AUSTRALIA have suffered a shock loss to a depleted South African side in the first ODI in Paarl, meaning they can’t afford another slip-up if they are to win the three-match series.

Facing a Proteas team without key batsmen Faf du Plessis and Rassie van der Dussen (both rested) and injured quick Kagiso Rabada, Australia’s star pace attack was no match for unheralded right-hander Heinrich Klaasen, who scored his maiden international century, as the Proteas tallied 291-7 in scorching heat in the winelands region of South Africa’s western cape.

Steve Smith top-scored with 76 in reply, but Australia’s re-cast middle order, including D’Arcy Short at No.7, was left with too much to do and they fell 74 runs short.

The two teams will now head to Bloemfontein for the second match on Wednesday before the series concludes in Potchefstroom next Saturday.

While the T20 leg of this tour was undoubtedly the main focus for the Australians given the T20 World Cup is just eight months away, a loss to an undermanned opponent would be frustrating for coach Justin Langer as his side begin the long build towards the next 50-over World Cup in 2023.

For all of Australia’s good work in one-day cricket last year, when they shook off an unprecedented form slump to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup in the UK, they have now lost five of their past six games and – incredibly – nine of their past 10 against the Proteas, a streak that stretches back to their 5-0 whitewash here in 2016.

The Proteas fielded two debutants as well as just five members of their squad from last year’s World Cup and appeared, on paper at least, to be firm underdogs against a full-strength Australian side.

And the match appeared to be following the script when Mitchell Starc struck with the very first ball, the left-armer producing a trademark in-swinger that trapped opener Janneman Malan in front of his stumps, the right-hander becoming the first debutant in ODI history to be dismissed from the opening delivery of the game. To cap off an unfortunate day for the luckless Malan, he was forced to leave the field late in the match with what appeared to be a left hamstring injury.

A score of 0-1 soon became 48-3 when Klaasen, who averaged just 22 with the bat in ODIs before yesterday, came to the middle and turned the match in his side’s favour.

The 28-year-old shared a 149-run partnership with David Miller (64 from 70 balls) for the fifth wicket before pushing on to just his second three-figure score in 74 List A games, finishing unbeaten on 123 from 114 balls.

Starc (2-59) and the returning Josh Hazlewood (1-63) both copped some punishment having made early breakthroughs, while Australia’s fifth-bowling option – a combination of Short’s wrist-spin and Mitchell Marsh’s medium pace – conceded 70 runs from 10 overs.

South Africa’s total could well have exceeded 300 if not for the impressive work of Pat Cummins, who finished with 3-45 and produced a superb run out late in the innings, while Adam Zampa (0-48 from 10 overs) also bowled tightly.

Lungi Ngidi then removed Aaron Finch and David Warner inside the opening 10 overs to give the 10 000-strong local crowd belief that an upset was on the cards.

An 84-run stand between Smith and Marnus Labuschagne (41 from 51 balls) ate into the runs required, but the loss of both players and Marsh before the 35th over left the lower order with too much to do.

Ngidi was the pick of the home side’s bowlers, taking 3-30 from eight overs, while spinners Keshav Maharaj (1-48 from 10) and Tabraiz Shamsi (2-45 from 10) ensured the required run rate stayed well above six runs an over for most of the chase. (Cricket.comau)

SOUTH AFRICA innings
Janneman Malan lbw Mitchell Starc 0
Quinton de Kock c Alex Carey b Josh Hazlewood 15
Temba Bavuma b Pat Cummins 26
Kyle Verreynne c Mitchell Marsh b Pat Cummins 48
Heinrich Klaasen not out 123
David Miller c Alex Carey b Pat Cummins 64
Andile Phehlukwayo run-out Pat Cummins 0
Keshav Maharaj b Mitchell Starc 2
Anrich Nortje not out 1
Extras: (b-1, lb-5, w-6) 12
Total: (seven wkts, 50.0 overs) 291
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-33, 3-48, 4-126, 5-275, 6-275, 7-286.
Bowling: Mitchell Starc 10-0-59-2 (w-1), Josh Hazlewood 10- 0-63-1 (w-2), Pat Cummins 10-0-45-3 (w-2), Mitchell Marsh 5-0-35-0, D’Arcy Short 5-0-35-0, Adam Zampa 10-0-48-0.

AUSTRALIA innings
David Warner c Kyle Verreynne b Lungi Ngidi 25
Aaron Finch c Quinton de Kock b Lungi Ngidi 10
Steven Smith lbw Anrich Nortje 76
Marnus Labuschagne c Lungi Ngidi b Keshav Maharaj 41
Mitchell Marsh b Lungi Ngidi 16
Alex Carey c Kyle Verreynne b Tabraiz Shamsi 5
D’Arcy Short stp. Quinton de Kock b Tabraiz Shamsi 18
Mitchell Starc run out Quinton de Kock 5
Pat Cummins c Kyle Verreynne b Andile Phehlukwayo 6
Adam Zampa not out 7
Josh Hazlewood b Anrich Nortje 1
Extras: (lb-3, w-4) 7
Total: (all out, 45.1 overs) 217
Fall of wickets: 1-23, 2-49, 3-133, 4-174, 5-174, 6-195, 7-203, 8-207, 9-211.
Bowling: Keshav Maharaj 10-0-48-1, Anrich Nortje 7.1 0-39- 2, Lungi Ngidi 8-0-30-3 (w-2), Andile Phehlukwayo 10-0-52- 1 (w-1), Tabraiz Shamsi 10-0-45-2 (w-1).