Australia vs South Africa ODI Highlights 16.01.09

http://cricketdamage.blogspot.com Australia capitalised on some charitable South African fielding to set the Proteas a challenging 272 for victory in the opening one-day international at the MCG. After winning the toss, Australia reached 271 for eight in ideal conditions for batting on the back of half-centuries from international rookies Shaun Marsh and David Hussey. Marsh, who top-scored with a measured 79 off 97 balls, was the cornerstone of Australia's innings early before Hussey accelerated the home side's run rate, hitting 52 at better than a run a ball. The Proteas, however, gave several reprieves to the home side and will feel they could have restricted Australia to less than 250. Vaughn van Jaarsveld dropped two chances on his one-day international debut, grassing Ricky Ponting and Hussey, while Marsh was handed a lifeline by Neil McKenzie late in his innings. South Africa 1st Innings Batsman Runs 6s 4s Balls H H Gibbs b Hilfenhaus 22 0 3 28 H M Amla b Tait 1 0 0 3 J H Kallis b Clarke 41 0 4 49 J P Duminy c White b Bracken 71 0 0 93 N D McKenzie c Ponting b Hilfenhaus 63 0 6 80 M V Boucher b Tait 0 0 0 1 V van Jaarsveld run out 4 0 0 7 J A Morkel not out 40 1 4 18 J Botha not out 12 0 1 18 Extras 18 Total 7 wkts, 49.3 overs 272 Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-36, 3-90, 4-213, 5-215, 6-219, 7-221 Bowler O M R W Bracken 10 2 49 1 Tait 10 0 43 2 Hilfenhaus 9.3 1 55 2 Hopes 10 0 51 0 Hussey 5 0 35 0 Clarke 5 0 29 1 Australia 1st Innings Batsman Runs 6s 4s Balls S E Marsh c Boucher b Morkel 79 1 4 97 M E K Hussey c Boucher b Steyn 6 0 1 11 R T Ponting c Boucher b Botha 46 0 5 54 M J Clarke c Amla b Morkel 19 0 1 38 D J Hussey b Morkel 52 0 5 50 C W White b Botha 21 0 2 24 B J Haddin run out 19 0 2 12 J R Hopes c van Jaarsveld b Morkel 2 0 0 4 N W Bracken not out 12 0 1 8 B W Hilfenhaus not out 1 0 0 2 Extras 10 Total 8 wkts, 50 overs 271 Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-102, 3-146, 4-174, 5-223, 6-231, 7-254, 8-259 Bowler O M R W Steyn 10 2 49 1 Morkel ...