Proteas batting standout makes World Cup vow after win over Australia

South Africa batter Matthew Breetzke says he won't shy away from the heat of Cricket World Cup action after standing up to Australia in Durban in the first of three ODIs between the teams.

As the teams faced off for the first time in the format since the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023, Breetzke breezed to an ultimately match-winning century to help the Proteas post 297/8.

A contentious moment came deep into the innings, when Breetzke and partner Marco Jansen ran an overthrow following a shy at the stumps from Australian wicketkeeper Josh Inglis.

Inglis' throw hit Breetzke, though with no fielder in the eyes of South Africa's batters in the vicinity of fielding the ball had it missed the batter, the running pair felt they were within their rights to nick an extra run.

Breetzke was quick to play down the animated discussions on field, admitting he understood both sides of the argument.

"I was just in the moment, to be honest," Breetzke said in the post-match press conference.

"If that's in a World Cup, I'm probably going to do that again. If I was on the fielding side, I would be giving the batter hell as well, so it's just part of the game."

South Africa came into the match with a spate of injuries, particularly to their fast bowling core, with Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Kwena Maphaka and Ottneil Baartman all missing time.

They held the tourists to 230, 68 runs short of the target and while Breetzke says the absences were not a point of discussion, it did show that the group can lift when needed.

"This team knows how to stand up when their backs are against the wall," he said.

"It was a tough last week for the squad but we showed our character and we stood up well."

Asked to bat first after Mitchell Marsh won the toss, South Africa were earlier put in a tight spot after early scalps for Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Ellis, before Breetzke's stunning counter, mixing gap-finding touch and power to clear the rope.

His second ODI century included 14 fours and two sixes and his 112 compiled takes his early run tally in the format to 822, the most-ever by a men's player in their first 14 innings.

The two sides will next meet in Johannesburg on Sunday for the second ODI, before match three in Potchefstroom on Wednesday.

The sides change formats to face-off in an ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 series from October 9.

South Africa

Temba Bavuma, Corbin Bosch, Matthew Breetzke, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Tony de Zorzi, Bjorn Fortuin, Duan Jansen, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Nqobani Mokoena, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs and Lizaad Williams.

Australia

Mitchell Marsh, Pat Cummins, Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Joel Davies, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Oliver Peake, Matthew Renshaw, Billy Stanlake, Mitchell Starc and Adam Zampa.

Fixtures and Results

First Dafabet ODI - Thursday, 24 September at 10am @ Hollywoodbets Kingsmead Stadium, Durban - SA won by 67 runs

Second Dafabet ODI - Sunday, 27 September at 10am @ DP World Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg

Third Dafabet ODI - Wednesday, 30 September at 1.30pm @ NWC Oval, Potchefstroom