Debutant David Warner clubbed the second-fastest T20 international 50 ever as Australia beat South Africa by 52 runs.

Warner, who is yet to make his first-class debut, had the home fans in frenzy as he smashed 89 off only 43 balls.

He spearheaded Australia's charge to 182 for nine before the Proteas, aided by 78 from 48 balls from the unflappable Jean-Paul Duminy, were dismissed for 130.

The Proteas were unable to recover after losing wickets in each of their opening three overs as Australia bounced back from their Test series defeat earlier this summer.

And it was Warner, only the third Australian in 158 years to represent his country before making his first-class debut, who stole the show with his man-of-the-match performance.

In just over an hour, Warner smashed six sixes and seven fours to be the owner of the joint fifth-highest Twenty20 international score and third best by an Australian.

He also posted the sixth-fastest international half-century in all forms of the game with his 50 coming off just 19 balls.

Only Yuvraj Singh has hit a faster half-century in Twenty20 internationals than Warner, reaching the mark off 12 balls against England in Durban in 2007.

Warner's heroics enabled Australia to set a challenging run chase despite losing seven wickets for 42 runs in the final 38 balls.

Not only did he upstage several of his more decorated team-mates, including Test captain Ricky Ponting (21), Warner showed no respect at all for several members of the Proteas attack.

Test stars Jacques Kallis, Makhaya Ntini and Dale Steyn were all in the destructive path of the New South Welshman.

His square cut off Kallis which beat gully and point was straight from the text book, while his six off Steyn's bowling, which roared some 25 rows into the stands, lifted him past 50.

But the Australians, who reached their 100 after 10 overs, lost momentum following Warner's dismissal in the 14th over.

Steyn was again Australia's nemesis, claiming three for 38, including the wickets of Luke Ronchi (11) and James Hopes (13).

Duminy lifted the Proteas from a dire position of 12 for three after three overs with an innings which, if not for Warner's heroics earlier in the night, would have wowed the fans.

He smashed nine fours and one six - an outrageous scoop above wicketkeeper Ronchi off Shaun Tait's bowling - but could not rescue the visitors.

His dismissal, lbw trying to reverse-sweep David Hussey, all but ended the tourists' bid for victory.

Tait, in his first match for Australia in nearly a year, bowled with extreme pace and fire to finish with figures of two for 36 while Hussey claimed three for 25.