Proteas give away wickets to hand Australia advantage in second ODI

South Africa delivered a disjointed innings that included half-centuries for Matthew Breetzke and Tristan Stubbs, but also too many soft dismissals as they were bowled out for 277 in the second One-Day International against Australia on Friday. 

The Proteas, missing skipper Temba Bavuma who was rested, chose to bat at the Great Barrier Reef Arena, but in what would be a portent for their innings, lost stand-in captain Aiden Markram in the second over when he chipped Xavier Bartlett to Travis Head at midwicket. 

Breetzke, Tony de Zorzi, Stubbs, Dewald Brevis and Wiaan Mulder were all too easily dismissed as the Proteas, who looked on target for a total comfortably above 300, fell well short of the mark on a pitch which didn’t appear to have any demons. 

The bright spots in the innings came from Breetzke, who registered his fourth score of 50 in the same number of matches, De Zorzi, who played fluently for 38, and Stubbs, who finally turned a start into an innings of substance, though it should have been more.    

Bavuma was rested as part of the workload management programme for the SA skipper. The captain, who made 65 in the first match, has struggled with hamstring and elbow injuries in the past few years.

Though he had no issues with the hamstring injury he picked up in the World Test Championship final, which saw him miss the tour to Zimbabwe, the medical staff recommended rest for Friday’s match.

He will be available for the last ODI, also in Mackay, on Sunday. 

That gave De Zorzi his first ODI start since the Champions Trophy and an opportunity to show Shukri Conrad he had something to offer after a lean run with the Test side. 

De Zorzi played confidently, striking lovely boundaries, especially down the ground, in an innings that lasted 39 balls.

However, he chipped an innocuous delivery from leg-spinner Adam Zampa straight back to the bowler, leaving him understandably disappointed. 

Breetzke provided momentum with another lively knock that featured one of those “flamingo” strikes — a one-legged heave over the inner-ring — and plenty of good, quick running between the wickets. 

The 26-year-old again played with intent and doing so meant there were some moments of good fortune, but he’d argue those were deserved.

He batted at a strike rate comfortably above 100 and during his partnership with Stubbs, SA were the dominant side. 

“It’s pretty cool,” Breetzke said about reaching another 50.

“But I was gutted to get out when I did.” 

“We are probably about 20 short (of par), and lost too many wickets at crucial stages.”

Stubbs has found batting difficult at international level for much of the year across all formats, and on this tour has had a hard time building rhythm through his innings. 

Coming to the crease after 16 overs meant he had time to find confidence and with Breetzke going well at the other end, there was no early pressure on him.

A straight six off Zampa indicated his comfort and he played with more authority than he has for months in reaching a first half-century for the Proteas, in any format, in 2025.

He and Breetzke had 89 for the fourth wicket, with the latter making 88 off 78 balls that included eight fours and two sixes.

He was dismissed trying to pull Nathan Ellis, and was caught on the square leg boundary, to hand Australia the first of two crucial blows after the 30th over. 

The second was Brevis, also caught on the square leg boundary trying to pull Ellis, for just one.

Marnus Labuschagne then had Wiaan Mulder (26) and Senuran Muthusamy (4), who replaced Prenelan Subrayen, caught on the boundary too, as SA’s batters gifted their wickets to the home side in pursuit of boundaries at a venue with large outfield. 

Stubbs also fell to a catch at long-on for 74 in the 44th over, a dismissal which put paid to SA’s chances of reaching 300.