Veteran Australian opener David Warner hasn't had the best of starts to the ODI series against South Africa as he departed for a duck in the first game at the Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein on Thursday, September 7. The left-hander chopped it onto the stumps trying to cut a wide ball from Marco Jansen for a boundary.
The incident occurred in the second ball of the innings after the first resulted in a dot, followed by a wide. The delivery from the left-arm seamer that sent Warner packing lit the 36-year-old's eyes, but he could not find the middle of the bat and instead chopped onto the stumps.
The Proteas have grabbed an early wicket to put the tourists under early pressure.
Warner wasn't part of the preceding T20I series against South Africa and will be keen to find form, especially with the 2023 World Cup. While Mitchell Marsh did magnificently in the ODI series in India early this year as an opener, he had backed Warner to open the innings and described him as a 'GOAT'.
Temba Bavuma's gritty hundred gives South Africa a competitive total before David Warner's duck
Meanwhile, South African captain Temba Bavuma slammed a sensational hundred as his unbeaten 142-ball 114 gave the hosts 222 on the board. After Mitchell Marsh won the toss and decided to bowl, the Proteas' batters struggled on a two-paced surface as the Australian bowlers kept chipping away.
Nevertheless, Bavuma stood steadfast at the crease and reached three figures. The right-hander shared two invaluable lower-order partnerships with Marco Jansen (57) and Lungi Ngidi (37), dragging his side to a competitive score.
Josh Hazlewood claiming Ngidi in the final ball of the 48th over left the captain stranded.
With the 2023 World Cup approaching, the Proteas will be keen to win the ODI series, especially after a 3-0 loss in the T20I leg.
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