Breetzke becomes first to start ODI career with four straight 50s

Matthew Breetzke wrote a historic chapter in South Africa’s ODI story on a Mackay night that combined breakthrough achievement with a position-defining innings. In the second match of the series against Australia, the 26-year-old keeper-batter struck 88 off 78, steering the Proteas to a stabilised total after an early stumble and becoming the first player in ODI history to start his career with four consecutive fifty-plus scores.

South Africa’s innings began shakily with the loss of openers Ryan Rickelton and stand-in captain Aiden Markram inside the powerplay. Breetzke, coming in at four, anchored the innings alongside Tony de Zorzi, forging a 67-run stand for the third wicket and rescuing the innings from early trouble. After De Zorzi fell for 38, Breetzke continued to flourish, delivering a measured, boundary-laden innings that included eight fours and two sixes before he was eventually dismissed by Nathan Ellis at the 31st over.

The record-reaching performance underscores a remarkable early arc in Breetzke’s ODI career. He began with a world-record debut score of 150 against New Zealand in Lahore earlier this year, followed by an 83 against Pakistan, and a 57 against...