AUS vs SA | Keshav Maharaj steals the show with maiden fifer as South Africa go 1-0 up in ODI series

08/19/2025

South Africa took an early lead in the series after their dominant 98-run victory against Australia in the first ODI on August 19 at Cazaly’s Stadium. Keshava Maharaj shines with maiden five-wicket haul while Mitchell Marsh’s valiant knock goes in vain as the Aussies succumb under pressure

‌Australia won the toss and decided to put South Africa into bat in the first ODI at the Cazaly Stadium in Cairns. The Australian bowlers had started the powerplay well with some disciplined bowling from Josh Hazlewood and Ben Dwarshuis. However, the opening batters Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton made up for the slow start towards the end of the power play and finished on a strong score of 56/0 after 10 overs. The duo continued to accumulate runs in the middle with great shot selection and strike rotation until the 92-run stand came to an end with Rickelton attempting to slash Travis Head through the covers and ending up being caught by Marnus Labuschagne at covers, who took a sharp low catch in the 17th over of the innings. Despite the dismissal, Markram continued to take the innings forward with South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma joining him at the crease. It seemed like the talented batter was approaching a well-deserved hundred until he was finally dismissed by Ben Dwarshuis in the 24th over on a score of 82 off 81 deliveries. Despite the dismissal, the visitors were still in a strong position at 133/2 after 25 overs. While the wicket of Markram might have been a sigh of relief for the hosts, Bavuma and Matthew Breetzke continued from where he left off and started to build another big partnership to put the pressure back onto the bowlers. The two batters put on another 92 runs before Breetzke was dismissed by Zampa in the last over of the second powerplay over on a score of 57. This partnership ensured the team was in a solid position at the end of the 40th over with the score at 223/3. Though Bavuma was still looking good at the crease, he started to lose partners at the other end with Travis Head returning for another spell and taking the wickets of Tristan Stubbs and Dewald Brevis. While the couple of blows from the part-time spinner put them in a spot of bother, the skipper continued to lead from the front and was supported well by Wiaan Mulder at the other end as a 300+ total was on the cards with the score reading 264/5 after 45 overs. However, the Aussies managed to come back in the last five overs of the game with Dwarshuis cleaning up Bavuma in the next over. Two more wickets fell in the penultimate over as Head continued his great run with the ball by claiming his fourth wicket and being involved in a freakish run-out of Prenalayan Subrayen. Though a late flourish by Mulder in the last over made sure they reached a competitive score of 296/8, It was the Aussies who dominated this phase of the game by conceding only 32 runs and taking three wickets in the last 30 deliveries.

Australia seemed to be in control at the start of their chase, with Head and Mitchell Marsh getting off to a flyer and putting on 60 runs for the first wicket. Sadly, Head’s good run in the match ended as he was stumped off the bowling of Subrayen on a score of 27 off 24 deliveries in the eighth over. Trouble started as Keshava Maharaj came into the attack in the next over and struck gold by dismissing Labuschagne with a beauty in his first delivery of the game as South Africa pulled things back in the last three overs with the Aussies ending their powerplay on a score of 63/2. The dominance did not stop in those three overs as Maharaj continued to chip away at the wickets. While the veteran spinner claimed his maiden five-wicket haul in ODI cricket, the hosts were in an egregious position at 89/6. It seemed like the game was done and dusted for the Aussies, but Marsh was not ready to give up the chase just yet. The Australian stand-in skipper formed an important partnership with Ben Dwarshuis and tried to take the game as deep as possible. Though it was a great recovery from the Men in Yellow as they took the score to 126/6 at the halfway stage, it still seemed like a tough ask with the tail already exposed. The 71-run stand between the two finally came to an end in the 33rd over, with Nandre Burger getting the wicket of Ben Dwarshuis. Marsh tried to take the game as deep as he could, but finally succumbed under pressure as he top-edged the ball to the keeper after a valiant knock of 88 off just 96 deliveries. As the final hope for the Aussies was gone, Lungi Ngidi performed the final rites in the 41st over with a couple of wickets as the hosts were finally bundled out for 198 runs. This 98-run win ensured South Africa took the lead in the three-match ODI series.

Keshav Maharaj was the player of the match as he finished the game with figures of 5/33, which is also his career best in ODI cricket.