JOHANNESBURG : Teenage debutant Mitchell Marsh hit four sixes in the last two overs to give Australia's innings a late boost in the second and final Twenty20 international against South Africa at the Wanderers Stadium on Sunday.Australia made 147 for eight in their 20 overs. Marsh hit 36 off 21 balls as the last two overs yielded 35 runs, breaking the shackles imposed by South Africa's bowlers for most of the innings.Marsh, 19, was handed his first cap, joining brother Shaun and father Geoff as Australian international cricketers, because fellow all-rounder Shane Watson was ruled out by what was described as a minor hip injury.Marsh joined skipper Cameron White when Australia were struggling at 87 for five with one ball remaining in the 14th over. He played a supporting role as White batted aggressively before being run out for 39 off 26 balls in the 17th over, then showed his potential as one of Australia's most promising young players.His first six was off Wayne Parnell in an over which brought 15 runs, then he thrashed three more sixes off Morne Morkel before he was bowled off the last ball of the innings.With Australia having won the first match by five wickets in Cape Town on Thursday, South Africa's bowlers dominated the early part of the innings, with Lonwabo Tsotsobe producing his country's most economical four-over spell by taking two for 11, including a first spell of one for six.Morkel and Rusty Theron also took two wickets each on a pitch which looked ideal for batting but which had some uneven bounce.
