Keshav Maharaj led S. Africa to win Against Australia
South Africa opened their ODI campaign in emphatic fashion, defeating Australia by 98 runs in the first match of the series to take a 1-0 lead. The victory was built on a solid batting platform and sealed by a brilliant spell of spin bowling from Keshav Maharaj, who ripped through the Australian middle order.
South Africa’s Strong Batting Display
After being put into bat by Australia, South Africa posted a challenging 296 for 8 in their 50 overs. The innings was anchored by Aiden Markram, who top-scored with a fluent 82 off 81 deliveries, striking boundaries at regular intervals to keep the scoreboard moving.
Captain Temba Bavuma provided stability with a composed 65, while openers Tony de Zorzi and Ryan Rickelton made useful contributions to give the hosts a strong start. Later in the innings, Dewald Brevis and Keshav Maharaj added important lower-order runs that lifted South Africa close to the 300-mark.
Australia’s bowlers had mixed success, with Ben Dwarshuis and Nathan Ellis picking up two wickets each, but they struggled to contain the South African batters in the middle overs.
Maharaj Spins a Web Around Australia
Chasing 297, Australia began brightly, racing to 60 without loss, as openers looked confident against the new ball. However, the introduction of Keshav Maharaj completely changed the game. Exploiting a surface that offered turn and bounce, Maharaj dismissed key batsmen in quick succession, triggering a dramatic collapse.
Australia slipped from 60 for 0 to 89 for 6, with Maharaj finishing with outstanding figures of 5 for 33. He was ably supported by Prenelan Subrayen, who bowled economically and claimed 2 wickets for 46 runs in his 10 overs.
Marsh’s Lone Fight in Vain
The only significant resistance came from Mitchell Marsh, who played a counter-attacking innings of 88 runs, showing determination against the spin barrage. He combined with Ben Dwarshuis in a 71-run partnership for the seventh wicket to briefly revive Australia’s hopes.
But once Marsh was dismissed by Lungi Ngidi, the lower order crumbled. Australia were eventually bowled out well short of the target, giving South Africa a comprehensive 98-run victory.
A Perfect Start for South Africa
The result highlighted South Africa’s balanced performance, with both batting depth and spin bowling strength proving decisive. For Australia, despite Marsh’s valiant effort, the inability to counter Maharaj’s spell left them with too much to do.
South Africa now lead the series 1-0, and with confidence riding high, they will look to continue their dominance in the remaining matches.