South Africa opened their three-match ODI series against Australia with a 98-run win in Cairns, a result that will be remembered less for the margin and more for the way it came about.
Spinners decided the game. That almost never happens in Australia. Yet in this match, 11 of the 18 wickets fell to slow bowlers, echoing just two other ODIs on Australian soil where spin has claimed that many.
Maharaj leads South Africa to victory
It was Keshav Maharaj who ultimately broke the Australian chase. After South Africa put a solid 296 on the board, the left-arm spinner simply put on a clinic. He was relentless, giving the hosts no room to breathe and snagging a brilliant 5 for 33 in his ten overs. Thanks to his masterclass, the Aussies never got going and were bundled out for just 198.
His partner Prenelan Subrayen chipped in with a wicket. The two together accounted for half of Australia’s lineup.
But spin was not only South Africa’s weapon. Australia turned to Travis Head, who usually bats at the top of the order. His part-time off-spin produced 4 for 57, a return that speaks to how even South Africa’s batters struggled against slower bowling. Adam Zampa added one more to make it five for the Australians.
Rare in Australia
The idea of a one-day international in Australia being controlled by spinners feels odd. Pitches tend to suit fast bowlers. But history shows two other days when something similar unfolded.
In a classic clash in Sydney back in 1997, the spinners truly ran the show. Pakistan first bundled Australia out for a meager 199, with Saqlain Mushtaq leading the charge with an impressive 3 for 23. He was well-supported by his left-arm colleague, who added two more to the tally. The chase for 200 should have been straightforward, but Shane Warne had other ideas.
He fought back fiercely, claiming 4 for 37 to give Pakistan a real scare, though they ultimately clinched the victory. It was a testament to the conditions, with 11 of the game’s wickets falling to spin.
The other was in Adelaide in 1996, again with Pakistan. That match saw 12 wickets taken by spin, the most in any ODI in Australia. Warne grabbed four, Michael Bevan’s part-time wrist-spin produced two, and then Saqlain answered with a five-wicket haul of his own. Shahid Afridi added one more. Pakistan won that too, chasing 224 and bowling out Australia for 211.
A series shaped by spin?
The Cairns game was supposed to be about pace. Instead, it became a reminder that spin, when bowled with patience, can control even Australian conditions.
The question now is whether this was a one-off or a hint at what’s to come in the rest of the series. For South Africa, Maharaj’s form is a boost. For Australia, the fact that Travis Head’s off-spin looked as effective as Zampa’s leg-spin might raise a few selection debates.
