Australia wins Twenty20 series in South Africa with game to spare

DURBAN: Australia wins Twenty20 series in South Africa with game to spare

Australia clinched the Twenty20 series against South Africa with a game to spare after another thumping win at Kingsmead. Following rain during the day, Australia chose to bowl and restricted the host to 164-8 on a fresh pitch. The Australians minced the chase, lashing 165-2 to win by eight wickets with 31 balls remaining.

Captain Mitch Marsh finished the rout with 76 not out after a career-best 92 not out on Wednesday.

Matthew Short added a career-best 66 off 30 balls.

Australia won the first T20 by 111 runs. The third and last game is on Sunday.

The chase was over in a blink.

Travis Head hit South Africa captain Aiden Markram for three boundaries in one over in his 18.

Fellow opener Short lashed Lungi Ngidi's second over for 20 runs.

Marsh went after left-arm spinner Bjorn Fortuin for 18 runs in one over.

The batters backed off spinner Tabraiz Shamsi, but Short raised his fifty amid smacking fast bowler Gerald Coetzee for four consecutive boundaries capped by a pulled six. That over cost 24 runs.

Short fell trying to drive Shamsi, and Marsh completed the win. He brought up his fifty before hitting Shamsi for consecutive sixes.

Tanveer Sangha, who took four wickets on his Australia debut on Wednesday, made way for Adam Zampa, who went wicketless. Pacers Nathan Ellis, 3-25, and Sean Abbott, 3-22, compensated with support from Jason Behrendorff, 2-25.

Temba Bavuma, out for a duck in the first game, faced 16 consecutive deliveries and hit six boundaries and a six before he was out for 35 off 17.

Ellis took out opener Reeza Hendricks and Dewald Brevis in consecutive balls after the powerplay to leave South Africa on 46-4.

Markram partnered with Tristan Stubbs for 51 and Coetzee for 41 then just missed a fifty when he hit Abbott straight to deep cover point on 49 off 38.