Dale Steyn (Gallo Images)

Related Links Morgan feeling fit for CWC Steyn strikes as Oz collapse Ireland beat Zim in warm-up

Bangaluru - The Proteas put down their marker for the Cricket World Cup in impressive style with a seven-wicket victory over Australia at Bangaluru on Tuesday in the second of their two warm-up matches.

Although this was not a full-on competitive match with both sides able to make full use of their entire squads, it was nevertheless an excellent result for the Proteas and will enable them to take a lot of confidence into the official start of the tournament when they play the West Indies in Delhi on Thursday week.

There is no such thing as a non-competitive match between the Proteas and Australia and the fact that the bowlers managed to dismiss Australia inside their 50 overs and that the Proteas did not get round to using their batting power play were significant as well.

The Proteas still had 34 balls at their disposal when the match finished.

The Proteas have once only beaten Australia at a World Cup and that was in their debut match at Sydney in 1992.

Two of the 3 wickets the Proteas lost were the result of both Graeme Smith and Hashim Amla retiring after an opening partnership of 131 in 24 overs (Smith made 65 off 81 balls with 10 fours and Amla 60 off 76 balls with 7 fours) to enable the middle-order to spend valuable time in the middle.

One of these was Faf du Plessis who was run out by a direct hit which meant that none of the wickets fell to an Australian bowler.

Jacques Kallis was not required to bat and the job was finished off by JP Duminy (47 not out off 62 balls with 3 fours and a six) and AB de Villiers (16 off 27 balls with 1 four).

The Proteas were always on top from the moment that Dale Steyn dismissed Shane Watson in his opening over and then Lonwabo Tsotsobe ran out Brad Haddin with a direct hit to make them 6/2.

Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke recovered the situation with a 3rd-wicket partnership of 122 in 26 overs but then Robbie Peterson had one of his finest hours ever for the Proteas when he dismissed both of them as well as Steve Smith to finish with 3/45 in 8 overs. There was also a second run out of Cameron White largely through the efforts of Steyn.

After Morne Morkel’s outstanding performance in the first warm-up match it was Steyn’s turn this time and he took 3/21 in 8 top-class overs. He and Tsotsobe cleaned up the tail in impressive style.

The Australians, the defending ICC World Cup champions, lost their last 8 wickets for 89 runs.

Hashim Amla commented: “We’re not reading too much into the fact that it was Australia that we beat, for us the warm-up matches were about gaining confidence and preparation ahead of the start of the tournament. It is always a boost to get a win but for the team it was about getting our processes right.

“The intensity of all three disciplines; batting, bowling and fielding has been really high and we are satisfied with what we have achieved during the warm-up matches.”