Mackay [Australia], August 22 (ANI): South Africa's star batter Matthew Breetzke continued his love affair with the bat, smashing his fourth consecutive fifty score in One-Day Internationals. The right-handed batter, on Friday in the second ODI against Australia, slammed 88 runs off 78 balls.

He scripted history with his knock against the Aussies in the second ODI in Mackay, becoming the first batter in ODI history to start his career with four consecutive scores of 50+, as per Wisden.

He started his career with scores of 150 against New Zealand, 83 against Pakistan and 57 against Australia in the first ODI of this series.

Former India opener Navjot Singh Sidhu is the only other player to score fifties in his first four innings; however, Sidhu took five matches to do so because he did not bat against Zimbabwe as India chased down 136 to record an eight-wicket win.

Breetzke continued scoring at a good clip even after reaching his fifty, before he was dismissed for 88, mis-timing a pull shot off Nathan Ellis for Alex Carey to take a simple catch in the deep.

Two early wickets saw Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton both fall in the powerplay, but Breetzke's innings helped steady the Proteas. Breetzke stitched together handy partnerships with both Tony de Zorzi and Tristan Stubbs.

He fell short by twelve runs to miss his second century. Breetzke's eight boundaries and two sixes in his innings were essential in leading the Proteas to a respectable 277 in 49.1 overs.

Australia's Adam Zampa (3/63) and Nathan Ellis (2/46) made sure that South Africa wasn't able to surpass 300. Breetzke's record-breaking innings has now put the Proteas in a good position to win the three-game series, which they are currently leading 1-0. To tie the series, Australia needs 278 runs. (ANI)