Aussies beat South Africa 2-1 in T20 series

Australia have recorded a six-wicket Twenty20 win over South Africa, taking the series 2-1 to boost their belief ahead of the World T20.

Australia’s Mitchell Marsh and Glenn Maxwell

Australia have recorded a six-wicket win over South Africa at Newlands, taking the T20 series 2-1. (AAP)

Australia head to the World Twenty20 with the belief they can chase down almost any total, having banked a 2-1 series win over South Africa in Cape Town.

Recalled opener Hashim Amla finished 97 not out on Thursday morning (AEDT), boosting the Proteas to a total of 4-178 at Newlands.

Shane Watson, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith and David Warner all passed 30 in response as the visitors cruised to a six-wicket victory with four balls to spare.

It was the highest successful T20 chase at the venue.

The visitors had levelled the series in a final-ball thriller at Johannesburg, where Warner and Glenn Maxwell starred in Australia's highest-ever successful T20 chase.

The results will buoy the 15-man squad as they prepare to depart for India, where Australia's World T20 campaign starts on March 18 against New Zealand.

"We've found some answers," Smith said.

"I'm really pleased with the way the guys came back after that first game.

"It's always tough coming from one down in a three-match series and the guys did show great character against a very good Proteas side.

Warner was named man of the series, having totalled 130 runs in his new middle-order role.

"I'm really enjoying it," he said.

"It's great to come here and play in the same conditions that we'll face in India ... these wickets were very challenging."

The most pressing concern for coach Darren Lehmann is finalising his best XI.

Deciding which two of Watson, Khawaja and Aaron Finch to open with appears the decision that will trouble Lehmann and on-duty selector Mark Waugh the most.

Otherwise the side that played at Newlands is likely to face the Black Caps, with the possible exception of omitted Test spearhead Josh Hazlewood.

Lehmann will be stroppy about a handful of misfields his side committed in Cape Town, where Maxwell put down a dolly at deep midwicket.

But otherwise there were plenty of positives for the tourists, who have never won the World T20.

Nathan Coulter-Nile grabbed two wickets, again accounting for dangerous opener Quinton de Kock in the powerplay.

Legspinner Adam Zampa, who troubled the hosts with bounce as much as turn, was Australia's best bowler.

The Proteas were 1-68 after six overs when Zampa was first called into the attack.

The tweaker's tidy figures of 0-23 from four overs were a godsend for Smith, who fired with the bat after nervy knocks in Durban and Johannesburg.

It was a mix of classical and funky from the skipper, who top-scored with 44 and used his trademark 'tweener shot to send a Dale Steyn yorker fizzing to the rope.

Australia have a T20 warm-up game against West Indies in Kolkata on Sunday before heading to Dharamsala for their tournament opener against NZ.

"We wanted to go to the World Cup on a winning note. It's always a little bit tougher when you haven't," Khawaja said.

"We haven't won that T20 tournament yet but it's firmly in the back of our minds."


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Source: AAP



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