Durban, Sep 24 (IANS) South Africa began their home season with a 67-run win over the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup champions Australia in the first of the three ODI matches at Kingsmead in Durban on Thursday.
The Temba Bavuma-led Proteas, the reigning World Test Champions, were right on the mark as they overcame Australia by 67 runs in the first meeting between the two sides in the format since the latter had defeated them in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023.
Asked to bat first after Mitchell Marsh won the toss, South Africa lost an early wicket as Josh Hazlewood struck to give the tourists the advantage. Things became further difficult for the hosts as Nathan Ellis’ first-ball special accounted for Quinton de Kock (18) in the eighth over.
Matthew Breetzke walked out to bat at 29/2, and over the next three hours displayed positive intent mixed with an ability to find gaps, securing his second ODI hundred along the way.
Despite starts for Temba Bavuma (30) and Ryan Rickelton (27), Australia kept themselves in the contest with regular breakthroughs.
Things changed when Breetzke found an able partner in Marco Jansen, who smashed 75 off merely 59 to lift South Africa closer to 300. That they fell three runs short was due to the wily efforts of Ellis, who finished at 3-57. Adam Zampa was the second-best bowler with his 2-50.
Australia’s reply began in stark contrast to South Africa, with Mitchell Marsh unleashing havoc with the willow, racing to a 36-ball 60 before falling when the team score was 90 in the 10th over. He was dismissed by Keshav Maharaj, and soon enough Bavuma understood the pattern of the wicket and unleashed his tweakers to trouble the batters.
Maharaj (4-20) and Bjorn Fortuin (2-34) shared six wickets between them, as despite efforts from Travis Head (36), Cooper Connolly (38) and Matt Renshaw (44), Australia’s later batters failed to match up to the fireworks of Marsh.
Brief scores:
South Africa 297/8 in 50 overs (Matthew Breetzke 112, Marco Jansen 75, Temba Bavuma 30; Nathan Ellis 3-57, Adam Zampa 2-50) beat Australia 230 all out in 31.2 overs (Mitchell Marsh 60, Matt Renshaw 44, Cooper Connolly 38, Travis Head 36; Keshav Maharaj 4-20, Corbin Bosch 2-67. Bjorn Fortuin 2-34) by 67 runs
–IANS
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