Australia’s one-day side collapsed against spin in Durban on Thursday, losing nine wickets for 101 runs to fall 67 runs short of South Africa in the first match of their three-game series.
Chasing 298 at Kingsmead, the tourists were cruising at 1-129 after 16 overs. Left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj then took 4-20 from 9.2 overs and Bjorn Fortuin 2-34 from eight as Australia were bowled out for 230 in the 42nd over.
“I’m pretty disappointed. South Africa outplayed us,” stand-in captain Mitchell Marsh said. “It was a good game of cricket, but we fell well short.”
Marsh, leading the side with Pat Cummins rested, had given Australia a flying start. He smashed 60 from 36 balls, including a six that cleared the dressing-room roof and travelled 104 metres, and put on 90 for the first wicket in 9.2 overs with Travis Head, who made 36.
Once the openers were gone, the middle order could not find a way through. Matt Renshaw fought for 44 and Cooper Connolly made 38, but Renshaw’s dismissal at 7-215, to a diving one-handed catch by Marco Jansen, ended any hope of a comeback.
“We had our opportunities,” Marsh said. “I am probably going to sound like a broken record speaking about having partnerships in our batting, but we weren’t able to form many tonight.”
It is a familiar problem. Australia have averaged 21.57 against left-arm spin since the 2023 ODI World Cup, the worst record of any side, according to ESPNcricinfo figures.
Australia had chosen to bowl and had South Africa in trouble at 5-168 in the 34th over. Matthew Breetzke, who made 112 from 106 balls for his second ODI century, and Jansen then added 107 for the sixth wicket to lift the home side to 8-297.
Jansen’s 75 from 59 balls equalled his best ODI score, and his four catches, including the one that removed Renshaw, earned him player of the match.
Nathan Ellis was Australia’s best bowler with 3-57 and Adam Zampa took 2-50.
It was the first ODI between the sides since Australia beat South Africa in the semi-finals on the way to winning the 2023 World Cup, and it is a setback for the Australians, who arrived fresh from a one-day series win in Zimbabwe.
The second ODI is in Johannesburg on Sunday, Australian time. A Test series follows, starting in Durban on October 9.