Aussies under pressure

A committed South African chase provided serious excitement at the start of the five-game series against Australia as the visitors sneaked to a three-wicket success in Melbourne on Friday. After the home side posted a confident 271 for eight, Johan Botha's men recovered from being 90 for three and 221 for seven to end their sequence of three defeats in a row.
If the Proteas win the second one-day international in Hobart today it will leave Australia needing to take the final matches to claim the series. Australia have threatened their opponents regularly during the home summer, but the number of times they have let them escape has become a major concern. Ricky Ponting's men have to eliminate those crucial lapses if they want to be a high-performing outfit.
22-year-old opener David Warner is back after leaving the team briefly when Michael Clarke was passed fit prematurely from a nagging thumb injury. Warner, who has played two Twenty20s and no first-class matches, will open with Shaun Marsh, allowing Michael Hussey to head back to the middle-order. Off-spinner Nathan Hauritz has travelled the country with the team over the past week without playing, but is likely to get an opportunity at the Bellerive Oval, where Tasmania have used three spinners at times this season. James Hopes, who had 51 for nought off 10 overs in Melbourne, looks like the vulnerable one.
Dale Steyn seemed to have some problems with a shoulder while fielding in Melbourne and the South Africans are intent on rotating their bowlers, so it won't take much for Steyn to go and Makhaya Ntini to come in. AB de Villiers is still waiting to return from his bruised hip and if he is cleared Vaughn van Jaarsveld -- he dropped two catches, took one and was run out for 4 on debut -- could make way. Neil McKenzie, who played his first ODI for five years, would normally be squeezed out, but he showed some form with a valuable 63.
Ponting heads back to his home state knowing he needs a big performance to show his fresh team how to recover from tight defeats. Ponting now lives in Sydney, but he remains a huge figure in Hobart and has 208 runs in six ODIs at the ground. Following a difficult summer in the Test team, he now faces another tricky encounter against a formidable opponent.
Albie Morkel, the older brother of Morne, stole the match -- and the show -- from Australia in Melbourne with a calm and brutal 40 from 18 deliveries. Hitting confidently straight down the ground, he also worked the strike and was unflustered as he and Botha sealed the win. A man who can open the bowling and do the work of a batsman is a treasure in any game.
TEAMS
AUSTRALIA (probable): Shaun Marsh, David Warner, Ricky Ponting (captain), Michael Hussey, David Hussey, Cameron White, Brad Haddin, Nathan Hauritz, Nathan Bracken, Ben Hilfenhaus, Shaun Tait.
SOUTH AFRICA (probable): Herschelle Gibbs, Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Neil McKenzie, Mark Boucher, Albie Morkel, Morne Morkel, Johan Botha (captain), Makhaya Ntini.