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Key events
28th over: South Africa 138-4 (Breetzke 50, Miller 7) Jack Edwards gets the ball to jag back into the left-hander David Miller and it crashes into the South African’s back pad. The umpire waves away the appeal and Australia send it for a review. The only thing saving Miller – and denying Edwards a first ODI wickets – is umpire’s call as ball tracking shows it was clipping the bails. Miller survives again as a thick leading edge flies over cover but lands safely and the South African scamper through for a couple.
27th over: South Africa 134-4 (Breetzke 50, Miller 5) Millers gets off the mark with a flick off the pads to deep long-on and picks up two more behind square off Zampa.
26th over: South Africa 129-4 (Breetzke 50, Miller 0) Half-century for Breetzke. That’s the eighth time he has reached the mark in 14 ODIs. He brings it up with a cracking straight drive to the rope off Renshaw. The Australian part-timer ties him down to see out the rest of the over.
25th over: South Africa 125-4 (Breetzke 46, Miller 0) Rickelton was looking dangerous while scoring at a touch better than a run a ball but is on his way for 27 off 26. David Miller joins Breetzke at the crease as South Africa will appreciate having a bit of depth to their batting order.
WICKET! Rickelton c Renshaw b Zampa 27 (South Africa 125-4)
Rickelton takes on Renshaw on the rope at deep square and falls narrowly short of clearing the Australian. It is a tricky catch with Renshaw close to the boundary and perhaps receiving some live feedback from the crowd. He skips up on to one leg, clasps the catch, turns to the crowd and beams without needing to say a word. It was an ordinary ball from Zampa, far too short, but Rickelton paid for mis-timing the stroke.
24th over: South Africa 123-3 (Breetzke 45, Rickelton 26) Edwards returns and Rickelton almost gives the all-rounder his first ODI wicket. Rickelton drives and gets a thick edge that flies wide of the keeper and past deep third to the rope. The next boundary is pure class as Rickelton cracks a straight drive wide of mid-off.
23rd over: South Africa 112-3 (Breetzke 44, Rickelton 16) Rickelton hammers Starc for back-to-back boundaries even as the left-armer is pushing into mid 140km/h deliveries. The first uses the pace to ease the ball through deep square and fine leg. The next is more impressive as Rickelton rocks back and cuts through point to the rope.
22nd over: South Africa 103-3 (Breetzke 44, Rickelton 7) Australia roll the dice with the part-time spin of Matt Renshaw and might be pleased to get away with just the one boundary. Rickelton misses out on full toss as he hits straight to long-off. Breetzke likes what he’s seen and immediately takes on Renshaw with a scorching cover drive to the rope.
21st over: South Africa 96-3 (Breetzke 39, Rickelton 5) Starc returns with Australia looking to turn the screw before Rickelton settles. The left-armer immediately gets movement in the air when others were unable to find much. Three singles keep the score ticking over as Connolly saves a boundary with a dive in cover off the last ball of the over.
20th over: South Africa 93-3 (Breetzke 38, Rickelton 3) Ellis reins in the scoring with an over filled with his usual variation. Full, short, wide of off-stump and a slower ball keep the batters guessing. Breetzke picks up a single to deep square and Rickelton adds another to mid-off.
19th over: South Africa 90-3 (Breetzke 37, Rickelton 1) Zampa sends Bavuma on his way to bring Ryan Rickelton to the crease at No 5 – the lowest the hard-hitter has batted in his 17 ODIs. Rickelton gets off the mark with a single to mid-off then Breetzke cracks a SIX as he sends a shorter ball over deep mid-wicket.
WICKET! Bavuma c Inglis b Zampa 30 (South Africa 83-3)
Adam Zampa with the timely breakthrough as Temba Bavuma gifts his wicket to the Australians. The leg-spinner throws up a tempting delivery that is very wide of the off-stump and the South African skipper can’t resist swiping hard but gets an edge through to the keeper. A nice take from Inglis too.
18th over: South Africa 83-2 (Bavuma 30, Breetzke 31) The South Africans share a 50-run partnership as Breetzke opens up his bat to slice a drive off Ellis past point and to the rope. Fortune perhaps favouring the brave but the batters are looking solid.
17th over: South Africa 76-2 (Bavuma 29, Breetzke 25) The South Africa pair are looking settled and are closing in on a 50-run stand. Breetzke hammers a fuller ball from Zampa as a cover drive ends up flying over point to the rope.
16th over: South Africa 70-2 (Bavuma 28, Breetzke 20) Cooper Connolly comes into the attack as Australia call on spin and both ends. He begins around the wicket and Breetzke picks off a single to long-off. Bavuma has a closer look then flicks off his pads for two to long-on as Breetzke races through for a tight second that tests Travis Head’s throw from the deep. Bavuma punishes a shorter ball with a cut to the rope.
15th over: South Africa 63-2 (Bavuma 22, Breetzke 19) Australia turn to spin after the drinks break with Adam Zampa thrown the ball for the first time. The South Africans begin the over with three consecutive singles before the leg-spinner clamps down.
14th over: South Africa 60-2 (Bavuma 21, Breetzke 17) Bavuma flicks a switch with a pair of sublime boundaries. The first comes off the back foot as the skipper crunches a straight drive over Edwards’ head. The next is even better with a textbook pull shot over square leg. That’s drinks.
13th over: South Africa 52-2 (Bavuma 13, Breetzke 17) Hazlewood bowls his sixth over of the spell. Breetzke crunches a boundary with an exquisite straight drive that thunders just wide of mid-off.
12th over: South Africa 46-2 (Bavuma 12, Breetzke 12) Jack Edwards is thrown the ball for the first time in an ODI. A neat over only gives up two runs as Bavuma starts it with a nudge to square leg and Breetzke ends it with a risky single to mid-on.
11th over: South Africa 44-2 (Bavuma 11, Breetzke 11) South Africa are happy to consolidate on their decent start by rotating the strike with four singles off Hazlewood. The Australian quick drops in a nasty bouncer to Bavuma as the South Africa tries to hook. There is a half-hearted appeal for caught behind but Bavuma was nowhere near it.
10th over: South Africa 40-2 (Bavuma 9, Breetzke 9) A tidy over from Ellis. Bavuma picks up a single with a cover drive that doesn’t have enough on it to beat the infield. Breetzke adds one with a straight drive and a tight run. Powerplay is done. Honours feel even.
9th over: South Africa 38-2 (Bavuma 8, Breetzke 8) Hazlewood continues but the South Africans are beginning to look more comfortable against him. Bavuma picks up a single with a nudge around the corner to midwicket. Breetzke then opens up with a square cut off the back foot for four. Shot of the day so far.
8th over: South Africa 33-2 (Bavuma 7, Breetzke 4) Ellis gets the crucial wicket of De Kock to bring South Africa one-day wonder Matthew Breetzke to the crease. The 27-year-old averages 59.17 with one ton and six half-centuries from his first 13 innings in the format. Ellis beats Breetzke with the first ball. But the South African responds with a straight drive past the bowler and to the rope off the final delivery of the over.
WICKET! De Kock c Inglis b Ellis 14 (South Africa 29-2)
Nathan Ellis comes into the attack and strikes first ball. It was no loosener as he angles the ball across Quinton de Kock and forces the opener into playing a half-hearted defensive stroke. The ball clips the shoulder of the bat and Inglis dives hard across Renshaw at first slip to claim a nice catch.
7th over: South Africa 29-1 (De Kock 14, Bavuma 7) South Africa get motoring helped by a rare loose over from Starc. The left-arm quick drifts down leg for a wide then loses both his line and length with a stray delivery down the same side. Inglis can’t get to it and the ball races away for five wides.
6th over: South Africa 21-1 (De Kock 13, Bavuma 6) SIX! Quinton de Kock launches a pull shot beyond the rope for the first six of the innings. Hazlewood is only a little short of his spot but the opener has enough time to lean back and pull over square and clear of Adam Zampa on the boundary.
5th over: South Africa 14-1 (De Kock 7, Bavuma 5) Bavuma gets South Africa moving a touch as he punishes a fuller delivery from Mitchell Starc. The cover drive was in the air a touch longer than he would have liked but it lands safely on the way to the rope. The skipper ends the over trying to flick the left-armer off his pads but can only pick up one leg-bye.
4th over: South Africa 9-1 (De Kock 7, Bavuma 1) Hazlewood gets the breakthrough with the wicket of Tony de Zorzi and almost has a second with a big lbw shout against Temba Bavuma. The South Africa skipper is given the benefit of the doubt as he defends a straight one. Australia send the decision for a review that shows the ball strikes Bavuma on the back pad, hits him dead in front of the stumps … but is bouncing over.
WICKET! De Zorzi c Renshaw b Hazlewood 0 (South Africa 6-1)
The South Africa left-hander found Hazlewood hard to get away earlier and when finally given a hint of room he can’t help but open up. The Australia quick drifts a touch wider of the off-stump with the ball moving away and De Zorzi drives hard but can only get an edge to Matt Renshaw at first slip.
3rd over: South Africa 6-0 (De Kock 6, De Zorzi 0) Quinton de Kock plays with a watchful eye as Starc works away outside his off-stump. The left-handed opener finally pounces on a shorter delivery to lift the ball over a vacant gully area to the rope wide of deep third.
2nd over: South Africa 2-0 (De Kock 2, De Zorzi 0) Josh Hazlewood takes the new ball from the other end as is immediately on to his metronomic line and length. Tony de Zorzi defends soundly to see out a maiden.
1st over: South Africa 2-0 (De Kock 2, De Zorzi 0) Mitchell Starc gets the ball talking from the opening delivery as it swings away from left-hander Quinton de Kock. The Australian quick drifts on to the pads with a straighter ball that De Kock whips away for an easy two. De Kock ends the over punching a drive straight down the ground as Starc gets a finger on the ball on its way through to the stumps. Tony de Zorzi is awake to the danger and has his bat grounded.
Quinton de Kock and Tony de Zorzi make their way to the crease for South Africa with the national anthems sung and done. Australia have a formidable pace attack to turn to with Mitchell Starc taking the new ball and Josh Hazlewood also named alongside the variation of Nathan Ellis and debutant Jack Edwards.
South Africa XI
South Africa: Quinton de Kock (wk), Tony de Zorzi, Temba Bavuma (capt), Matthew Breetzke, Ryan Rickelton, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Gerald Coetzee, Bjorn Fortuin, Keshav Maharaj.
South Africa will rely on spin rather than pace as their depth is tested due to injuries. The absence of Aiden Markram is a big blow with the powerhouse batter missing for personal reasons, while Dewald Brevis and Tristan Stubbs have been left out.
Australia XI
Australia: Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh (capt), Cooper Connolly, Josh Inglis (wk), Matt Renshaw, Cameron Green, Jack Edwards, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood.
The tourists turn to pace with Jack Edwards handed an ODI debut. The big name pushed out is Alex Carey with Josh Inglis to take the gloves. Batting prodigy Ollie Peake is also absent after showing some decent form in Zimbabwe, while Cameron Green is back in the XI though it remains to be seen if the all-rounder bowls as well as bats.
Toss
Australia win the toss and elect to bowl. Captain Mitch Marsh talks up the early start with first ball coming at 10am local time in Durban with a breeze blowing across Kingsmead Ground and expected to generate some movement in the air.
South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma says he would have bowled as well.
Preamble
Martin Pegan
Hello and welcome to live coverage of the first one-day international between South Africa and Australia in Durban. This the first of three ODIs between the old foes as they take tentative steps down a long path towards the Cricket World Cup to be jointly hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia in little more than 12 months’ time.
But as much as the attention is now on a rare 50-over series in South Africa, and further ahead to the celebration of cricket that is expected for the continent next year, there is no denying the Test series that waits just around the corner is as much front of mind for both sides as well as their fans.
Australia usually time their run to hit top white-ball form for World Cup stages but started to tune up when sweeping a three-match ODI series in Zimbabwe. But South Africa have had a stranglehold on ODI series against their rivals, winning the past five at home and away going back a decade to September 2016. That includes when Australia and South Africa last played an ODI series just over a year ago when the tourists won the opening two games in Cairns and Mackay. Australia claimed a consolation win when scoring 431-2 – their second-highest ODI total, behind their 434-4 against South Africa in that remarkable game 19 years ago. We can only dream of similar fireworks in Durban today.
Toss and confirmed teams will be coming up shortly – with the first ball to be bowled at 10am in Durban / 6pm AEST – so you have time to get in touch with your thoughts and predictions. Drop me an email or find me @martinpegan on Bluesky or X.
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