Boucher takes Proteas over line

Mark Boucher closes in on victory over Australia in Jo'burg with 36 from 22 balls

Mark Boucher slammed an unbeaten 36 from 22 deliveries to help South Africa snatch an unlikely victory from Australia with four balls to spare in the first Twenty20 international at the Wanderers.

Chasing 166 for victory, the home side looked dead and buried when Boucher and Albie Morkel came together still needing 84 from 47 deliveries with half the team already out.

But the pair put on 58 in five pulsating overs to give their side a chance, before edging over the line to go one up in the two-match series.

Earlier an career-best unbeaten 88 from David Hussey and David Warner’s 38 had helped the tourists post a competitive total.

The start of the home side’s response was disrupted by a 20-minute floodlight failure, which came just three balls into the first over.

But openers Herschelle Gibbs and Hashim Amla picked up after the delay with the former especially brutal on Shane Harwood, crashing him for two fours and a six in the second over.

The introduction of debutant Brett Geeves though, led to Gibbs’ demise when he struck with his first ball in international T20 cricket bringing the South Africa batsman onto the front foot as he drove straight to Ricky Ponting for 19.

Six deliveries later, the Tasmanian claimed the second breakthrough – this time bowling new man AB de Villiers for seven with a good length delivery that crashed into the stumps.

Amla (26) followed in the ninth over when his stumps were cleaned up by a yorker from the off-break bowling of Hussey as the hosts slumped to 64 for three.

And despite South Africa ticking the scoreboard over, wickets continued to fall at regular intervals with JP Duminy (21) and Vaughn van Jaarsveld next to depart within five balls of each other – bowled by James Hopes and Hussey respectively.

That brought together Morkel and Boucher, with the former doing most of the damage before his 37-ball innings was brought to an end when he tried to lift Mitchell Johnson back over his head and was out caught by Hussey running in from long-off for 37.

David Hussey's unbeaten 88 helps the tourists post 166 for seven

Needing 21 from the last two overs, captain Johan Botha hit one boundary, before Boucher was put down in the deep with a difficult chance grounded by Geeves running back from square leg.

That proved decisive with Boucher taking three more fours to lead South Africa home, with Botha unbeaten on seven.

Earlier, the home side won the toss and asked Australia to bat.

Wayne Parnell (2-29) struck an early blow as a frustrated Michael Clarke tried to hit through extra-cover and was bowled.

The hard-hitting Warner was off to a flying start, creaming Dale Steyn over mid-on for a one-bounce four.

But Ponting was next to go, having faced just five balls, when Morkel had him skying a catch to Botha - running back from mid-on.

Warner had a scare when he slipped while backing up for a single, but poor positioning by Parnell - and a good dive - saved the opener.

After putting on 54 in just 35 balls with David Hussey, Warner was finally out in an action-packed 10th over - courtesy of a superb return catch from Robin Peterson (3-30), who moved quickly to his right to snap up the chance.

The very next delivery saw the departure of new man Mike Hussey, run out for a duck by Botha's direct hit after attempting a single into the leg-side.

Two wickets quickly became three, Brad Haddin also out for nought when he holed out to Morkel at long-off from Peterson's final delivery.

David Hussey continued to hold up the hosts, though, lifting Parnell over extra-cover for a six and then slogging Peterson over deep midwicket for another maximum.

The same bowler had Cameron White caught at deep midwicket by Duminy, ending a 45-run stand.

Johnson rotated the strike well with Hussey, and then Hopes helped his senior partner plunder 17 off Steyn in the last over.