South Africa Go 1-0 Up With Final Over Win...

Scorecard
1st ODI, Melbourne Cricket Ground..

South Africa took a 1-0 series lead with a three-wicket win in the first One Day International against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground...

Shaun Marsh top scored with 79 as Australia posted 271 for eight before half-centuries from JP Duminy and Neil McKenzie and an unbeaten 40 in 18 balls from Albie Morkel got the tourists home with three balls to spare...

Marsh, opening the innings alongside Mike Hussey, hit four fours and a six in his 97-ball innings to set up Australia's score...

Hussey, fresh from an unbeaten half-century in the second Twenty20 International in Brisbane, was not able to carry over that form when he was caught by wicket-keeper Mark Boucher off of Dale Steyn for six in the third over...

Marsh then added 94 with Ricky Ponting (46) for the third wicket before the captain departed to a second catch behind the wicket, Johan Botha (2-50) the bowler on this occasion...

Michael Clarke made 19 on his return to the side but when he was caught by Hashim Amla off of Albie Morkel (2-58), the innings was in danger of stagnating before David Hussey came in and blasted 52 in 50 balls to set things up for the late charge...

Marsh was then Boucher's third victim behind the stumps and Hussey was bowled by Albie Morkel in the 46th over but some big hitting from Cameron White (21) and Brad Haddin (19) helped Australia add 40 runs in the last four overs...

Morne Morkel picked up figures of two for 68 by dismissing Marsh and James Hopes as Ponting and David Hussey made the best use of being dropped by Vaughn van Jaarsveld during their innings...

South Africa got off to an uncertain start, losing Hashim Amla to the eighth ball of the innings when he was bowled by Shaun Tait but innings of 22 from Herschelle Gibbs and 41 frmo Jacques Kallis set them on the road to the recovery...

When that pair were dismissed by Ben Hilfenhaus and Clarke respectively, a 123-run stand for the second wicket between JP Duminy (71) and Neil McKenzie (63) gave Australia the run-around before the home side back with four wickets for eight runs as Duminy, Mark Boucher (0), van Jaarsveld (1) and McKenzie departed in quick succession...

It was Morkel to the rescue as he blasted four fours and a six with captain Botha scrambling the winning run as the pair put on 51 for the eighth wicket in 35 balls and the final PowerPlay being taken at the death proved the difference between the two sides as Morkel picked up the man of the match award...

The home side gave a first start for over two years to fast bowler Hilfenhaus while van Jaarsveld marked his ODI debut for South Africa by taking the catch to dismiss Hopes (2) late on...