1st ODI: Matthew Breetzke hundred, Keshav Maharaj spin sink Australia

Brief Score: South Africa (297 for 8) beat Australia (230) by 67 runs in Durban ODI.

Matthew Breetzke hit a fine hundred and Keshav Maharaj took four wickets as South Africa beat Australia by 67 runs in the first ODI in Durban on Thursday. Australia made a flying start in their chase but lost nine wickets for 101 runs to be bowled out for 230.

South Africa made 297 for 8 after Breetzke scored 112 from 106 balls and Marco Jansen hit 75 from 59 balls. The pair added 107 runs for the sixth wicket to give the hosts a strong finish after they had slipped to 168 for 5.

Australia started the chase in style. Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head added 90 runs for the first wicket in just 9.2 overs. Marsh was at his attacking best, hitting 60 from 36 balls. He hit Jansen for 17 runs in one over and reached his fifty with a huge 104-metre six.

Head made 36 from 37 balls and also looked in good touch. But South Africa soon found a way back into the game when Maharaj was brought into the attack.

Marsh tried to drive Maharaj and picked out Breetzke at cover. The wicket gave South Africa a much-needed break. Maharaj finished his first spell with 1 for 13 from four overs and helped slow Australia's scoring.

Jansen then returned and removed Head. The Australia opener top-edged a shot and was caught at deep third. Fortuin soon dismissed Josh Inglis, who edged a reverse-sweep to slip.

Australia were still in a good position at 188 for 6, but their chase was falling apart. Maharaj removed Cameron Green and Jack Edwards as the pressure grew. Australia needed 110 runs from 20.3 overs but could not build another big partnership.

Matt Renshaw and Mitchell Starc tried to keep the chase alive. They added 14 runs in one over from Jansen, but South Africa quickly pulled things back. Maharaj bowled a maiden and Jansen and Fortuin gave away only two runs in their next two overs.

The key moment came when Renshaw was dismissed for 44. He pulled a short ball from Gerald Coetzee towards the boundary, but Jansen took a superb one-handed catch. Australia were 215 for 7 at that point and needed 83 runs from 82 balls.

Bosch took two late wickets before Maharaj finished the game by removing Adam Zampa. The spinner ended with 4 for 20 from 9.2 overs, while Fortuin took 2 for 34.

Australia's collapse was even more costly because of the strong start they had made. They had reached 129 for 1 and looked set for a successful chase before losing wickets too often.

South Africa had also been under pressure earlier in the day. Australia chose to bowl first and their attack kept the home side in check for much of the innings.

Tony de Zorzi was out for a seven-ball duck, while Quinton de Kock fell soon after. South Africa were 29 for 2 in the eighth over.

Temba Bavuma made 30 from 48 balls before he was caught behind off Adam Zampa. Ryan Rickelton made 19 but was also dismissed by the leg-spinner.

Breetzke held the innings together. He reached his fifty from 51 balls and kept South Africa moving despite the wickets around him.

David Miller struggled for runs and fell for 9 from 24 balls. But Jansen joined Breetzke and changed the pace of the innings.

Jansen attacked the Australian bowlers and hit three sixes off Mitchell Starc. He reached his fifty and helped take the pressure off Breetzke.

Breetzke reached his hundred with a single in the 44th over. He raised his bat and looked towards the heavens as he celebrated his second ODI century. He went on to make 112 from 106 balls.

Jansen was out for 75 from 59 balls, but South Africa finished strongly. They scored 54 runs in the final five overs to reach 297 for 8.

Breetzke's hundred and Jansen's attacking innings gave South Africa a total they could defend. Maharaj and Fortuin then did the rest with the ball as Australia's batting fell apart.

Australia captain Mitchell Marsh admitted his side had not made the most of its chances.

"I'm pretty disappointed. South Africa outplayed us. It was a good game of cricket but we fell well short," Marsh said.

"We had our opportunities. 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."

South Africa captain Temba Bavuma was pleased with the way his team fought back after difficult starts in both innings.

"Very satisfied. All round it was a good fight from the batters and bowlers," Bavuma said.

"Looking at how both innings started, we were under pressure in the first 10 overs in each, but we managed to get a very competitive score on that wicket."

The second ODI will be played in Johannesburg on Sunday, with Australia expected to welcome back captain Pat Cummins.- Ends