Aussies turn the screws

Michael Clarke has tasted success in his first match since replacing Ricky Ponting as Australia's Twenty20 captain, steering his charges to a tight 17-run win over the ACA All*Stars at the Gabba on Sunday night.

After being sent in by All*Stars captain Shane Warne, late hitting from Cameron White (44 not out) and George Bailey (30 not out) helped boost Australia's total to 5-173, despite the best efforts of Glenn McGrath (3-18).

39-year-old McGrath may not have been the quickest mover in the field, but he was as miserly as ever with the ball in hand, at one point boasting figures of 3-10 from three overs.

All*Stars duo Lee Carseldine (41 off 31 balls) and Travis Birt (26 off 19 balls) helped give their side hope with an entertaining display of striking power, but their dismissals proved to be the turning point.

Clarke called upon seven bowlers to help bring about the All*Stars downfall, with the highlight being Clint McKay's return of 3-18 as the underdogs finished their 20 overs at 9-156.

Shaun Tait (2-26) was fearsome with the new ball in his hand, bowling with great pace to see the speed gun clicking past 155km - much to the delight of the 16,469-strong crowd.

Aside from McGrath, who like Warne was playing in Australia for the first time since January 2007, much of the buildup for the opening match of the summer focused on the reunion of Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden at the top of the All*Stars' order.

The pair of legends did not disappoint.

Peter Siddle (2-35) returned to the national side after a side strain in initially stark fashion, with Gilchrist and Hayden helping themselves to 15 runs from his opening over.

Siddle bounced back swiftly after Clarke swung him around to the Vulture St end, with Gilchrist and Daniel Harris supplying Cameron White with a pair of catches in consecutive balls.

The Victorian paceman was then on the receiving end of another 15-run over, with Carseldine and Birt each cracking a massive six over the long-on fence.

The pair fell soon after, and while Warne (12 not out) added some entertainment at the death when he smacked young leg-spinner Steve Smith for a couple of boundaries, but the damage had been done.

Earlier in the night McGrath made the initial breakthrough for the All*Stars in the fourth over when dangerous opener David Warner (15) was caught behind.

A 38-run partnership between Brad Haddin (33) and Clarke (27) helped Australia settle, but the reintroduction of McGrath in the 14th over saw the momentum swing once more.

David Hussey (22) holed out to Jason Krejza in the deep, while Adam Voges followed for a golden duck the very next ball to put McGrath on a hat-trick heading into his final over.

McGrath was unable to snare the personal milestone, but his efforts helped give the underdogs a fighting chance of victory.

Warne got off to a shaky start when a rank short ball went whistling to the boundary courtesy of a blistering pull-shot from Haddin, but the maestro steadied.

Warne had an entertaining duel while bowling to Clarke, and it was made all the more lively due to the leg-spinner's commentary.

The battle ended prematurely, with a mistimed drive seeing Clarke out edging to Graham Manou, who took over the keeping duties from Gilchrist at the 10-over mark.