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The time for talking is over. We have been through the context and the controversies and now we can get to cricket. On Saturday at 10:20am in Queensland, all eyes will be on the bat vs. the ball, or if we’re being honest, maybe just the ball.
In stark contrast to all the Bazballing our Test cricket-loving eyes have been subjected to, the tone for this series is expected to be set by fast bowlers. There are a total of 12 in both squads with a collective skill set that includes speed, swing, slower ball variations and the ability to stifle scoring runs with choke lines and lengths. Pound for pound, Australia and South Africa’s attacks are evenly matched, meaning the most likely place to win or lose the series is the performance of the batsmen.
If they’re correct, and those are the only reasons the averages are around 40, Australia might be the place to prove it. The rebound will be true and there won’t be much lateral movement to deal with, which is what South Africa struggled with in England. Although the home attack will be just as difficult to deal with, if not more so, than the bowlers they have already faced, they are similar in pace and threat to South Africa’s own pack. If some of the top six don’t put up good numbers in this series, the spots must be at risk and a personnel change could be in the offing. Similarly, the series is important to the management of the South Africa team, as Malibongwe Maketa, currently installed as interim head coach, is interested in the permanent position.
form guide
AustraliaWWLWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
South Africa LLWWW
In the spotlight
Regardless of how your name is pronounced, marnus labuschagne he’s going to be the talk of the series and not just because he’s playing against the country that first saw him born in Tests. Labuschagne is on a purple patch most players can only dream of, with three hundred of his last four Test innings including two hundred. He is the fourth-highest run-scorer in the Tests this year, just 171 runs behind leader Joe Root, and with four Test innings to play before the end of 2022, he could well finish top of the list. He credits his obsession with becoming a better hitter as the key to success, and there’s no better country to showcase that than the one he used to call home.
Marnus Labuschagne has been in fine form•fake images
team news
Australian captain Pat Cummins has recovered from the quadriceps injury that kept him out of the second Test against the West Indies and will regain the captaincy from Steven Smith with Michael Neser sitting out. Scott Boland retains his place for the injured Josh Hazlewood.
Australia 1 David Warner, 2 Usman Khawaja, 3 Marnus Labuschagne, 4 Steven Smith, 5 Travis Head, 6 Cameron Green, 7 Alex Carey (week), 8 Pat Cummins (capt), 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Scott Boland
Rassie van der Dussen and Temba Bavuma return to the batting line-up after missing the latest Test and the entire tour in England respectively. His experience will come in handy as Keegan Petersen is out of the tour with a torn hamstring. That leaves a hole at No. 5, which is likely to be filled by one of Khaya Zondo or Theunis de Bruyn, with Heinrich Klaasen in reserve. South Africa have been eyeing seven specialist batsmen, but with bowling all-rounder Marco Jansen at No. 7, they can afford to field four more bowlers – three front-row fasts and Keshav Maharaj as the lone bowler. .
South Africa (possible) 1 Dean Elgar (captain), 2 Sarel Erwee, 3 Rassie van der Dussen, 4 Temba Bavuma, 5 Khaya Zondo/Theunis de Bruyn, 6 Kyle Verreynne (week), 7 Marco Jansen, 8 Keshav Maharaj, 9 Kagiso Rabada , 10 Anrich Nortje, 11 Lungi Ngidi
plot and conditions
Known as one of the fastest surfaces in Test cricket, the Gabba should have plenty of bite for fast bowlers and isn’t afraid to show its true colours. It was still very green 24 hours after the draw, although there was still a chance it could be removed a bit. “The color green doesn’t scare us,” Elgar said. However, it can also be misleading. The last time South Africa played this venue they were sucked into the mythology and pushed forward at full speed only to find that the pitch was so placid that even Hashim Amla got a few overs. That was a decade ago and the second day was lost to rain. None of that is expected this time with a forecast of sunny weather throughout the test.
Statistics and curiosities
South Africa have won their last three series in Australia in 2008, 2012 and 2016.
Between them, the South African team has 1,675 first-class caps, more than Australia’s 1,533. However, South Africa have only 329 test matches compared to Australia’s 577.
Mitchell Starc needs four wickets for 300 in the Tests; Usman Khawaja needs 47 runs for 4000
Australia have four batsmen, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head and Usman Khawaja, and two bowlers, Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc, in the top ten in the ICC Test rankings. South Africa have no batsmen and only one bowler: Kagiso Rabada. Their highest ranked hitter is Dean Elgar, ranked 16th.
Quotes
“They seem to have quite a well-rounded attack. Whether they’re playing four or five bowlers, they’ve got a good spinner and a left arm. They’re going to be a challenge.”
pat cummins on the strength of South African bowling
“We’ve always fought fire with fire. It doesn’t take much for our guys to step up when needed. We can’t control what Australia does. The only thing we can control is how we go about our business.”
South Africa won’t be scared of a verbal contest if the series goes that way, according to their caretaker coach. Malibongwe Maketa
Firdose Moonda is a South African correspondent for ESPNcricinfo