The first of three One Day Internationals between South Africa and Australia takes place at Boland Park, Paarl on Saturday and the visitors start as firm favourites.
Australia won the 3 match T20 series which started this tour 2-1, winning the first contest in Johannesburg by 107 runs before the Proteas levelled things up with a 12 run win in Port Elizabath last weekend. On Wednesday Australia clinched the series with a 97 run victory at Newlands and the teams now move up the road to Paarl for the first of the ODI's. Let's start with the squads.
South Africa: Quinton de Kock (c & wk), Temba Bavuma, David Miller, Kagiso Rabada, Andile Phehlukwayo, Tabraiz Shamsi, Lungi Ngidi, Beuran Hendricks, Heinrich Klaasen, Janneman Malan, Jon-Jon Smuts, Anrich Nortje, Lutho Sipamla, Keshav Maharaj, Kyle Verreynne
Australia: Aaron Finch (c), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey (vc), Pat Cummins (vc), Josh Hazlewood, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Kane Richardson, Steven Smith, D'Arcy Short, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa, Jhye Richardson
ODI Form:
The Proteas only 50 over format action since the 2019 CWC came against England earlier this month. Again it was a 3 match series with the Proteas drawing first blood with a 7 wicket win in Cape Town. The second ODI in Durban was abandoned and England squared the series with a 2 wicket victory in Johannesburg.
Australia were in ODI action in India in January. They won the first of 3 matches by 10 wickets but India hit back to take the next 2 by 36 runs and then 7 wickets to take the series 2-1.
Boland Park, Paarl
Paarl has hosted just 6 ODI's involving the Proteas from 2001 to 2018 with South Africa winning 5 and losing 1 (defeat came against New Zealand in 2013).
The 2 most recent games saw the Proteas beat Bangladesh by 104 runs in October 2017 and Zimbabwe by 4 wickets in October 2018.
Weather Forecast – Paarl
Head to Head
The most recent head to head came at the end of the pool stage of the CWC in Manchester in July 2019. It marked the end of a bitterly disappointing tournament for South Africa but they did bow out on a high, beating the Aussies by 10 runs.
The teams have met 100 times with Australia winning 48, South Africa have also won 48 with 3 ties and 1 no result.
The Betting
At the time of writing South Africa can be backed at 7/4 to win the game with Australia a short price of 11/25. In the top bat markets Quinton de Kock is as short as 7/4 to top score for the Proteas and David Warner is 5/2 to do likewise for Australia.
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Note: Prices correct at the time of posting but are subject to change
The Verdict
This looks a tough task for the Proteas who have rested more than one regular starter in this format. For a betting interest I will go with Steve Smith to top score for the Aussies at a more favourable price than the 2 openers.
Additional interest comes in the top SA bowler market where preference is for Nortje who is quietly impressing this summer.
Suggested Bets: Top Australian Bat Steve Smith @7/2
Top SA Bowler Nortje at 7/2
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