Australia’s tour of South Africa starts with three ODI’s the first of which takes place at Kingsmead, Durban on Thursday.
This 3 match ODI series comprises of this game with the second contest in Johannesburg on Sunday and the final match takes place at Potchefstroom on Wednesday next week. After that we have 3 test matches to look forward too. Let’s begin with the ODI squads.
South Africa: Temba Bavuma (C), Matthew Breetzke, Aiden Markram, Quinton de Kock, Tony de Zorzi, David Miller, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Gerald Coetzee, Bjorn Fortuin, Kwena Maphaka, Corbin Bosch, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Nqobani Mokoena, Duan Jansen
Australia: Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Pat Cummins, Joel Davies, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Mitchell Marsh, Oliver Peake, Matthew Renshaw, Jack Edwards, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa.
South Africa Recent ODI Form
The Proteas have just completed a 3-0 clean sweep of Namibia by margins of 99 runs, 157 runs and 9 wickets although the personnel on duty for that series is very different to what will face Australia here.
You have to go back to the tail end of 2025 for South Africa’s previous ODI action and that came in Pakistan and then India and the Proteas lost both series’ 2-1.
Australia Recent ODI Form
Most of this Australian squad were in Zimbabwe for a 3 match series last week and Australia won all 3 matches by margins of 59 runs, 84 runs and then 1 wicket.
In June Australia toured Bangladesh and they lost a 3 match series 2-1 and just prior to that they also 2-1 in Pakistan.
Head to Head
The teams have played 113 times with South Africa winning 57 to Australia’s 52 with 3 ties and 1 no result.
The teams last met in a 3 match series in Australia in August 2025 and the Proteas recovered from losing the first contest to win the series 2-1.
The Venue, Kingsmead, Durban
There is no recent ODI history for Kingsmead with the last 50 over contest staged here coming all the way back in 2020 and even then the game against England was hit by rain and no result was possible.
Weather Forecast – Durban
The Betting
South Africa are 23/20 to win the match and Australia are favourites at 7/10
The total match sixes line is under / over 11.5
The total match fours line is under / over 47.5
Sportingbet price boosts include Temba Bavuma to be top SA run scorer at 4/1 from 100/30
Prices subject to change
The Verdict
South Africa have a whole host of frontline seamers unavailable through injury which stretches the ranks of the bowling unit although Marco Jansen is available whilst Keshav Maharaj and possibly Bjorn Fortuin (should they opt for 2 ) provide the spin. I can see a scope for Australia targeting a specific Proteas bowler and scoring more than 16.5 runs in any one of their overs.
With the hitting power on both sides I’m also pretty keen on 12 or more sixes in total.
Bets: Total match sixes over 11.5 at 17/20 with Lucky Fish
Australia Total In The Highest Scoring Over 16.5 at even money with Lucky Fish
Prices subject to change