A relentless South African side gave Australia no breathing room in a suffocating display of pressure cricket, leading to a 98-run victory in the first ODI. From the first ball to the last, the Proteas were in control, never allowing the hosts to settle.
The pressure started with their imposing total of 8-296, forcing Australia into an immediate high-tempo chase. In the field, their intensity was palpable. The bowlers gave away few easy runs, and the fielders were sharp, cutting off angles and saving boundaries.
The peak of this relentless pressure came during Keshav Maharaj’s spell. Bowling 60 consecutive deliveries, he offered no respite, with every ball posing a question to the batter. The Australian middle order, starved of scoring opportunities, eventually cracked under the strain.
Even when Mitch Marsh was counter-attacking, the Proteas did not panic. They stuck to their plans and waited for their moment, eventually dismissing him to seal a victory that was built on a foundation of sustained, unyielding pressure.