Kristen, Kallis cage Kangaroos

Pollock was made captain on Tuesday when Cronje was fired after reportedly admitting he had taken money from an Indian bookmaker.

Kirsten made 97 off 126 balls, just 15 days after collapsing with what was diagnosed as a torn disc in his lower spine while batting against Pakistan in a tournament in Sharjah, and helped South Africa reach 241 for four with two overs to spare in reply to Australia’s 240 for 9 in 50 overs.

He had been expected to be out of action for at least three weeks but recovered after three days of bed rest. The left-handed opening batsman put on 129 in a third-wicket partnership with Jacques Kallis (61) and a quickfire 60 for the fourth wicket with Jonty Rhodes (46 not out) before being bowled by a slow full toss by Brett Lee when he was three runs short of his 10th One-Day International century, with South Africa needing 13 to win.

South Africa earlier seemed headed for an easy triumph when Australia crashed to 118 for seven against disciplined bowling after being sent in.But Damien Martyn (74) and tailenders Damien Fleming and Brett Lee enabled Australia to make a competitive total of 240 for nine after being sent in. Fleming and Lee made career-best scores of 29 and 24 not out as they shared stands of 65 and 55 with Martyn, who was run out off the last ball of the innings.

Wicketkeeper Mark Boucher dropped a simple chance off Lee which would have given him a world record sixth catch behind the stumps when Lee was on 17 and the total 218 for eight. Boucher had earlier held four catches off fast bowler Makhaya Ntini and a sensational diving effort to dismiss Adam Gilchrist for 51 off Mornantau Hayward.

AUSTRALIA

M Waugh lbw b Pollock 0
A Gilchrist c Boucher b Hayward 51
M Hayden run out 0
M Bevan c Boucher b Ntini 31
S Waugh c Boucher b Ntini 2
D Martyn run out 74
A Symonds c Boucher b Ntini 20
S Warne c Boucher b Ntini 0
D Fleming c Ntini b Kallis 29
B Lee not out 24

Extras: (lb3, w5, nb1) 9
Total: (9 wkts in 50 overs) 240
Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-11, 3-70, 4-79, 5-90, 6-118, 7-118, 8-183
Bowling: Pollock 10-3-43-1, Kallis 10-0-51-1, Hayward 10-0-58-1, Klusener 10-2-27-0, Ntini 10-0-56-4

SOUTH AFRICA

G Kirsten b Lee 97
H Gibbs c S Waugh b McGrath 0
N McKenzie c Symonds b Lee 14
J Kallis c Gilchrist b McGrath 61
J Rhodes not out 46
L Klusener not out 4
Extras (b1 lb2 w9 nb7) 19
Total (4 wkts, 48 overs) 241
Fall of wickets: 1-12, 2-32, 3-161, 4-228
Bowling:McGrath 9-2-21-2, Fleming 10-0-60-0, Lee 10-0-57-2, Warne 8-0-47-0, Symonds 5-0-21-0, S Waugh 3-0-18-0, M Waugh 3-0-14-0.
Result: South Africa won by 6 wickets.

Man of match: Gary Kirsten.