Zulu has returned

It was all going so well for Ricky Ponting. After his batsmen scratched together 223/8 in his first match as Australia's one-day captain, he could do little wrong. Jason Gillespie took three early wickets and should have had four, Ian Harvey was brought on and collected three cheap ones himself, and when rookie off-spinner Nathan Hauritz claimed last specialist batsman Boeta Dippenaar in his first over, South Africa were 93/7. It was going to be easy.

But that did not take into account the return of 'The Axeman', South Africa's Lance 'Zulu' Klusener, who gradually at first and then thunderously at the end returned to something like his World Cup '99 form to push a strange and seemingly one-sided one-day international to a thrilling conclusion. South Africa lost by 19 runs, but they won back one of one-day cricket's most potent hitters, and gave Ponting and his team a considerable fright.

For the first time in 17 years, Australia went into a one-day skirmish without a Waugh, the new opening combination of Hayden and Gilchrist taking the crease after Ponting won the toss and batted.

There was early seam movement evident, with Gilchrist inside-edging Pollock both past the stumps and out of reach of an outstretched Boucher in the third over. Pollock showed no signs of rust and posed a threat with his accuracy and ability to nip the bowl into the left-handers, which was in contrast to an inconsistent Telemachus, who was belted for 26 runs in his first three overs, as Gilchrist gave Australia a positive run-a-ball start.

Makhaya Ntini replaced Telemachus and immediately made a difference, sending down two maidens. Hayden, while not receiving much of the strike, seemed less than completely sure of himself as a one-day batsman, caught between playing his natural game and leaving the ball outside off, and having to force the pace.

Ntini built up pressure with Pollock and it told in the 12th over when he had Gilchrist caught pulling at mid wicket for 37; Australia 50/1. Either trying to clear the fielder or hit it past him, he didn't, and Australia's innings never gathered any momentum after his dismissal.

Ntini's spell was pivotal and it set up the game for South Africa. Despite Australia having reached 74/1 after 15 overs, it was his accurate bowling that changed the innings.

In the field, South Africa had an intensity and purpose in their play which was missing from the Test team. It was like they had been infused with a different energy because they were wearing coloured clothes, and they were discernibly more confident. The presence of Jonty Rhodes must help, but it is not directly attributable to him, despite what the experts say. South Africa collectively seem to sense they are on an equal footing with Australia in one-day matches, which is not the case in Tests.

Hayden had sorted himself out for 27 when he received a short ball from Kallis and attempted to cut over point, where he was intercepted in one hand by Rhodes throwing himself spectacularly to his right. It was an excellent effort, but not nearly as impressive as the commentators made it out to be, as his body was still barely off the ground when he took the catch. Rhodes, though, is still unparalleled for his position.

Ponting's wicket was all about pressure, as Ntini and Kallis bowled accurately between overs 15-20, conceding just 14 runs. Having restricted the runs, Ponting was induced into playing a risky hook against Ntini on 14, caught at deep square leg. Australia were 88/3 after 20 overs with the run rate dropping thanks to Ntini, whose initial 7 overs yielded 2/14.

Lance Klusener was supposed to have reincarnated himself as a fast bowler but the metamorphosis didn't last long, with Boucher up at the stumps in just his second over. He was still effective, as Martyn and Lehmann were pinned down in the middle overs.

So good at attacking in Test cricket, the situation called for a different type of positive batting, with the emphasis placed on singles. Lehmann, usually so adept at innovating, and Martyn, diffident and too correct for his own good, could not manage it productively, unable to consistently beat the field.

Nevertheless, they retained their composure against the restrictive bowling and did not succumb, progressing to 101/3 after 25 overs, 122/3 after 30 and 144/3 after 35. It meant Australia were still reasonably positioned, and between overs 30-35 Lehmann managed to increase the tempo and find the boundary.

Pollock commendably returned to the initially wayward Telemachus and in the 36th over it paid off. Lehmann was dismissed for 37 just as he was accelerating, at 149/3 a disappointing time to lose a wicket. Attempted to steer fine to third man, Lehmann steered overly finely, into the left glove of Boucher.

The much-criticised Telemachus then put South Africa in control by removing both the set batsmen in the space of two overs. Martyn concluded a poor innings of 24 from 56 balls by being bowled between bat and pad looking to drive through mid wicket, an inopportune time to be dismissed following the departure of Lehmann and having failed to force the pace.

Australia finished with a bizarre scorecard, with every batsman reaching double figures yet none scoring more than 37. From 156/5 in the 38th over, they scraped and nudged their way through the final overs. Bevan was unsettled by an Ntini short ball, made to jump in the air, and was subsequently run out for 18 taking a risk; Rhodes swooping on the ball after Bevan pushed square and assassinating middle stump at the bowler's end to run out one of the quickest between the sticks.

Harvey, needing to carry his team through at 195/6 in the 46th, irresponsibly holed out to long on off Ntini for 19, the type of dismissal that must be damaging to his all-rounder credentials in the eyes of selectors. Ntini finished with figures of 10-2-24-3, a sterling performance.

Hitting out in the last three overs, Bichel genuflected and hit Pollock for a sweetly struck slogged six over mid wicket, the most memorable shot of an Australian innings of hard work. Bichel scythed the final of the innings to Telemachus at long off, leaving Australia with a mystery total of 223/8 - it was impossible to know the true merits of it until South Africa batted.

Ten overs into the Protean innings, it looked pretty damn good. There was a zero for the man wearing two of them on his back, Herschelle Gibbs squared up by the second ball of Gillespie's first over and caught at gully off a leading edge, totally beaten.

Australia needed early wickets, and they got them. In his next over, Gillespie had Kirsten caught hooking off the glove down the leg side for 2, Gilchrist taking a diving one-handed catch to maintain the high quality of fielding. Gillespie had removed both openers in his first two overs, and South Africa were 2/2. Boeta Dippenaar was nearly dismissed in that same over in identical fashion to Gibbs, the ball falling just short of gully.

At 18/2 in the seventh over, McGrath trapped Kallis plumb in front on the back foot with one that nipped back, but the umpire reprieved him. Nevertheless, Kallis and Dippenaar were under immense pressure, and it showed in the 10th over. An on-fire Gillespie had Kallis lbw for 8, seaming back to beat the bat as he drove; South Africa 23/3.

At 37/3, Gillespie should have had his fourth, but Martyn's day got worse when he grassed a regulation chance at slip (where Warne would normally field) off Dippenaar driving expansively. Defending a low total against a team of South Africa's batting depth, all chances had to be taken, which was underlined when Harvey's first over was hit for 12. In his following over, Rhodes gave Australia their fourth, caught behind for 14 reaching for the ball without moving his feet.

Harvey improved dramatically from that initial over and Boucher was next to fall, spooning a simple catch to mid off for 3 seeming to reach for the ball. It might have been a slight variation in pace from Harvey, or it might just have been a dreadful shot. Either way, South Africa were 66/5, which became 66/6 in the same over when Pollock was out for a duck similarly perplexingly. Pollock simply bunted a catch to cover as he checked his drive, straight to the fielder. Both teams appeared to have difficulty driving and occasionally a ball went through low, so it might have been the wicket that posed difficulties, which is what South Africa would want to believe.

Dippenaar was the only South African batsman in the top seven to work hard, reaching fifty with a scorching cover drive off Bichel. He and Klusener were becoming comfortably accustomed to the seam of Bichel and Harvey and the situation called for a change of pace, which is what Ponting delivered by introducing rookie off-spinner Nathan Hauritz in the 24th over.

In a wonderful moment for him and the Aussies, the 20-year-old struck in his first international over, a straight ball taking the leading edge of Dippenaar's bat as he tried to turn to leg for Gilchrist to hold after a fumble. It was a perfect start, a big wicket, and his team-mates were clearly thrilled for him.

At 93/7, the match seemed decided, but with the run rate still manageable Australia had to win by bowling South Africa out, not just going through the motions. Klusener and Boje, the last pair of all-rounders, sensibly went into accumulation mode, reaching 121/7 after 30. Hauritz continued to bowl tidily, finishing with fine debut figures of 2/31 from his full complement, as the game went into a holding pattern with Ponting allowing the batsmen singles in exchange for dwindling overs.

After 35 overs, South Africa were staying in it at 140/7. Bichel became the targeted bowler, with Klusener prepared to take risks against him, and a few inside edges past the stumps saw the partnership gather momentum. As Australia became aware they might have a contest again, Klusener struck, punishing Bichel in the 39th over by hitting him over mid wicket. A misfield at long off said everything - Ponting had genuine concerns again.

But just like that, it changed. Backing up too far after striking a single to deep cover, Boje could not regain his ground in time as the throw came in to Bichel, wastefully out for 33 at 164/8 in the 39th. Hauritz had Telemachus stumped two runs later, the ball turning between bat and pad as he was drawn out of his crease. So at 166/9 after 40 overs, Lance Klusener assumed sole responsibility for winning the game.

He reached fifty by coolly swiping Bichel over the mid wicket boundary and then slammed McGrath's first ball of his return spell over wide long on for six more. He attacked the bowling but still shielded Ntini from the strike. Run rate was never an issue, either Klusener was going to win it with his hitting or he would get out.

Harvey was next to feel Klusener's ferocity, slammed straight for four. As the target shrunk rapidly, the Australians did not panic, but they were mighty flustered. A long meeting was held between bowler McGrath, Gilchrist and Ponting - with Gilchrist doing all the talking.

Within 20 runs of a miracle victory and with his captain cheering him all the way, Klusener slammed a low full toss from McGrath to long on, and Bichel held. Had Bichel not been there, it would have travelled for six. Australia go 1-0 up, but Zulu has returned.