IN FOR THE KILL

AFTER a jitz half-century in the first ODI in Cairns, Matthew Breetzke wants to make his mark in the Proteas white-ball setup.

The 26-year-old Eastern Cape-born batter, playing in Australia for the first time, struck a kwaai 57 off 56 balls as the Proteas secured a memorable win over the hosts on Tuesday.

And with the second of three matches being played at Great Barrier Reef Arena in Queensland on Friday at 6.30am, Breetzke and his brasse are looking to make it 2-0 to bag a series win. 

Coming in at No. 4 – a relatively unfamiliar position – Breetzke looked at ease against Australia’s attack, sharing a near-century stand with captain Temba Bavuma to set the tone for South Africa’s innings. 

His confident strokeplay, along with valuable contributions from Ryan Rickelton, Aiden Markram and Bavuma, helped the visitors post a competitive 296-run target.

The Proteas then bowled Australia out in commanding fashion, with veteran spinner Keshav Maharaj starring with a geharde five-wicket haul to seal a convincing 98-run victory.

Reflecting on his performance, Breetzke admitted to feeling a few nerves – both from batting in a new position and playing his first game on Australian soil.

Breetzke wysed: “I was a little bit nervous during those middle periods, but I definitely backed myself. Now I’m looking to stake a claim and be first on the team list.” 

Of playing on a different wicket today, he added: “It’s going to be a completely different wicket. I had a small session in the nets and they seem similar to the match strip. There’s definitely a bit more pace and a little more in it for the bowlers. We’ll need to assess how the ball moves in the first 10 overs.”

With a quick turnaround ahead of Sunday’s final ODI, Breetzke will be looking to maintain his strong start and push his case for a permanent place in the Proteas’ white-ball top order.