Raw Rabada a rare fast-bowling talent

As one South African speedster begins the final years of his stellar career, another is starting his own in spectacular fashion on the global stage.

Kagiso Rabada was the pick of South Africa's bowlers in Johannesburg on Sunday, outdoing veteran paceman Dale Steyn in his T20 international comeback after two years in the gripping five-wicket loss to Australia.

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Rabada produced two moments of magic in that afternoon of which will stick long in the memory of those in attendance at the Wanderers.

The first (see above) was a searing yorker that cannoned into Australia opener Aaron Finch's middle stump.

The speed gun recorded it at 148.3kph, and the paceman hit 150kph before the day was over.

The second was pure athleticism. Scrambling back at third man, Rabada misjudged the flight of a ball off the bat of visiting captain Steve Smith, but in desperation threw up his right hand and, mid-lunge, plucked the most outrageous catch.

An incredible display of skill from a young man for whom his captain, Faf du Plessis, has a lot of time.

"He's an exceptional talent," Du Plessis said after play on Sunday. "He's got a really bright future ahead of him and he's also got a great head on his shoulders.

"He never gets arrogant, he's always got both feet on the ground and is a really competitive guy.

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"You see that catch, it was amazing. Fast bowlers, when they do that, it's amazing.

"His skills are really good and as a captain, I've got no issue in trusting a 20-year-old to bowl the final over.

"That's how far he's come and I'm really excited to see what he does in this (T20) World Cup."

Rabada announced himself to the world with a six-wicket haul in the Under-19 Cricket World Cup semi-final in February 2014, blasting aside the Australians and taking his team through to the final, which South Africa won.

Nine months later he made his T20 international debut against Australia's big boys in Adelaide. A year to the day after that, he was wearing Test whites in his maiden match in India.

In his most recent Test, against England at Centurion, the lightning right-armer claimed match figures of 13-144, giving him the second-best ever figures by a South African, and the title of the youngest man to take a 10-wicket haul in Tests.

Today, with the Proteas defending 11 from the final over, du Plessis gave Rabada the last over, and while he bowled David Warner off the first ball, he couldn't prevent the tourists from levelling the series 1-all with one to play.

Despite the outcome, Warner was suitably impressed.

"You got a 20-year-old with a bright future bowling there at the end," Warner said. "What a remarkable catch as well.

"I think South Africa's heading in the right direction with fast-bowling talent, definitely."