or not! Abbott slugs it straight back down the ground to seal victory! A solid tailender's whack and South Africa win by three wickets to go 1-0 up in the three-match series
South Africa vs Australia, 1st T20I at Durban, Mar 04 2016 - Ball by Ball Commentary
South Africa won by 3 wickets (with 4 balls remaining)
9.25pm: It was Clinical Miller in the end, a superbly judged innings to get South Africa home. Faf du Plessis' side are on a roll in the shortest format, this their fifth win in a row, and they look to be warming up nicely for the World T20. Australia, well, they made a bit of a pavlova of this one, sweet and tasty up front but soft in the middle; this is also their fifth straight T20 defeat, leaving Steven Smith with some thinking to do. Anyway, that's your lot, unfortunately, as we're not getting the presentations. David Miller was my Man of the Match, which is really all that matters... We'll be back for more on Sunday, until then it's toodles from Gnasher and me. Thanks for your comments. Ta ra!
Here's Tiaan, letting off steam: "yyyyyyyyeeeeeeessssss! The last 3 out of 4 Friday nights has shortened my life WELL DONE PROTEAS!!! THE PROTEA FIRE BUUURRRRNS!!!"
And Steven Scott brings us the view from the other side: "As an Aussie, I am relieved we don't have to play the qualifying round for world t20. That is how bad we are right now."
"How does this work? Aus got AB for a diamond duck, QDK out for a low score, 2 bizarre runout both involving Miller, and yet SA won." It truly is a funny old game, Satya...
Wicket makes it interesting?
"Itching for a super over now :P," hoots kuber
round the wicket, full on the stumps, Miller punches through the covers again... hesitated before taking the single
Andrew Tye will bowl out, Australia have to defend five. Where's your hard-earned?
full on the stumps and Miller drives one through the covers to keep the strike for the final over
But will it be the match-winner? Not quite no more distance left to run for SA...
tossed up full on leg stump, Miller advances and whips the ball wide of long-on - another good stop on the rope prevents four but Miller will chalk up his first fifty in T20 internationals, a fine knock
short from Zampa, width to swing the arms and slap one to deep point - 150 up for SA, closing in
pushed through outside off, Abbott drops back and steers it straight to backward point
goes back in the crease and clips one through square leg
"Be smart, guys. Just singles to win it!" murmurs Neville Smeda, from behind the couch
tossed up nice and full, punched back to the bowler
Has Miller sealed the chase? Adam Zampa back on for the penultimate over, 10 needed from 12
full, slower ball, dug out down the ground
that's gone! Fully over the stand at deep square leg this time! Miller adjusts his range and attaches a rocket to a full, leg-stump ball from Hastings, sends it fizzing beyond the rope, beyond the stadium, possibly beyond the city limits... and yet it's still only worth six
dug into the pitch, cutting his fingers over it, Miller swings and misses outside off
good length on the stumps, Abbott stands back and prods it to Hastings' right, he can't quite get down and they scamper one
Can Abbott nick a single to get off strike? It's a perversity of this SA line-up that they bat deep and have quite a long tail
short of a length, swivels on a pull to deep backward square
brilliant shot, lashed through the covers in front of the sweeper for four! He picked the slower ball and threw his hands through the shot
John Hastings back, three overs to go
"@Gautam: Will you reconsider what you said earlier about the 'C' word ??" enquires Vasanth, innocently
angled in from round the wicket, worked into a gap at midwicket, Miller will keep the strike
Kyle Abbott toddles out, another twist in the plot
slogged over extra cover, not got all of it - gottim, brilliant from Finch! Superb work, running across from mid-off, he barreled to his left and took it at full stretch, tumbling over before sitting up, looking like a pleased teddy bear. Morris just needed to hang around with Miller but he's holed out, the finisher finished
short ball, possible taking the pace off, Miller adjusts to swat it away through midwicket
fired in on the stumps, can't get it away through midwicket
fired full and wide as Miller set himself to hit over cover - just outside the tramlines
miscued but safe! Coulter-Nile bowls a cute cutter and Miller sends a top edge spiralling behind square on the leg side... between two fielders, though, and they get a couple more
short ball, Morris shuffles across and pulls one in front of square to give "Killer" Miller the strike
Nathan Coulter-Nile replaces Morris, the equation now firmly in South Africa's favour