Breetzke century and Jansen's one-handed stunner seal 67-run win over Australia in Durban ODI

South Africa overcame a pre-series bowling crisis and a savage Australian powerplay to win the first ODI against Australia at Kingsmead by 67 runs on Thursday, thanks to Matthew Breetzke's 112 and Marco Jansen's all-round brilliance.

A 'hamdemic' before a ball was bowled

South Africans had spent recent weeks watching fast bowlers' hamstrings rather than the ball. Kagiso Rabada, Ottneil Baartman, Lungi Ngidi and Kwena Maphaka — all in the original squad for the series opener — withdrew one after another, starting with CSA's announcement on August 21.

Breetzke and Jansen rescue the innings

At No. 5 for the first time in his 18 ODI innings, Ryan Rickelton made 27 off 25 before falling to a sharp catch by Matt Renshaw off Adam Zampa, leaving South Africa 125/4 in the 25th over. Temba Bavuma and David Miller had already departed, and at 168/5 the innings teetered.

Then Breetzke and Jansen added 107 off 81 deliveries to lift South Africa to a competitive 297/8, leaving Australia needing the highest successful chase at the ground. Breetzke's 106-ball 112 — his second ODI century — made him the all-time leading run-scorer in ODI history after 14 innings. Jansen struck 75 off 59, with more than two-thirds of his runs in boundaries.

"It was never the plan for [Jansen] to go in guns blazing, but we fed off each other's energy and that changed the momentum of our innings," Breetzke said. On his raw roar at reaching three figures: "Any century you get for your country is an emotional moment. But I think that was more about how difficult it was in the beginning and how I had to fight myself mentally... So when I got to the century it was a relief."

Australia's blitz — and the collapse

Australia's reply began ominously. They raced to 96/1 in the powerplay while South Africa had managed just 40/2, reaching 100 in 68 balls to South Africa's 128. Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head hammered 90 off 56, and Marsh brought up 60 off 36 at a strike rate of 166.66 before falling to Keshav Maharaj in the 10th over.

He turned out to be the only Australian to pass 50, as all ten wickets fell for 140 runs in 32 overs. Maharaj, relentless as ever, claimed 4/20, removing Cameron Green and debutant Jack Edwards among others.

The catch of the match

Jansen's spectacular one-handed catch to end Renshaw's stubborn 44 — an innings that had kept Australia alive through four partnerships — was the turning point. Renshaw pulled Gerald Coetzee deep into the midwicket sky, but Jansen, galloping in, dove full length and snatched the ball between thumb and forefinger of his wrong hand, sliding and turning his palm downward to ensure the leather never touched the grass before holding the ball aloft to a roaring crowd.

"He does do special things, and that was a special catch," Breetzke said. Australia were bowled out 30 deliveries later for 230, giving South Africa a 67-run win before a crowd of 12,108 — roughly half of Kingsmead's capacity — in the team's first home match since January and first in Durban since December 2024, on a public holiday.

For those who stayed home, it was their loss. To watch the ball — and Jansen's magic — you need to be where the ball is.