Ntini's sixer shoots down Australia

Cape Town: Makhaya Ntini took the best figures by a South African in One-Day international cricket as South Africa walloped Australia by 196 runs in the second ODI at Newlands on Friday.

The win put South Africa 2-0 up in a five-match series.

Ntini took four wickets in a devastating opening spell and finished with six for 22 as Australia were bowled out for 93, their fourth-lowest all-time total.

He also became only the third South African bowler to take 200 One-Day wickets after Shaun Pollock and Allan Donald.

"It's like a dream come true," said Ntini of his rapid return to top form, a week after his first match in two months following a knee injury.

Herschelle Gibbs and Justin Kemp hit aggressive but contrasting half-centuries as South Africa posted an imposing total of 289 for seven on a slow pitch.

Gibbs made an elegant 66 and Kemp bludgeoned an unbeaten 51.

Any hopes Australia had of making a contest of it were blown away by Ntini, who took two wickets in his first over and had figures of four for four after five overs.

His final figures were better than the six for 23 by Allan Donald against Kenya in Nairobi in 1996/97.

Captain Graeme Smith said the margin of victory was unexpected but said his team knew all along they had the ability to beat Australia, despite a poor recent tour of the country.

"We knew what we were capable of," said the skipper.

"This is basically the team that went 20 games unbeaten to get us to the No 2 ranking in the world. We have tried one or two different combinations and tonight's performance was superb."

Both Smith and stand-in Australian captain Adam Gilchrist said the game turned in the last ten overs of South Africa's innings when Kemp and Shaun Pollock went on the rampage with a stand of 62 off 45 balls.

But they paid tribute to Ntini, whose third victim, Damien Martyn, was his 200th wicket in 126 One-Dayers.

He was the third South African to achieve the feat behind Donald and Pollock.

"He's a treasure to have in their side," said Gilchrist.

PAGE_BREAK

"You notice when he's not there as happened in the One-Day series in Australia."

It was the biggest victory by a margin of runs in One-Day matches between the two countries.

South Africa beat Australia by 109 runs in Bloemfontein in 1996/97.

Gilchrist admitted it would be tough for Australia to come back and win the remaining three matches of the series, starting with the third encounter in Port Elizabeth on Sunday.

"It's going to be very difficult with only one day between games but there is a great belief in this side."

Australia were again without injured captain Ricky Ponting, who did not take part due to an abdominal strain and all-rounder Andrew Symonds and have less than 36 hours to get the two key men fit ahead of what could be the deciding match of the series.

Ntini struck with his first ball when Gilchrist was caught behind by Mark Boucher off an inside edge for one.

Four balls later Phil Jaques, who arrived in South Africa on Wednesday as cover for Ponting, was caught at second slip for nought.

In his only previous One-Day the Australian left-hander made 94 against South Africa in Melbourne in January.

Damien Martyn was caught at fine leg and Michael Clarke caught behind as Australia crashed to a scarcely credible seven for four off 9.3 overs.

With Pollock bowling immaculately in tandem with Ntini, the total was still stuck on seven after 11 overs.

Opener Simon Katich, who scored his first run in the 12th over off the 29th ball he faced, made 16 before he was caught at cover off Andre Nel, while Michael Hussey made 22 before being caught by Kemp at short mid-wicket off a full-blooded pull against Nel.

Ntini returned to wrap up the innings, with the last man out, all-rounder Shane Watson, caught behind after making top score of 27.