covers in same over. Lhuan-dre Pretorius attempted an inside out shot against Maxwell’s offspin and was caught at wide long off while Ben Dwarshuis dismissed power-hitter Dewald Brevis for just two runs off six balls.