Hermann matches ODI debut record with 150 as South Africa beat Namibia

South Africa batter Jordan Hermann struck 150 runs off 126 balls on his one-day international debut, matching the highest score ever recorded by a player in his first ODI. The mark had previously been set by teammate Matthew Breetzke, who scored 150 from 148 balls against New Zealand in February 2025.

Hermann built a 190-run second-wicket stand with Tony de Zorzi over 167 balls, striking 17 fours and three sixes during his innings. He reached his first fifty in 61 balls, then added his next two fifties in just 32 balls each. Moments after reaching 150 with a single, he was dismissed on the following ball, caught at deep midwicket off seamer Ruben Trumpelmann, who finished with four wickets.

Having been sent in to bat first, South Africa posted 348 for six in their 50 overs, though they lost Hermann's older brother Ruben — playing only his second ODI — for eight runs, trapped leg before wicket by Trumpelmann.

Namibia's run chase was disrupted by rain, with the target revised to 262 from 31 overs under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method. The hosts finished on 162 for eight, well short of the target, with opener Malan Kruger top-scoring on 34 and South Africa spinner Prenelan Subrayen taking four wickets.

The result, from the first-ever ODI meeting between the two neighbouring nations, put South Africa 1-0 up in the three-match series, with the remaining fixtures scheduled for Friday and Sunday at the same venue in Windhoek. South Africa fielded a rotated squad for the tour, with Hermann — who has six T20 caps — one of three debutants alongside Connor Esterhuizen and Duan Jansen. He has not been picked for South Africa's upcoming home series against Australia.