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Centurion ... at Centurion, Smith celebrates 100
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GRAEME Smith hit an unbeaten century to lead South Africa to victory over Australia in the first one-day international at Centurion Park this morning (AEDT).
Continuing a resurgence of form which started when he made 89 not out in Saturday's Twenty20 game in Johannesburg, Smith smashed 119 not out in a South Africa total of 4-207 in 37.3 overs, as the home side won by six wickets on the Duckworth-Lewis method.
The Proteas had been set a target of 233 in 47 overs, which was revised to 204 in 41 overs after a rain break that came immediately after Smith had reached his century.
Batting with renewed confidence after a miserable sequence of scores on the recent tour of Australia, the left hander reached his 50 off 51 balls and his century off 110 with 10 fours and a six.
He faced 124 balls in all, adding two more boundaries.
South Africa had the upper hand for most of the match against an injury-hit Australia team, with the tourists forced to field their only 11 fit players after captain Ricky Ponting withdrew because of an abdominal strain.
Michael Clarke and Michael Hussey shared a century partnership and Brett Lee hit out powerfully to enable Australia to reach 8-229 in an innings reduced to 47 overs by rain.
Clarke and Hussey rescued the side from a shaky start and Australia was 6-162 when rain stopped play after 40 overs.
When play resumed more than an hour later, Lee hit an unbeaten 38 off 28 balls as Australia made 67 off the remaining seven overs.
Ponting sustained an abdominal strain while batting in the nets on Saturday and withdrew yesterday, joining all rounder Andrew Symonds (thigh) and Stuart Clark (rib) on the sidelines and leaving the Aussies with just 11 fit players.
Australia physiotherapist Errol Alcott said Ponting had sustained a low grade strain which made movement painful.
"He will undergo intensive treatment and will be reassessed late next week," said Alcott.
Symonds had been expected to play but Alcott said it had been decided to give him five more days to be fully fit for the second match of the five-game series in Cape Town on Friday. Clark is also expected to be fit.
Stand-in captain Adam Gilchrist decided to bat after winning the toss but his side was soon in trouble as South Africa opening bowlers Shaun Pollock and Makhaya Ntini took advantage of assistance provided by the overcast conditions.
Morning rain delayed the start by half-an-hour and Australia slipped to 3-25 before Clarke and Hussey put on exactly 100 for the fourth wicket, both nailing half centuries.
The pair was starting to get on top, taking 43 runs in seven overs of spin from Robin Peterson and Smith, when Smith brought back Pollock.
With the second ball of his new spell, Pollock had Clarke superbly caught by a diving AB de Villiers at cover.
He followed up with the wicket of Hussey, caught at deep mid-wicket, in his next over to finish with 3-23 from 10 overs.
Lee and Shane Watson added 51 for the seventh wicket as Australia finished strongly. Andre Nel, in his first match since sustaining a foot last month, conceded 21 runs off his final over, which included two sixes by Lee and three wides.
Ntini gave an improved performance after conceding 44 runs in three overs on Friday in his first match since picking up a knee injury in Australia in December.
He had 2-25 off eight overs but his ninth and final over cost 17, including two sixes by Nathan Bracken.
With rain a constant threat, South Africa was quickly ahead of the required rate despite losing Boeta Dippenaar and Herschelle Gibbs early.
Gibbs fell to a sensational run-out by Clarke at short mid-wicket, with the fielder flinging himself to his left to stop a powerful shot by Smith and flicking the ball in one movement, hitting the stumps at the bowler's end with Gibbs, backing up, unable to get back to his crease.
Smith and AB de Villiers put on 83 off 62 balls with de Villiers making a dazzling 43 from 30 balls before Smith and Justin Kemp took South Africa to victory with an unbeaten fifth wicket stand of 73.
