Australia vs South Africa 2018: 1st ODI - South Africa Stuns Aussies By Six Wickets in the Opening Fixture

South Africa started their tour of Australia with a thumping six wickets win to go 1-0 up in the three-match one-day international on November 4 (Sunday) at Perth.

Meanwhile, the South Africa batters then coasted to the target, despite Marcus Stoinis taking 3/16, with Quinton de Kock (47) and Reeza Hendricks (44) putting on a 94-run opening stand. The Aussies fielded a full-fledged pacer attack for the first time since the South Africa series, however, failed to pick wickets with the new ball.

Hendricks was happy to absorb pressure and run the singles, even as de Kock attacked from the other end. De Kock scored a 40-ball 47 in a 94-run opening stand, putting away seven boundaries en route. By the time Coulter-Nile dismissed him, South Africa had more than halved the target. Hendricks didn’t last too long thereafter, ballooning a miscued effort, but at 122/2, it was all too little too late for Australia.

Stoinis added Aiden Markram (36 off 32) and Heinrich Klaasen (2) to his list, but South Africa eased to the target with 124 balls to spare.

However, the writing was all-over Australia early on as Dale Steyn got Travis Head out in the third over. Moreover, he then induced another edge off D’Arcy Short, which Faf du Plessis claimed at second slip.

Andile Phehlukayo was soo to join the party as his three wickets put Australia into deep trouble with 66 for six. All the while, Alex Carey, the wicketkeeper-batsman, fended off the South African pacemen, stoically scoring a 71-ball 33. He added 23 with the seventh wicket with Pat Cummins, and when Nathan Coulter-Nile joined him after that, Australia managed to arrest the slide for a bit.

Coulter-Nile then looked to counter-attack – his 31-ball knock comprised five fours and a six – and his 34 helped Australia cross 150 which was too less for India.