South Africa delivered a harsh reality check to Australia in the first ODI, securing a dominant 98-run victory. The win, orchestrated by spinner Keshav Maharaj’s five-wicket haul, exposed several weaknesses in the Australian lineup.
The Australian chase of 297 was a tale of two halves. A confident start of 0-60 was followed by a disastrous collapse of 6-29, as Maharaj (5-33) spun a web around the middle order. The inability to handle pressure was a key factor in their downfall.
The Proteas’ performance was a model of consistency. Their batsmen, led by Aiden Markram (82) and Temba Bavuma (65), built a strong total of 8-296. Their bowlers then executed their plans to perfection, with Maharaj leading the charge.
Mitch Marsh’s 88 was the only highlight for Australia in an otherwise dismal batting display. The heavy defeat will force the home side to do some serious soul-searching ahead of the second match of the series.