Watch: Marco Jansen's stunning catch helps South Africa beat Australia in 1st ODI

South Africa secured a commanding victory over Australia in the first One Day International at Kingsmead in Durban, propelled by an all round masterclass from Marco Jansen. The towering all rounder followed up an explosive 75 with the bat by delivering key breakthroughs and plucking a sensational catch in the field to stop Australia in their chase of 298.

After being sent in to bat on a surface offering variable bounce, South Africa found themselves in trouble at 168 for 5 in the 34th over. Opening batter Matthew Breetzke held the top order together with a composed century, but the home team required quick runs to post a competitive total. Jansen stepped up with aggressive counter attacking strokes, shifting momentum completely in favor of the Proteas.

Marco Jansen's Spectacular low catch at first slip turns the tide in South Africa's favour

Breetzke compiled a masterful 112 from 116 deliveries, registering the second ODI hundred of his career and anchoring the innings through tricky early exchanges against Australia pace spearheads Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood. When David Miller fell for 5, South Africa looked vulnerable to an early collapse.

Watrch Matt Renshaw's superb catch here- 

Jansen joined Breetzke and immediately altered the tempo of the contest. The left hander struck seven boundaries and cleared the boundary ropes four times on his way to 75 off just 59 balls, matching his personal best score in ODI cricket. The pair combined for a decisive 107-run stand for the sixth wicket across 14 overs, pushing the total to 297 for 8 in 50 overs.

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Nathan Ellis ended the explosive partnership by dismissing Breetzke for 112 and later trapping Jansen leg before wicket in the penultimate over, finishing with figures of 3 for 57. Corbin Bosch added an unbeaten 9 to provide the final touch to a formidable first innings total.

South Africa defend 297 to beat Australia by 24 runs and take 1-0 series lead

Australia began their pursuit of 298 with aggressive intent. Travis Head attacked the new ball bowlers, racing to a rapid start and guiding the visitors past 90 without loss inside the first ten overs. South Africa needed an immediate response, and captain Temba Bavuma turned to his primary pace options.

Jansen provided the initial breakthrough by banging in a delivery with extra bounce to cramp Head, forcing a miscue that flew toward deep third man, where David Miller held the catch. Keshav Maharaj followed up shortly after by finding the glove of Josh Inglis on a reverse sweep, with Jansen safely pocketing the looping ball behind slip.

Australia attempted to steady the chase through Matt Renshaw and Cooper Connolly, keeping the required run rate manageable as the match crossed the 30-over mark. However, South Africa struck the decisive blow in the 37th over through a moment of fielding brilliance.

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Gerald Coetzee generated sharp pace and extra lift outside off stump, inducing a firm stroke from Renshaw that appeared destined for the boundary. Jansen tracked the trajectory, leapt into full extension, and snatched a breathtaking catch out of the air. The Kingsmead crowd erupted as the dismissal broke Australia resistance and triggered a middle order collapse.

Jansen reflected on his expanding role within the team setup ahead of the series, and his performance on the ground matched those ambitions across every phase of play.

South Africa take a 1-0 lead in the three match ODI series. The teams now travel to Johannesburg for the second match on Sunday, with Australia seeking to level the series and the Proteas aiming to wrap up the trophy on home soil.