Cameron Green returned to Australia’s XI for the first time since suffering a concussion in the first ODI • AFP/Getty Images
Australia chose to bowl vs South Africa
Temba Bavuma returned to lead South Africa after missing the previous match with an inner-thigh muscle strain and replaced Reeza Hendricks. South Africa made one other change to the team that set Australia 417 at SuperSport Park with Kagiso Rabada rested for the decider after experiencing mild ankle discomfort and Andile Phehlukwayo in the XI.
Phehlukwayo’s inclusion may well be an audition for the World Cup squad, with South Africa likely to need at least one replacement player from outside their original fifteen. Sisanda Magala has been ruled out of this match – and has only played one of the five ODIs – after suffering a recurrence to the discomfort he felt in his left knee. Magala has a niggle in the tendon that connects the kneecap to the shin bone and could be a World Cup doubt. So too is Anrich Nortje, who was ruled out of the series earlier in the week with lower-back spasms.
Australia also have injury concerns and were forced to move stand-in captain Mitchell Marsh to open the batting in place of Travis Head, whose left hand was fractured on Friday night. That opened a slot for Josh Inglis to bat at No.3. Cameron Green returned from the concussion he suffered in the first ODI, in place of Marcus Stonis, and Josh Hazlewood was rested for Sean Abbott.
Johannesburg’s Bullring is sold out for the series finale, with the teams locked at 2-all and Quinton de Kock due to play his last ODI at home. De Kock has announced his decision to retire from the format after the World Cup.
South Africa: 1 Temba Bavuma (capt), 2 Quinton de Kock (wk), 3 Rassie van der Dussen, 4 Aiden Markram (capt), 5 Heinrich Klaasen, 6 David Miller, 7 Marco Jansen, 8 Gerald Coetzee, 9 Andile Phehlukwayo, 10 Keshav Maharaj, 11 Lungi Ngidi.
Australia: 1 David Warner, 2 Mitchell Marsh (capt), 3 Josh Inglis, 4 Marcus Labuschagne, 5 Alex Carey (wk), 6 Cameron Green, 7 Tim David, 8 Sean Abbott, 9 Michael Neser, 10 Nathan Ellis 11 Adam Zampa.
Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo’s correspondent for South Africa and women’s cricket
Source: ESPN Crickinfo