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Maharaj's masterful five hands Proteas the lead

football19 August 2025 11:36| © MWP
By:Neil Manthorp
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An astonishing spell of spin-bowling from Keshav Maharaj led South Africa to a comprehensive, 98-run victory in the first of three one-day internationals against Australia at the Cazaly’s Stadium in Cairns on Tuesday.

The left-armer ripped through Australia’s top and middle order, claiming five wickets in 25 balls to reduce the home side from 60-1 to 89-6 in response to South Africa’s total of 296-8 after being asked to bat first on a near-perfect batting surface.

Maharaj finished with a career-best 5-33 as the home side staggered to 198 all out with only captain Mitch Marsh offering significant fight with a bullish but beleaguered 88 adding 71 for the sixth wicket with Ben Dwarshuis (33) before top-edging a pull against Nandre Burger (2-54) to ‘keeper Ryan Rickelton.

The collapse began with Maharaj’s very first delivery, a ripper which pitched on leg stump and would have hit the top of off to trap a bewildered Marnus Labuschagne (1) lbw.

Cameron Green (3) and Josh Inglis (5) were both clean bowled playing back to deliveries they should have been forward to and Alex Carey was trapped lbw missing a sweep shot at his first delivery before Maharaj completed his dream spell by bowling Aaron Hardie (4).

Australia had crashed from an opening stand of 60 between Marsh and Travis Head to 89-6, Head beginning the collapse by charging at offspinner Prenelan Subrayen and gifting Ryan Rickelton a simple stumping.

CLASSIC MARKRAM SHINES WITH THE BAT

Aiden Markram’s 82 and opening stand of 92 with Rickelton (33) helped lay the platform for an impressive total which could have been even higher before Australia’s bowlers fought back superbly in the final 10 overs during which the tourists could score only 73 runs for the loss of five wickets.

Markram was at his most classic with a series of drives through the off side, some aerial but most on the ground, bringing him nine boundaries before a rare error provided ‘keeper Inglis with a straightforward catch off left-arm seamer Dwarshuis (2-53) with Markram attempting to chop a wide ball to third man.

Rickelton was less fluent, struggling to find the middle of the bat and successfully reviewing two lbw decisions against spinners Adam Zampa and Travis Head with his score on 28.

But his luck ran out when a mistimed drive against offspinner Head was well caught by a tumbling Labuschagne at mid on.

Captain Temba Bavuma (65 from 74 balls) and Matthew Breetzke (57 from 56 balls) added 92 for third wicket before Breetzke, having launched Dwarshuis for a huge six over midwicket, sliced a drive against legspinner Zampa to the extra cover boundary.

Bavuma was understandably rusty having played no cricket since the WTC final in early June, but still managed to score a welcome half-century.

Sensing that the innings needed a boost, Tristan Stubbs (0) hoisted his second delivery against Head (4-57) to long on before his replacement, Dewald Brevis, drove his first ball in ODI cricket for a straight six – before driving his second straight to long on.

Wiaan Mulder finished the innings in style, slog-sweeping the final ball from Dwarshuis for six to finish unbeaten on 31 from 26 balls.

The second and third matches in the series will be played at the Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay on Friday and Sunday.

AUSTRALIA: Mitch Marsh (captain), Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis (wkt), Aaran Hardie, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood.

SOUTH AFRICA: Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton (wkt), Temba Bavuma (captain), Matthew Breetzke, Dewald Brevis, Tristan Stubbs, Wiaan Mulder, Keshav Maharaj, Prenelan Subrayen, Nandre Burger, Lungi Ngidi.

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