Australia vs South Africa T20 Cricket World Cup: Aussies hold on to win by 5 wickets

Just when it looked like Australia was set for a horror first up loss at the World Cup, two middle order batsmen stood up – and silenced the critics in the process.

Josh Hazlewood won player of the match after an inspired effort with ball in hand. Picture: AFP.

Marcus Stoinis admits he had to suppress his 'Greek' hot blooded streak, as the ice cold ‘Adonis’ led Australia to a confidence boosting win in the World Cup opener.

Pigeon holed previously as a top order hitter who can struggle to get going down the order, Stoinis silenced his critics with a finishing masterclass to save Australia from potential embarrassment against South Africa chasing just 118.

Stoinis hit 24 not out off just 16 deliveries, including three boundaries in four deliveries at the death to clinch Australia a tense five-wicket victory with two balls remaining, with Matthew Wade also proving critics wrong with an equally clutch unbeaten 15 off 10 balls.

According to Stoinis, the adjustment to World Cup Finisher is all about keeping his Mediterranean impulses in check.

“The main thing for me there was actually trying to stay as calm as I can,” he said.

“For a Greek Australian, it’s pretty hard.

Catch all the ICC T20 World Cup action live & exclusive to Fox Cricket, available on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial today >

Josh Hazlewood won player of the match after an inspired effort with ball in hand. Picture: AFP.

“You saw a bit of emotion come out towards the end but the main thing is me and Wadey were just communicating about who was going to bowl each over, made a plan and then stayed calm.

“Yeah I know there’s been lot of questions around (our finishing ability). All we can do as players is play the role we get told to play. Whether that’s up the top in Big Bash or down the bottom for Australia finishing.

“I won’t lie, there was a bit of a feeling of, ‘here we go again, there’s a run chase on here,’ so it was good to get that one over the line.”

Australia threw T20 conventions out the window to destroy South Africa with Test match bowling on Saturday night.

Inspired by a stunning performance from Josh Hazlewood, who took a wicket with his first ball and a wicket maiden in his second over, Australia suffocated the Proteas into submission – although batting question marks remain after what should have been an easy run chase was nearly butchered.

In serious strife at 5-81, Wade hit two crucial boundaries off Kagiso Rabada in the 17th over to get Australia back in the fight.

Confronted with the daunting reality of having never nailed the Twenty20 format, Australian selectors ignored what the stats boffins and conditions said about spin to win and simply backed in its feared Test match fast bowling attack to get the job done.

Australia's batsmen struggled to chase down a relatively easy total, as Steve Smith fell to some impressive fielding from Aiden Markram. Picture: AFP.

The result – South Africa bulldozed for just 118 batting first with Hazlewood the star.

“Length was the key. It was about hitting the right length just above the top of the stumps,” said Hazlewood.

“Teasing them on that length. Anything full seemed too easy to score and anything short to a degree seemed easy. The length was crucial.”

But Australia’s successful chase to win by five wickets with two balls remaining wasn’t without some severe heart palpitations as Aaron Finch (0), David Warner (14) and Mitchell Marsh (11) all fell within the first eight overs.

Steve Smith (35) and Glenn Maxwell (18) were in the box seat to guide Australia home, but Smith was claimed by an incredible game-turning diving catch from Aiden Markram and Maxwell was clean bowled attempting a reverse sweep to put Australia under enormous pressure.

But needing 14 off the last 9 balls, Stoinis stood up as the finisher Australia so desperately needed.

Glenn Maxwell was in the box seat to guide Australia home, but it fell to Matthew Wade and Marcus Stoinis to save the day. Picture: AFP.

“It’s quite stressful. Any time you’re chasing a total and it’s coming down to the wire, you’re always going to be nervous,” said captain, Finch.

“Marcus Stoinis showed a really cool head, Matty Wade as well to get us over the line. I think that’s what a little bit of experience can do at the back end of the innings.”

Ashton Agar was a shock axing to accommodate the power trio of Hazlewood (2-19), Pat Cummins (1-17) and Mitchell Starc (2-32), who in their first ever T20 bowling together proved that world class line and length can conquer all – even when the ball is white not red.

That’s not to say Australia’s spinners were overshadowed, with Glenn Maxwell (1-24) striking in just the second over of the match to set the tone, and leggie Adam Zampa (2-21) bowling superbly, taking two wickets in the 14th over to finish the rout started by Hazlewood and the quicks.

Australian selectors were originally leaning towards picking Hazlewood – snubbed from the 2019 ODI World Cup – instead of the IPL’s $3.2 million man Cummins, but in the end pulled an even bigger shock by deciding they couldn’t do without either man.

Glenn Maxwell is bowled after attempting a reverse sweep. Picture: Getty Images

It will be interesting to see whether Australia can continue with the all-out pace strategy throughout the tournament given the UAE’s reputation for slow and worn wickets, and the fact better teams stand in their path than South Africa, but on opening night the bloody minded strategy achieved its objective of launching Finch’s men into the World Cup title reckoning.

Finch praised Hazlewood, who is in hot from after leading Chennai to the IPL title in the same UAE conditions.

“He’s a world class bowler in any format of the game,” said Finch.

“People say accuracy and consistency can be the easiest to hit in T20, but when you have a wicket that is providing that variation, it’s really challenging and he did a brilliant job again.”

Stoinis said despite the batting issues, Australia would build in confidence from winning a game, that had they lost – they would have been under serious pressure to get out of the group.

“I think it’s important to start tournaments like this,” he said.

Originally published as Australia vs South Africa T20 Cricket World Cup: Aussies hold on to win by 5 wickets