Teams shift focus
Can anything really live up to the Test series we've just witnessed between these two teams -- Australia and South Africa? Probably not.
But the world's two top-ranked limited-overs sides going head to head in a Twenty20 match in front of a likely crowd of more than 75,000 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) today should be a terrific spectacle in any case.
Australia will be desperate for some strong performances to ease the pressure after losing their first home Test series in 16 years. South Africa have declared that they are treating this portion of their trip as a separate tour. Both teams are taking the opportunity to trial some fresh talent.
Australia have rested Brad Haddin due to his heavy workload in the past month and Luke Ronchi will take up the position behind the stumps. Ronchi was excellent with both bat and gloves in the West Indies this year but his domestic batting form has been down this summer and a lower-order position is likely.
Michael Clarke and Mitchell Johnson have also been given time off. Australia's major decision is which bowlers to include. They will be keen to get some overs into Shaun Tait, while Nathan Hauritz might miss out on the spin position due to Cameron White's batting ability.
South Africa have named their starting line-up and there is no Hashim Amla, Neil McKenzie or Morne Morkel. Lonwabo Tsotsobe and Vaughn van Jaarsveld are set to make their international debuts, while all eyes will also be on Herschelle Gibbs in his return to the national side.
David Warner was the bolter in Australia's squad. At 22 and having not yet made his first-class debut, Warner was picked on the strength of a couple of brilliant limited-overs performances for New South Wales. He made a state record unbeaten 165 in from 112 balls against Tasmania and followed it a week later with 97 from 54 balls -- narrowly missing the fastest one-day hundred in Australian domestic history -- against the same opponents in Hobart. He will be especially fascinating to watch if he uses the double-sided bat he has trialled this season; it allows him to play the reverse-sweep without changing his grip.
Herschelle Gibbs turns 35 next month but South Africa view him as an important part of their campaign for the 2011 World Cup. Those plans were derailed slightly in November when Gibbs was demoted from the national set-up after breaking a team curfew. A month-long alcohol rehabilitation programme was the result and this will be Gibbs's first appearance since the incident. Coach Mickey Arthur has told Gibbs he expects him to lead from the front as the senior man in the top-order; it will be interesting to see how he responds.
MCG's drop-in pitches have not been easy to score on in recent years. The surfaces are often two-paced and in limited-overs formats bowlers have had more reason to cheer than usual.
TEAMS
AUSTRALIA (possible): Shaun Marsh, David Warner, Ricky Ponting (captain), Michael Hussey, David Hussey, Cameron White, James Hopes, Luke Ronchi, Ryan Harris/Ben Hilfenhaus, Nathan Bracken, Shaun Tait.
SOUTH AFRICA: Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Vaughn van Jaarsveld, Mark Boucher, Albie Morkel, Johan Botha (captain), Dale Steyn, Makhaya Ntini, Lonwabo Tsostobe.
Comments