Matthew Hayden hit the fastest century in World Cup history as Australia won their heavyweight showdown with South Africa by 83 runs in St Kitts.

Hayden raced to three figures off 66 balls and after his dismissal for 101, Ricky Ponting (91) and Michael Clarke (92) carried them to a score of 377-6.

AB de Villiers (92) and Graeme Smith gave South Africa a flying start but Smith had to retire hurt with cramp.

Vital momentum was lost as a result and they were eventually all out for 294.

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By Pranav Soneji

606: DEBATE Your thoughts on the game

AUSTRALIA WIN BY 83 RUNS

48 overs: SA 294 all out WICKET - Ntini bowled Bracken 7
Simple - yet effective - yorker from Bracken cleans up Ntini as Australia cruise to a comfortable 83-run victory. Remarkable considering South Africa's incredible start to the run chase.

47th over: SA 291-9
With the game secured McGrath is back into the attack. There is little urgency in the field as SA pick up seven from that over. Twenty-nine runs per over if South Africa are to win this. Interesting...

45.1 overs: SA 280-9 WICKET - Langaveldt bowled Bracken 0
Beautifully disguised slower ball from Bracken completely flummoxes Langaveldt, who has to walk after the hearing the dreaded death rattle. Makhaya Ntini joins Hall at the crease and smashes his fourth ball down the ground for an impressive four. 46th over: SA 284-9

44.1 overs: SA 279-8 WICKET - Pollock bowled Watson 7
That's it, it's got to be all over. Pollock attempts to make room through the off-side but completely misses the ball, much to Watson's delight. In comes Charl Langaveldt, out goes any sniff of victory. Langaveldt nearly goes first ball when the Australians claim a catch which came off his boot, but the third umpire confirms there was contact with the ground before the catch was taken. Wicket maiden from Watson.45th over: SA 279-8

43.1 overs: SA 277-7 WICKET - Kallis ct Clarke b Hogg 48
With no other option left Kallis is forced to go over the top against Hogg, but doesn't get enough willow on his shot and finds Michael Clarke's hands on the deep mid-wicket boundary. Brilliant over from Hogg, conceding just two runs. The game looks to be up for South Africa. 44th over: SA 279-7

43rd over: SA 276-6
Tait is cranking up the gears, bruising Kallis with some seriously quick deliveries, as well as a few toe-crunchers. A no-ball and a leg stump half volley blight a really top class over.

41.3 overs: SA 267-6 WICKET - Smith ct Gilchrist b Hogg 74
Oh dear, the wheels are definitely on their way off. Smith attempts to launch Hogg into the mid-wicket stands, but only succeeds in getting a thick outside edge comfortably pouched by Gilchrist running to his left. Shaun Pollock joins Kallis in the middle with the required run rate at a whopping 13.5. 42nd over: SA 270-6

40.5 overs: SA 264-5 WICKET - Kemp lbw Tait 1
Kemp is trapped inside his crease, given umpire Bucknor one of the easier decisions of his career. Great comeback from Tait, who had been hit for a quite beautiful cover drive by Kallis at the start of the over. Graeme Smith is back at the crease, along with his runner AB de Villiers. 41st over: SA 265-5

38.5 overs: SA 256-4 WICKET - Boucher bowled Tait 22
Boucher is cleaned up by a Tait yorker. The over was shaping up well for SA after Kallis had hit a fine cover drive off for four. Still no Graeme Smith as Justin Kemp joins Kallis at the crease. 39th over: SA 256-4

38th over: SA 250-3
Another top over from Bracken, only three from it and the required run rate shoots up to 10.7.

37th over: SA 247-3
That's more like it - Boucher unleashes the big shots with a biff straight back past McGrath before promptly dispatching the very next ball into row K with a brute of a pull. Fourteen from that over, leaving the required run rate at 10.2.

36th over: SA 234-3
Nathan Bracken is back into the attack - and does exactly what his captain wants him to do. Just three runs from that over, including a tighter than you think run out involving Mark Boucher. The Australians were 250-2 at this stage.

35th over: SA 231-3
Top over from McGrath, mixing up the yorkers with the hard-to-dispatch balls. Boucher is pre-meditating the slogs and they're not connecting.

34th over: SA 228-3
Good over from Hogg, conceding just two runs. The required run rate has shot up to 9.5. By no way is this out of South Africa's reach, especially considering the big hitters - and Graeme Smith - still to come.

32.2 overs: SA 223-3 WICKET - Prince ct Hayden b McGrath 1
Oh dear, the fight back is in danger of hitting the rails. Prince falls for the short ball trap attempting to pull Glenn McGrath, only to find Matthew Hayden patrolling the deep mid-wicket boundary. In comes Mark Boucher. Three singles from the rest of the over. 33rd over: SA 226-3

31.3 overs: SA 220-2 WICKET - Gibbs stumped Gilchrist b Hogg 17
Immediately after dispatching Hogg over his head for six, Gibbs is stumped by a beauty of a wrong'un from Hogg, completely deceiving the batsman, whose desperate attempt to regain his ground is futile. Smart stumping, smart dismissal. Ashwell Prince joins Kallis at the crease. 32nd over: SA 222-2

31st over: SA 213-1
Only four runs from that Watson over, it could have been more had Symonds not made a fine diving stop to his right. South Africa need to up the tempo to get within a sniff of the Australians.

30th over: SA 209-1
A crafty late cut from Kallis races down the hill for four. A couple of singles add to the total, but the run rate is still creeping up at 8.5 an over.

29th over: SA 203-1
Jacques Kallis isn't looking too fluent. His picking up singles, but he's also finding the fielders too, preventing South Africa from keeping up with the run rate. Four runs off that Watson over. The 200 comes up with a push through cover from Gibbs.

28th over: SA 199-1
A nudge to point from Gibbs off Hogg brings up the 200, the last 50 of which were scored from 51 balls.

27th over: SA 189-1
The scoring has slowed considerably as another tight Tait over means only six runs have been scored from three overs. Despite the electric start, the pressure is starting to mount on South Africa. They need 8.2 runs an over from 23 overs.

26th over: SA 186-1
Two runs from that Watson over.

25.1 overs: SA 184-1 GRAEME SMITH RETIRED HURT 72
Smith decides enough is enough and heads back to the pavilion. Herschelle Gibbs comes to the crease in the middle of a powerplay.

25th over: SA 184-1
Smith is clearly not good shape and again hits the deck after a single. After some physio attention, AB de Villiers once again joins his captain out in the middle, only this time as his runner rather than his batting partner. A tight over from Tait, who concedes just one run.

24th over: SA 183-1
Bizarre over. Watson comes back in for Hogg, but manages to put himself in his captain's badbooks with a hideous wide, which evades Adam Gilchrist and runs away to the boundary for five wides. But it gets worse for the world champs. Smith's edge hits Gilchrist's cap (he is standing up to the stumps wearing a helmet) behind the stumps and concedes five penalty runs. More wides, more despairing looks from the Australians, more runs to the South African total. Smith hits the turf and receives treatment for a cramp, it looks hot out there.

23rd over: SA 171-1
Kallis struggles to hit Tait off the square before launching into an thumping off-drive to the cover boundary.

22nd over: SA 166-1
A sublime late cut from Graeme Smith off Hogg races downhill for four. Kallis takes his time and eventually gets off the mark with a single to point.

20.5 overs: SA 160-1 WICKET - De Villiers run out 92
A needless run out sees De Villiers walking back to the pavilion eight short of a deserved ton. De Villiers chases a second after guiding the ball down to Shane Watson at deep fine leg, but the all-rounder somehow manages to hit the stumps from the deep with the batsmen well short of his crease. Jacques Kallis is the next man at the crease.

20th over: SA 154-0
Hogg drops short and De Villiers rocks back onto his back foot and smacks the ball through mid-wicket. More comfortable runs, more uncomfortable dilemmas for Ponting.

19th over: SA 147-0
Ponting turns to Andrew Symonds, turns being the operative word as the all-rounder opts to bowl his off-breaks. But it's all one-way traffic as De Villiers hits three consecutive fours from Symonds's final three deliveries, all through the leg-side. De Villiers moves effortlessly to 83. As former English football commentator Brian Moore used to say, don't you dare go away.

18th over: SA 134-0
De Villiers dances down the pitch and smashes Hogg straight back down the ground for yet another maximum. The two openers look as comfortable as your favourite pair of slippers right now.

17th over: SA 125-0
Tait spears in a brute of an inswinging yorker, which De Villiers does well to dig out. But his frustration is further compounded as Smith gets a thick edge to a full toss, which flies down to third man for four. Australia were 123-1 at the same stage.

16th over: SA 118-0
Brad 'George' Hogg comes into the attack and immediately extracts spin from the batsmen's paradise. His first three balls are dots but Smith sweeps for four to bring up a very entertaining 50. Time for drinks.

15th over: SA 113-0
Ponting brings back Tait, but it doesn't the runs. The undoubted highlight of that over is Graeme Smith's on-drive to the mid-wicket boundary. South Africa probably have the longest batting line-up in the tournament (Andrew Hall, a man with a Test match hundred is due to come in at nine).

14th over: SA 106-0
De Villiers brings up the 100 with a pull which just evades the palms of Shaun Tait at mid-off, but manages to roll over the boundary. A far more convincing shot in the same area produces the same result. Ponting has a dilemma - when does he bring on Brad Hogg with these two smashing the ball to all part of the ground? Hold on to your seats folks, we're in for some serious entertainment.

13th over: SA 96-0
De Villiers almost cut shorts his promising innings with a risky single to Ponting, but the Australian captain's throw misses the stumps with de Villiers out of his ground. 'Wilbur' Watson then gets the raw end of a Graeme Smith spanking, first a four over mid-wicket before a biff down the ground for six over mid-on. And two fortuitous runs from the inside edge of De Villiers bat brings up his 50 off 47 balls.

12th over: SA 81-0
More circumspect from McGrath, who reigns back the runs.

11th over: SA 79-0
'Wilbur' Watson is not having much luck, first umpire Steve Bucknor turns down a reasonable lbw appeal, then AB de Villiers sneaks through a leg glance past a short fine leg inside the circle.

10th over: SA 73-0
McGrath is getting the Pollock treatment as both Smith and De Villiers plunder boundaries from his third over. Australia were 77-0 after 10 overs. The words eggs, basket, one, not and putting spring to mind.

9th over: SA 63-0
"Oh yes Wilbur" is the cry from Gilchrist after Shane Watson's first delivery of the game. Wilbur? How does that work? Anyway, Wilbur is promptly dispatched for a six straight over his head by Graeme Smith.

8th over: SA 55-0
First over must have been an aberration as McGrath is back to his naggingly accurate best, conceding a solitary single.

7th over: SA 54-0
Bracken is back on the money with a tighter over, courtesy of some excellent fielding from Ponting and Clarke.

6th over: SA 52-0
Glenn McGrath's into the attack - and is promptly dispatched for three consecutive boundaries by De Villiers, all class shots. The first a flick off the pads, the second a classic cover drive and the third a cut to deep point. McGrath finishes the over with three dot balls.

5th over: SA 40-0
Bracken's obviously looking for swing, but he ain't getting nada. Two thumping straight drives from Graeme Smith race to the boundary in no time. The green and gold (Australian) army are suddenly a little song-shy. (Thanks to Nicholas Ross for pointing out that both teams have green and gold in their strips.)

4th over: SA 30-0
Tait isn't as frugal as his long-haired opening partner, mixing up wides with overpitched deliveries begging to be smashed to the boundary. Wides aren't helping his cause either. De Villiers is looking threatening.

3rd over: SA 19-0
No gifts from Bracken in this over, preventing either opener from opening their shoulders and giving it the heave-ho. Slight tangent but a female friend of mine thinks Nathan Bracken is the finest male specimen on this planet. I can't quite see it either...

2nd over: SA 18-0
Shaun Tait takes the new ball at the other end. The South Australian has an annoying Maria Sharapova-esque grunt at the point of release, which surely must be off-putting. It doesn't distracted De Villiers, who slots Tait through mid-wicket for four. Two wides from that over, as well as two singles.

1st over: SA 10-0
Hello! I think we could be in for a riveting game here. Nathan Bracken opens the bowling for Australia, only to be dispatched for 10 off his first over, courtesy of a four and six from AB de Villiers. The four raced through the covers while the six sailed over deep square.

"So Australia get more runs against the SA bowling attack then against the Dutch or Scottish bowling attacks! Time for Pollock to say farewell?"
Jeroen ten Berg via email

AUSTRALIA 377 FROM 50 OVERS

50 overs: Aus 377-6 WICKET - Symonds bowled Hall 18
A really good final over from Andrew Hall, who cleans up Andrew Symonds with an inswinging yorker. Still, Australia's 377 is the third highest total in World Cup history. And remember they are playing South Africa. Wonder what will be said in the Proteas dressing room.

49th over: Aus 373-5
Symonds slaps Langaveldt straight down the ground, one bounce for four. Watson, not to be outdone, engineers two ingenious sweeps for his boundary fills. A massive 16 runs from that over.

48th over: Aus 357-5
No fireworks, just a few singles to end the over.

48.2 overs: Aus 353-5 WICKET - Hussey ct Kallis b Hall 5
After hitting Hall for four, Hussey tries the same again, only to find Kallis on the deep cover boundary, who pouches the catch with minimal fuss. In comes Shane Watson.

46.4 overs: Aus 347-4 WICKET - Clarke run out 92
Another missed ton opportunity as Clarke charges down the wicket at the non-striker's end, only to find Andrew Symonds completely static at the crease after hitting the ball to Shaun Pollock. A quick throw to Langaveldt, who whips off the bails with Clarke well out of his ground. In comes Mike Hussey.

46th over: Aus 341-3
You know that that sound of a sweetly struck six? Well Michael Clarke has just hit the sweetest sounding maximum I have ever heard high onto the roof of the stands over mid-on.

46.1 over: Aus 328-3 WICKET - Ponting ct De Villiers b Ntini 91
Alas, no ton for Ponting, who is caught on the mid-on boundary attempting another six, but only finding the hands of AB De Villiers. In comes Andrew Symonds for his first innings in seven weeks since a bicep injury.

45th over: Aus 328-2
Just when you think it's safe to concede a few singles in an over, up pops a juicy full toss from Kallis for Clarke to dispatch into the stands for a huge six.

44th over: Aus 318-2
Ntini keeps it tight until Ponting decides to flail him over mid-wicket, once bounce for four. The soca is pumping and the Aussie supporters are loving it on the sidelines.

Apologies for incorrectly stating that Matthew Hayden had somehow managed to hit 143 boundaries on his 68-ball innings. To be fair, it felt like if he hit that many... Thank you to everyone who spotted the glaring error.

43rd over: Aus 311-2
A moment of hilarity as Ponting manages to fling his bat further than the ball, but safely strides through for a single off Kallis. Not that the South Africans are laughing. Clarke keeps the runs flowing with a exocet of a square cut for four.

42nd over: Aus 303-2
Clarke brings up the 300 (still another eight overs to go!!) with a single down the ground. Andrew Hall has been the pick of the South African bowlers, not giving either batsman the opportunity to plunder boundaries.

41st over: Aus 297-2
Nine runs from Jacques Kallis's seventh over, five singles before a powerful cut from Clarke for four.

40th over: Aus 288-2
You know it's not your day when Herschelle Gibbs puts down an absolute sitter - and Ponting can only smile. Good over from Andrew Hall, despite the clanger from Gibbs.

39th over: Aus 284-2
Pollock is having a shocker - he concedes five wides with a wayward leg-side delivery with Boucher standing up and a fine glance from Clarke also finds the boundary, the 31st of the innings. Add the nine sixes and it's a little glum for Graeme Smith.

38th over: Aus 270-2
Langaveldt manages to stem the run flow, but still manages to concede six without any boundaries. The Australians are cruising.

37th over: Aus 264-2
Shaun Pollock probably can't remember being smashed around the ground as much as he has been today. Clarke stands back and gives it the 'Larry Dooley' over mid-off for six - bringing up his 50 in the process. And Punter does exactly the same straight back over Polly's ginger head. That's 16 from Pollock's ninth over, taking his figures to a bruising 0-69. Ouch.

36th over: Aus 250-2
Pup and Punter are just awesome running between the wickets, converting certain ones into convincing twos. Clarke then punishes Langaveldt with two consecutive fours to bring up the 250. And to think Andrew Symonds and Mr Cricket have yet to bat. If you're South African, keep thinking about Johannesburg last year...

35th over: Aus 239-2
As dominant as the Australians have been, they've definitely had the fortune in their favour. Ponting's lofted off-drive off Ntini just misses the despairing dive of Andrew Hall. However his second lofted drive has no such fielder proximity issues as it sails straight into the stands to bring up his 59th one-day fifty.

34th over: Aus 228-2
Clarke boffs the first two balls from Kallis to the boundary. The first just about eludes De Villiers (again) at short mid-wicket while the second is caressed over mid-off. Punter's taking a back seat in all this, which is something I won't write too often. Four runs come off the other four balls in the over.

33rd over: Aus 216-2
Ntini's back into the attack and does what his captain wants him to do and stems the runs. Just two from Makhaya's six balls.

32nd over: Aus 214-2
Clarke gets in on the big-hitting jamboree with a four through cover and a straight six off Kallis. Mind you, the way this pitch is playing, I think I could probably pick up a few maximums. Probably. On comes the drinks trolley.

31st over: Aus 203-2
Polly keeps a tight line, making this scoring runs business a little harder than it has been in the match. One moment of excellence from AB de Villiers, who just misses the stumps with his throw after spotting Ponting out of his ground. A definite livewire in the field.

30th over: Aus 201-2
Punter gets a rap around the helmet when he attempts to charge down the wicket to Kallis - and true to form picks up a boundary for his troubles. A hairy moment earlier in the over when Ponting pushes a ball straight to Ashwell Prince in the covers, but his throw misses the stumps with Clarke well out of his ground.

29th over: Aus 193-2
Clarke just about evades a diving De Villiers with a glance through short mid-wicket for a couple. If de Villiers had clung on to that it probably would have usurped the one-handed spectator catch in the stands (maybe). However, it wasn't meant to be and the pair pick up a couple more runs.

28th over: Aus 189-2
A chip over mid-wicket sees Punter pick up a boundary in the most delightful way. Batting and scoring runs isn't supposed to be as easy as this against a decent bowling attack.

27th over: Aus 182-2
A moment of indecision between Punter and 'Pup' Clarke when the former charged down the pitch while the latter stayed rooted in his crease after a wide from the reintroduced Pollock was spilled by Boucher. But Pup scampers like a namesake and easily makes his ground. Five more comfortably run singles from that over, but I can't hep but feel a little cheated after the earlier pyrotechnics.

26th over: Aus 177-2
Kallis does a nice line in...line and length, making the expansive shots from the earlier overs very difficult. Three runs - all singles - from that over.

25th over: Aus 174-2
Clarke and Ponting nudge the singles off Smith. This really is the most ideal day ever for batting.

24th over: Aus 167-2 WICKET - Hayden ct Gibbs b Kallis 101
Jacques Kallis is introduced and makes the all-important breakthrough when he manages to surprise Hayden with a lifter which he tamely lobs into the very safe hands of Herschelle Gibbs. Hayden's 101 came from just 68 balls. Michael Clarke joins his captain at the crease.

23rd over: Aus 165-1
If you want a job done properly... Graeme Smith brings himself into the attack and his second ball is launched into the stands high above his head as Hayden picks up his century in the most emphatic fashion you could ever wish to see, becoming the fastest centurion in World Cup history.

22nd over: Aus 158-1
Tidy over from Hall, but nothing of real note from Punter or Haydos with two singles.

21st over: Aus 156-1
No big shots from this Langaveldt over, but five runs from singles keeps the scoreboard ticking along like a clock factory. The last single brings up the pair's 50 partnership.

"The Aussies aren't taking the South African's to the cleaners - more like the abattoir."
TMS commentator Neil Manthorp

20th over: Aus 151-1
Ponting is brilliantly caught - by an Aussie supporter in the stands. He manages to pluck the Aussie captain's six out of the air one-handed while simultaneously holding on to his refreshing cup of beverage. Best catch of the tournament by far, with minimal spillage. And Ponting follows that maximum up with a thumping boundary over Andrew Hall's head for four. That shot also brought up his 10,000th run in one-day cricket.

19th over: Aus 140-1
A trademark scythe through point and it's another four for Hayden. He doesn't do his chances for a ton any favours when he scampers through for a risky single, but the single moves him to the nineties. Note to all, the fastest World Cup hundred is held by John Davison off 67 balls. Hayden has faced 59 balls for his 90. And to compound South Africa's problems further, Ponting glances a boundary off the very last ball of Langeveldt's over.

18th over: Aus 128-1
Ponting gets off the mark with a clip off his legs before Haydos pushes a loose Hall delivery down to fine leg for four.

17th over: Aus 123-1
It's like a fight scene in Batman with BIFF! BOSH! WHAMMO! from Hayden as he collects another three boundaries. Number 1 is smashed over the covers, number 2 is walloped over mid-on and number 3 is the first false stroke of the afternoon, an under-edge which evades Mark Boucher behind the stumps. It's hardly a WHAMMO! but I quite like the Batman simile...

16th over: Aus 111-1
Nelson time - feet off the sofa David Shepherd - after yet another powerful off-drive from Hayden off Hall. However Hall finds a probing line for Ponting, who sees out the rest of the over without getting off the mark.

"They might be getting a pasting, but 12 overs and no extras - England (and everyone else) please take note!"
Richard Southward

15th over: WICKET - Gilchrist ct Gibbs b Langeveldt 42, Aus 106-1 Gilchrist's explosive innings comes to a anti-climatic end when he guides an innocuous cut straight into the hands of Herschelle Gibbs at backward point. You finally get rid of Gilchrist, only to see Ricky Ponting join Hayden at the crease. How disheartening must that be?

14th over: Aus 102-0
Haydos brings up the 100 with yet another wallop for six, this time over mid-off off Hall. Spectators should consider acquiring helmets and keeping gloves if this onslaught continues. Oh, and there was a clip off Hayden's legs for four too.

13th over: Aus 92-0
A relatively tidy over from Langeveldt, three runs conceded.

12th over: Aus 89-0
Hayden brings up his 31st one-day fifty off new bowler Andrew Hall with the most brutal off-drive you will ever see. Any fielder in the way of that shot would have been acquainting themselves with the medical facilities of St Kitts. 500 in 50 overs anyone?

11th over: Aus 84-0
Graeme Smith has more on his plate than Dwayne Leverock at a all-you-can-eat buffet. He brings on Charl Langeveldt for Pollock and the seamer makes a useful start with his first five balls, conceding the one run. Then he ruins his hard work with a juicy length ball subsequently dispatched into the stands over deep mid-on by Gilchrist.

10th over: Aus 77-0
Did I say damage control? Nine off the first three balls from Ntini - a single for Gilchrist and two fours from Hayden - and normal service is resumed. Hayden is looking particularly impervious and collects another single.

9th over: Aus 67-0
After the initial battering, the South African bowlers have managed to apply some semblance of damage control. Two well-judged singles and a hoist to deep square off Pollock keep the score ticking over nicely.

8th over: Aus 64-0
They're stalling - only one off that Ntini over.

7th over: Aus 63-0
Once again Hayden nudges another tap through point for four off Pollock. You can't even describe it as a deflection. Either Warner Park is the size of a French postage stamp, or Hayden's bat is made from some sort of super wood. I get the feeling it's a combination of both.

6th over: Aus 57-0
Gilly flashes and the ball just - and that's just - eludes the outstretched hands of AB de Villiers inside the circle at cover. Three more collected from that over.

"Like everyone else I thought that Symonds would regain his place at the expense of Watson. Surely the removal of Hodge implies an Aussie insecurity regarding their pace attack?"
Nic, North Wales

5th over: Aus 50-0
No, it's not a typo, Australia really are 50-0 off five overs. Remember that game in Johannesburg last year? You know, the one where silly numbers were scored and chased? Well I think we could be in for another one of those. Hayden bludgeons a cut for four before smashing two consecutive sixes over mid-on. And they aren't slogs, these are genuine cricket shots of the highest quality. Crikey.

4th over: Aus 33-0
Another cover driven four from Gilly, followed up by exactly the same shot -with the same result - the very next ball. Ntini has a look on his face akin to a man trying to work out how much �25 is in Turkish Lira, ie very confused.

3rd over: Aus 24-0
Haydos smacks another leg-side boundary before rotating strike to his opening partner. Gilly unleashes a power cut which is partially stopped for a couple before a text-book drive through cover for four. This is the perfect batting strip - and I think Mr Smith knows it too.

2nd over: Aus 13-0
Gilchrist gets in on the act with another effortless boundary, this time driving off his legs off Makhaya Ntini. He picks up four more runs, again on the leg-side, with two pushes behind square. Confident start from the defending champs.

1st over: Aus 5-0
Shaun Pollock opens the bowling to Adam Gilchrist, who leaves the first three deliveries before finally making contact and getting off the mark with a well-run single into the covers. Hayden then gently pushes the ball past Pollock and the ball races away for a boundary in no time. He didn't even try and hit that and it went for four. Get set ladies and gents...

1329: Plenty of gaps in the crowd - the ground's probably a third to a half full. You'd hope the empty seats are due to excessive queuing times in the beer tent...

The pitch looks a belting batting wicket - hope Graeme Smith knows what he is doing.

1317: It's Symonds first appearance in the Green and Gold since picking up a bicep injury seven weeks ago against England in the CB Series. Symonds said he is "95% fit" but there are apparently concerns about his throwing from deep.

Just goes to show how important the dreadlocked warrior is for the Australians. Note that Warner Park was the venue for Herschelle Gibbs's six sixes against the Netherlands. Forget runfest - this should be a blastathon.

1308 GMT: Game on - Graeme Smith wins the toss and decides to put Australia into bat - should be an interesting afternoon of action. South Africa have named an unchanged side while the Australians have replaced Brad Hodge with Andrew Symonds.

Australia: Gilchrist, Hayden, Ponting, Clarke, Symonds, Hussey, Watson, Hogg, Bracken, Tait, McGrath

South Africa: Smith, de Villiers, Kallis, Gibbs, Prince, Kemp, Boucher, Pollock, Hall, CK Langeveldt, Ntini