New captain Mitchell Marsh put in a powerful batting performance to lead Australia to a 111-run win against South Africa in the first Twenty20 international at Kingsmead on Wednesday.

Marsh hit his best T20 score of 92 not out off 49 balls, helping Australia reach 226 for 6 after being put in.

South Africa’s first batter, Reeza Hendricks, got 56 runs, but the home team was bowled out for 115.

Tanveer Sangha, who was called up late because Adam Zampa got sick, took four wickets in his first game.

“He’s a fantastic young talent,” said Marsh.

Both teams were missing a number of important players.

Australia went on an all-out attack, and Marsh hit 20 runs off of Lungi Ngidi’s second over.

New lid Tim David (64) and Matt Short (20) batted together for 63 runs off of 26 balls and 97 runs off of 50 balls with Marsh.

“I thought Tim was fantastic. It was a really good partnership,” said Marsh.

The Australians hit 11 sixes, and both Marsh and David hit the ball out of the ground and into a road on the leg side of Kingsmead’s old main stand.

The Australian attack meant that South Africa had to make a record-setting run chase in the second innings. After Marcus Stoinis bowled Temba Bavuma in the first over, which only cost one run, it didn’t look likely.

“It’s been an interval since we last played and it showed tonight,” said South African captain Aiden Markram.

The next two T20 matches, both to be played again in Durban, take place on Friday and Sunday.

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