Cairns (Australia), Aug 16 (IANS) Glenn Maxwell produced a stunning late assault to guide Australia to a tense two-wicket win over South Africa in the deciding T20I game at the Cazalys Stadium on Saturday to seal the series 2-1 in the hosts’ favour.

Chasing 173 for victory, Australia looked in trouble at 122/6, before the big-hitting Maxwell took charge with an unbeaten 62 off 36 balls, laced with eight fours and two sixes at a strike-rate of 172.22. He held his nerve to strike the winning runs off the penultimate ball of the chase and roared in delight after conjuring up a remarkable rescue act in front of a sell-out crowd watching its first-ever men’s T20I.

In the chase, skipper Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head took time to find their rhythm but managed to stitch together a crucial 66-run stand in eight overs. Captain Marsh did most of the damage on his way to hit a 37-ball 54 studded with three fours and five sixes – also his first T20I half-century in over a year.

South Africa hit back with three wickets in the space of 13 balls around the halfway mark, but nothing could prepare them for the Maxwell blitz that followed. His calculated hitting in the closing overs turned the tide and ensured the hosts clinched the series.

Earlier, South Africa posted 172/7 after being asked to bat, with Dewald Brevis top-scoring with 53 off 26 balls. South Africa made a shaky start after skipper Aiden Markram was dismissed in the very first over, but Lhuan-dre Pretorius counter-attacked with five boundaries in the Power-play before falling to Nathan Ellis for 24.

Brevis picked up from where he left off in the previous game, where he scored a blistering century — striking the ball cleanly and clearing the ropes at will to race to a rollicking fifty laced with a four and six sixes. It meant South Africa were well-placed at 108/3 at the end of the 11th over, with a score of 200 on the cards.

But Brevis’ dismissal — miscuing a slower ball from Ellis to long-on – proved to be the turning point. From there, Australia wrestled back control as Adam Zampa and Maxwell applied the brakes in the middle overs, and the pacers led by Ellis used their variations effectively as South Africa managed just 64 runs for the loss of four wickets in the final nine overs.

Brief scores:

South Africa 172/7 in 20 overs (Dewald Brevis 53, Rassie van der Dussen 38 not out; Nathan Ellis 3-31, Adam Zampa 2-24) lost to Australia 173/8 in 19.5 overs (Glenn Maxwell 62 not out, Mitchell Marsh 54; Corbin Bosch 3-26, Kagiso Rabada 2-32) by two wickets

–IANS

nr/bsk/