6th over: South Africa 21-1 (De Kock 13, Bavuma 6) SIX! Quinton de Kock launches a pull shot beyond the rope for the first six of the innings. Hazlewood is only a little short of his spot but the opener has enough time to lean back and pull over square and clear of Adam Zampa on the boundary.
5th over: South Africa 14-1 (De Kock 7, Bavuma 5) Bavuma gets South Africa moving a touch as he punishes a fuller delivery from Mitchell Starc. The cover drive was in the air a touch longer than he would have liked but it lands safely on the way to the rope. The skipper ends the over trying to flick the left-armer off his pads but can only pick up one leg-bye.
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4th over: South Africa 9-1 (De Kock 7, Bavuma 1) Hazlewood gets the breakthrough with the wicket of Tony de Zorzi and almost has a second with a big lbw shout against Temba Bavuma. The South Africa skipper is given the benefit of the doubt as he defends a straight one. Australia send the decision for a review that shows the ball strikes Bavuma on the back pad, hits him dead in front of the stumps … but is bouncing over.
WICKET! De Zorzi c Renshaw b Hazlewood 0 (South Africa 6-1)
The South Africa left-hander found Hazlewood hard to get away earlier and when finally given a hint of room he can’t help but open up. The Australia quick drifts a touch wider of the off-stump with the ball moving away and De Zorzi drives hard but can only get an edge to Matt Renshaw at first slip.
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3rd over: South Africa 6-0 (De Kock 6, De Zorzi 0) Quinton de Kock plays with a watchful eye as Starc works away outside his off-stump. The left-handed opener finally pounces on a shorter delivery to lift the ball over a vacant gully area to the rope wide of deep third.
2nd over: South Africa 2-0 (De Kock 2, De Zorzi 0) Josh Hazlewood takes the new ball from the other end as is immediately on to his metronomic line and length. Tony de Zorzi defends soundly to see out a maiden.
1st over: South Africa 2-0 (De Kock 2, De Zorzi 0) Mitchell Starc gets the ball talking from the opening delivery as it swings away from left-hander Quinton de Kock. The Australian quick drifts on to the pads with a straighter ball that De Kock whips away for an easy two. De Kock ends the over punching a drive straight down the ground as Starc gets a finger on the ball on its way through to the stumps. Tony de Zorzi is awake to the danger and has his bat grounded.
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Quinton de Kock and Tony de Zorzi make their way to the crease for South Africa with the national anthems sung and done. Australia have a formidable pace attack to turn to with Mitchell Starc taking the new ball and Josh Hazlewood also named alongside the variation of Nathan Ellis and debutant Jack Edwards.
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South Africa XI
South Africa: Quinton de Kock (wk), Tony de Zorzi, Temba Bavuma (capt), Matthew Breetzke, Ryan Rickelton, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Gerald Coetzee, Bjorn Fortuin, Keshav Maharaj.
South Africa will rely on spin rather than pace as their depth is tested due to injuries. The absence of Aiden Markram is a big blow with the powerhouse batter missing for personal reasons, while Dewald Brevis and Tristan Stubbs have been left out.
Australia XI
Australia: Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh (capt), Cooper Connolly, Josh Inglis (wk), Matt Renshaw, Cameron Green, Jack Edwards, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood.
The tourists turn to pace with Jack Edwards handed an ODI debut. The big name pushed out is Alex Carey with Josh Inglis to take the gloves. Batting prodigy Ollie Peake is also absent after showing some decent form in Zimbabwe, while Cameron Green is back in the XI though it remains to be seen if the all-rounder bowls as well as bats.
Toss
Australia win the toss and elect to bowl. Captain Mitch Marsh talks up the early start with first ball coming at 10am local time in Durban with a breeze blowing across Kingsmead Ground and expected to generate some movement in the air.
South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma says he would have bowled as well.
Preamble
Hello and welcome to live coverage of the first one-day international between South Africa and Australia in Durban. This the first of three ODIs between the old foes as they take tentative steps down a long path towards the Cricket World Cup to be jointly hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia in little more than 12 months’ time.
But as much as the attention is now on a rare 50-over series in South Africa, and further ahead to the celebration of cricket that is expected for the continent next year, there is no denying the Test series that waits just around the corner is as much front of mind for both sides as well as their fans.
Australia usually time their run to hit top white-ball form for World Cup stages but started to tune up when sweeping a three-match ODI series in Zimbabwe. But South Africa have had a stranglehold on ODI series against their rivals, winning the past five at home and away going back a decade to September 2016. That includes when Australia and South Africa last played an ODI series just over a year ago when the tourists won the opening two games in Cairns and Mackay. Australia claimed a consolation win when scoring 431-2 – their second-highest ODI total, behind their 434-4 against South Africa in that remarkable game 19 years ago. We can only dream of similar fireworks in Durban today.
Toss and confirmed teams will be coming up shortly – with the first ball to be bowled at 10am in Durban / 6pm AEST – so you have time to get in touch with your thoughts and predictions. Drop me an email or find me @martinpegan on Bluesky or X.
