South Africa v Australia: three-match ODI series under way in Durban
South Africa and Australia began a three-match ODI series at Kingsmead in Durban, the opening leg of a six-match tour that also builds towards next year's Cricket World Cup. Australia won the toss and chose to bowl first.
Series opens in Durban
On 24 September, Kingsmead in Durban hosted the first one-day international between South Africa and Australia — the opener of a three-match ODI series that forms part of a wider six-match tour. Following the ODIs, the two sides will meet in October for three Test matches, marking Australia's first Test tour of South Africa since the controversial 2018 series overshadowed by the ball-tampering scandal involving David Warner, Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft.
Australia won the toss and elected to bowl first, looking to exploit a breeze across the Kingsmead ground expected to generate movement in the air. South Africa captain Temba Bavuma said he too would have chosen to bowl.
Line-ups
Australia handed an ODI debut to seamer Jack Edwards, who came in for the dropped Alex Carey, with Josh Inglis taking the gloves. All-rounder Cameron Green returned to the XI, though it was unclear whether he would also bowl in this match. Pat Cummins had been named captain of Australia's originally announced 16-man ODI squad, but according to The Guardian, Mitchell Marsh led the side in this first match — the sources do not agree on who is captaining the team.
South Africa's squad was hit by injuries before the series — as reported by India Fantasy, experienced pacemen Lungi Ngidi and Kagiso Rabada, along with young quick Ottneil Baartman, were ruled out with hamstring injuries. They were replaced by Gerald Coetzee, Nqobani Mokoena and Duan Jansen.
Context and history
The series forms part of both teams' build-up to next year's Cricket World Cup, to be jointly hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia in a little over 12 months. Australia sharpened their form with a series sweep against Zimbabwe, but South Africa have held a clear edge in recent years, winning their last five ODI series against Australia, home and away, since September 2016. In last year's series in Australia, South Africa won the first two matches in Cairns and Mackay, though Australia claimed a consolation win by scoring 431 for 2 — their second-highest ODI total ever, behind their own 434 for 4 against South Africa 19 years earlier.
