South Africa started their three-match ODI series against Australia on Thursday, September 24, with a convincing 67-run win at Kingsmead in Durban, courtesy of Matthew Breetzke’s 112 and Keshav Maharaj’s four-wicket haul.
After winning the toss and electing to field first, South Africa scored 297/8 in 50 overs after recovering from 168/5. Matthew Breetzke played a solid innings by scoring 112 runs off 106 balls, while Marco Jansen added 75 runs off 59 balls.
Matthew Breetzke and Marco Jansen Rescue South Africa
The opening batsmen of South Africa had a tough time against the pace bowlers of Australia on a pitch that was slow at Kingsmead. Tony de Zorzi was dismissed for a duck, Quinton de Kock scored 14 runs, and then Matthew Breetzke joined Temba Bavuma when the score read 29/2.
Breetzke methodically reconstructed the innings, scoring 54 in partnership with Bavuma and then adding other partnerships with Ryan Rickelton and David Miller. After the dismissal of Miller for nine runs in the 34th over, South Africa had scored 168/5, threatening to declare a small total.
After this, Jansen came out to bat in partnership with Breetzke and made a huge difference for South Africa, as the duo scored 107 runs in 81 balls, with Jansen being aggressive against Australia’s spinners and reducing the pressure on Breetzke.
Breetzke was eventually dismissed for a score of 112 with 14 fours and two sixes in his name. Jansen carried forward the momentum and finished unbeaten with 75 off 59 balls, which included four sixes, to take South Africa to 297/8. Nathan Ellis was the best bowler for Australia with figures of 3/57, while Adam Zampa scalped 2/50.
Moreover, Breetzke became the highest run-scorer in ODI cricket for South Africa and the highest scorer overall among batsmen in 14 ODI innings. He scored 112 runs to take his career tally to 822 runs after 14 innings, as per SuperSport.
Australia Make a Flying Start
Australia seemed in total control in the initial few overs as far as their chase was concerned. Mitchell Marsh launched his assault on South African bowlers right from the start as he blasted 60 runs off just 36 deliveries, hitting 5 fours and 6 sixes.
With the help of Travis Head, Australia quickly reached 90/0 in 10 overs. Then the visitors were 129/1 in the 16th over. It looked like a perfect start to reach their target of 298.
But then, everything changed for Australia when Marsh hit Keshav Maharaj towards Breitzke at cover.
Maharaj Guides Australia to Collapse
The spinners from South Africa took advantage of the errors made by Australia in the middle overs. Maharaj had some great bowling figures of 4/20 in 9.2 overs, whereas Bjorn Fortuin took two wickets for 34 runs.
The Aussies lost their last nine wickets for just 101 runs and lost the match by being all out for 230 in 41.2 overs. Renshaw provided some resistance in the form of 44 runs off 49 balls, but he got out to end any hope of revival for Australia.
Jansen provided one of the best fielding efforts of the game by taking a diving one-handed catch on the boundary to dismiss Renshaw. Then the fielding and spin attack from South Africa won them the match.
Breetzke was awarded Man of the Match due to his century and three catches. This win gives South Africa a 1-0 lead in the ODI series of three matches. The next ODI match will take place at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on September 27.
The third ODI will be played at Potchefstroom on September 30.
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