Australia lost nine wickets for 101 in Durban, and the Wanderers is now a must-win

Australia were 129 for 1 in Durban on Thursday, chasing 298, with Travis Head still in and almost 34 overs left. They were bowled out for 230. The last nine wickets went for 101 runs, South Africa won the first ODI by 67, and on Sunday at the Wanderers Australia have to win to keep the series alive.

There is a longer record hanging over this one too. Australia have not won a bilateral ODI series against South Africa since November 2014. South Africa have taken the last five, and a win in Johannesburg would make it six.

Maharaj took the game away in 9.2 overs

The start of the chase was everything Australia would have wanted. Mitchell Marsh, captaining in place of the rested Pat Cummins, reached 50 from 31 balls and made 60 from 36 with six sixes. He and Head had 90 on the board when Marsh was caught off Keshav Maharaj in the tenth over.

Head and Cooper Connolly then took Australia to 129 before Head fell to Marco Jansen for 36. From there the left-arm spin of Maharaj and Bjorn Fortuin choked the middle order. Josh Inglis made 3, Cameron Green 5 and debutant Jack Edwards 5. Maharaj finished with 4 for 20 from 9.2 overs, and Fortuin took 2 for 34. Jansen held four catches.

That spin squeeze is the thing Australia’s batters have to answer at the Wanderers. The Wanderers usually has more pace and bounce than Kingsmead, and the altitude helps the ball travel, so the spinners may have less to work with. Australia will not want to rely on that.

Breetzke and Jansen rescued South Africa first

South Africa’s own innings had been in trouble. They were 168 for 5 in the 34th over after Australia chose to bowl. Matthew Breetzke, who reached his hundred from 100 balls, put on 107 for the sixth wicket with Jansen, who hit 75 from 59 balls with four sixes. Breetzke was run out for 112 from 106, and was named player of the match. Nathan Ellis took 3 for 57 for Australia.

The worry for the hosts is the bowling list. Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi and Ottneil Baartman are all out with hamstring injuries, and Nandre Burger has a back problem. Gerald Coetzee, Corbin Bosch and Jansen are carrying the pace attack, and in Durban it was Jansen who went for 64 from seven overs.

Will Cummins play?

Before the series, Cummins was ruled out of the opener but said to be a chance for the Wanderers or for Potchefstroom on 30 September. Australia’s quicks are managing their workload before a Test series that starts on 9 October. If Cummins does come in, Australia’s attack gets stronger, though the batting is where Durban was lost.

The second ODI starts at 10am local time on Sunday, 27 September, which is 1.30pm IST. Lose it, and Australia will have gone almost 12 years without an ODI series win over South Africa.

Follow the rest of the South Africa v Australia series