Cricket: Aussies answer critics with victory over S Africa

12:30 am - By RICHARD BOOCK

BRISBANE - Australia's tri-series campaign finally spluttered into life last night as the hosts beat South Africa by 27 runs to register their first win of the tournament.

Under intense pressure from the media and public alike after losing their first three games, Australia averted the immediate prospect of elimination from the finals with a slightly improved, albeit far from compelling, effort in Brisbane.

Having scored 241 for four batting first, Australia absorbed some heavy punishment from the guns of Jacques Kallis and Neil McKenzie during the chase, but eventually snuffed out the tourists' reply at 214 with eight balls to spare.

Kallis and McKenzie combined in a third-wicket partnership of 77 and for a short time threatened to take their side close to the target, but the launching pad was neglected by the South African lower order as Jason Gillespie and surprise package Andrew Symonds made important breakthroughs.

Gillespie took the vital wicket of Kallis (37) in the 29th over and came back to have McKenzie (68) caught at the wicket in the 41st with the score at 175 for six, at which stage South Africa's hopes plummeted.

Symonds cleaned up the middle order, nicking out Jonty Rhodes, taking a stunning caught-and-bowled to send back Mark Boucher, and ending his spell with the wicket of Shaun Pollock.

The other major force for the Australians was Glenn McGrath, who removed both South African openers before returning late in the innings to snare the final two and end with four for 30.

Desperate to end their horror start to the tri-series, Australia looked cautious during the first innings and were actually booed and jeered at one stage by the capacity crowd after the scoring rate failed to increase through the final overs.

Their eventual total was founded on a 171-run partnership for the third wicket between Damien Martyn and Rocky Ponting.

Martyn effectively anchored the innings with a rock-solid 104 not out from 121 balls, and Ponting was slightly more urgent in his stroke-play, scoring 80 off 95 balls.

The win would have been of particular relief to skipper Steve Waugh, who made 22 not out off 19 balls to keep the wolves from the door and ensure his side had at least a slim chance of qualifying for the series final.

New Zealand have 12 points, South Africa 8 and Australia 4.