Left-arm spinner Ashton Agar took a hat-trick as Australia crushed South Africa by 107 runs in the first Twenty20 international at the Wand...
Left-arm spinner Ashton Agar took a hat-trick as Australia crushed South Africa by 107 runs in the first Twenty20 international at the Wanderers Stadium on Friday.
Steve Smith, back in South Africa for the first time since the 2018 ball-tampering scandal, hit a top score of 45 for Australia, who made 196/6 after being sent in.
South Africa made a bad start against the pace of Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins before Agar’s triple strike sent them hurtling to their all-time lowest T20 total of 89.
It was also the host country’s biggest defeat in the format.
Man of the match Agar finished with career-best figures of 5/24.
“It was really exciting, a highlight of my cricketing life,” he said.
Ashton Agar 5-24 v South Africa at Johannesburg:
— Fox Sports Lab (@FoxSportsLab) February 21, 2020
- Best bowling figures for Australia in Men's T20Is; passing @JamesFaulkner44 5-27 v Pakistan at Mohali in 2016
- 2nd hat-trick for Australia in Men's T20Is; joining @BrettLee_58 v Bangladesh at Cape Town in 2007#SAvsAUS 🇦🇺
But he gave praise to the fast bowling attack of Mitchell Starc, Kane Richardson and Pat Cummins who started South Africa’s collapse.
Starc made a crucial breakthrough when he bowled South African captain and batting star Quinton de Kock for two with a fast, swinging delivery in the first over of...
