Durban (South Africa), Sep 24 (AP) Matthew Breetzke notched his second ODI hundred and spinner Keshav Maharaj made up for the absence of four frontline fast bowlers to help South Africa beat Australia by 67 runs on Thursday.
Breetzke scored 112 off 106 balls and Marco Jansen countercharged in the latter half of the innings with a 75 that included four sixes and seven boundaries to give South Africa a total of 297-8.
Australia, which won the toss and elected field, was restricted by the two left-arm spinners — Maharaj (4-20) and Bjorn Fortuin (2-34) — on a tacky wicket to get bowled out for 230 in 41.2 overs.
South Africa leads the three-match series 1-0 with games on Sunday and Wednesday.
Captain Mitchell Marsh had flattened the pace with his explosive hitting and made 60 off 36 balls in a whirlwind opening stand with Travis Head of 90 off 56 balls before Australia came down crashing against the South African spin duo.
Marsh smacked six sixes, including a 104-meter hit against Jansen that sailed over the roof of the dressing room at square leg and landed at the roadside before he chipped Maharaj to covers in the 10th over.
Matt Renshaw made 44 but was caught by a diving Jansen one-handed at deep mid-wicket in the 37th over that gave Gerald Coetzee his first wicket in the ODIs since he last played the 50-over format nearly three years ago.
South Africa has a lengthy injury list with four of its fast bowlers including Kagiso Rabada and Kwena Maphaka ruled out of the series because of hamstring injuries.
(PTI News)
