South Africa v Australia: First ODI Begins in Durban
Listen to the story
South Africa and Australia have started the first match of their one-day international series.
The ODI is being played at Kingsmead Ground in Durban, South Africa.
This is the opening game, called the series opener, of the cricket series.
Play began at 10am local time in Durban, which was 6pm AEST in Australia.
AEST stands for Australian Eastern Standard Time.
Australia's lineup includes players Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh.
Both players are experienced batters for the Australian national team.
The match is one of several games planned between the two countries.
Fans are following the action closely as the series begins.
Readers can send their thoughts about the match by email to a Guardian writer covering the game.
One-day international cricket matches usually last most of a day.
Each team gets a limited number of overs to score runs.
This format is different from longer test cricket matches.
The result of this first game could set the tone for the rest of the series.
More updates are expected as the match continues throughout the day.
Vocabulary6 words
- series
- a group of games played one after another between the same teams
- ODI
- a short way to say one-day international cricket match
- series opener
- the first game of a series
- lineup
- the list of players chosen to play in a team
- batters
- players whose main job is to hit the ball and score runs
- overs
- a set number of balls bowled in cricket, used to limit play time
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Quiz
Answer key
1. A one-day international (ODI) 2. 10am local time 3. Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh
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Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
South Africa and Australia have started the first match of their one-day international _____.
The ODI is being played at Kingsmead Ground in _____, South Africa.
This is the opening game, called the series _____, of the cricket series.
Play began at 10am local time in Durban, which was 6pm _____ in Australia.
Australia's _____ includes players Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh.
Both players are experienced _____ for the Australian national team.
The match is one of several games planned between the two _____.
Each team gets a limited number of _____ to score runs.
This format is different from longer test cricket _____.
The result of this first game could set the _____ for the rest of the series.
Discussion questions
- Have you ever watched a one-day international cricket match?
- Why do you think fans enjoy following live sports updates online?
- What differences do you know between ODI cricket and other cricket formats?
- Do you follow any sports rivalries between countries, like South Africa versus Australia?
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