A maiden international century by Heinrich Klaasen set up a 74-run win for South Africa in the first one-day international against Australi...
A maiden international century by Heinrich Klaasen set up a 74-run win for South Africa in the first one-day international against Australia at Boland Park on Saturday.
Klaasen hit 123 not out in a South African total of 291 for seven. Australia were on target midway through their reply but lost their last seven wickets for 43 runs to be bowled out for 217.
Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne put on 84 for Australia’s third wicket after the early loss of opening batsman Aaron Finch and David Warner, both dismissed by Lungi Ngidi, who finished with three for 30.
Smith (76) and Labuschagne (41) hit only three boundaries between them as scoring proved difficult on a slow pitch and a big outfield.
When they tried to accelerate Labuschagne was caught at long-on off left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj.
Mitchell Marsh helped Smith add 41 for the fourth wicket but Marsh was bowled by Ngidi and three balls later Smith was trapped leg before wicket by Anrich Nortje.
It was always going to be difficult for new batsmen to get established and the innings subsided.
By contrast Klaasen and David Miller (64) put on 149 for South Africa’s fifth wicket and were not parted until Miller was out in the 49th over.
“That was the difference between the...
