Keshav Maharaj takes 5 wickets as South Africa beats Australia

CAIRNS: Keshav Maharaj took five wickets to help South Africa beat Australia by 98 runs in the first one-day international (ODI) in Cairns, Australia, on Tuesday.

South Africa batted first and posted 296 for right. Aiden Markram scored the highest with 82 runs. Matthew Breetzke completed a half-century (57) and captian Temba Bayuma scored 65.

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Australia’s innings falls apart

Australia started well. Mitchell Marsh scored 88 and Travis Head made 27. The pair put on a 60-run opening stand.

But Keshav Maharaj changed the course of the game. He took the wickets of Marnus Labuschagne and Cameron Green early. Then, in the 13th over, he dismissed Josh Inglis and Alex Carey on consecutive balls.

The 35-year-old finished his five-wicket haul by trapping Aaron Hardie LBW in the 17th over.

The Australia batting order struggled to recover. Despite Ben Dwarshuis scoring 33 at the lower end, Australia were bowled out for 198 in under 41 overs.

Maharaj tops ICC ODI bowling rankings, no Pakistan player in top 10

Keshav Maharaj reaches career milestone

Maharaj’s figures of 5-33 came from his full 10 overs. His bowling was accurate and he made good use of the pitch conditions.

The left-arm spinner used his spin and control to trouble the Australian batters.

This performance marked his first five-wicket haul in one-day internationals. He also became the first South African spinner to take more than 300 wickets in international cricket across all formats.

His career total includes over 200 wickets in tests and more than 60 in ODIs.

Kesahv Maharaj recently returned to limited-overs cricket after missing selection for South Africa’s T20 team. The selectors opted for players  with strong batting skills. The spinner focused on recovering well from an Achilles injury and improving his consistency.

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He said he remains determined to improve and help the team despite his age. His experience and skill remain important for South Africa’s bowling attack.

South Africa now leads the three-match series 1-0. The teams will next play on Friday at the Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay.