Brevis powers Proteas to mammoth victory over Australia

DEWALD Brevis kept the Proteas' hopes alive in the T20I series against Australia with a record-breaking century in Darwin on Tuesday.

- ZAAHIER ADAMS

Brevis' blistering unbeaten 125 off 56 balls, including 12 fours and eight sixes powered the Proteas to 218/7, before the bowlers cleaned up the hosts for 165 to level the series at 1-1 heading into Saturday's decider in Cairns.

The 22-year-old reached his half-century in 25 balls before accelerating to a century in just 41.

It was a masterful display of straight hitting with Brevis favouring the long strike down to the ground. A feature of the innings was the way Brevis kept his head down at the moment of impact before raising his head only once the ball had cleared the boundary.

Brevis rebuilt the Proteas' innings after the visitors had slipped to 57/3 after both openers Ryan Rickelton (14), Aiden Markram (18) and Lhuan-dre Pretorius (10) had been sent back to the dugout.