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. 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. 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.
He was dismissed by Keshav Maharaj, and soon enough Bavuma understood the pattern of the wicket and unleashed his tweakers to trouble the batters.
