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With the Test series out of the way, the Australia’s tour of South Africa will now move on to the most recent format of the game as the two teams look to prepare for the World T20 to be played later this month with the first T20I in Port Elizabeth.
Australia have the momentum. And they showed what can be achievable with that in their previous series when they cruised to a 3-0 win in the T20Is over England after convincingly winning the Ashes.
Rather interestingly, Australia will go with only three of the players who featured in the Tests for this series against South Africa, who have eight of them playing these three games. Mitchell Johnson and Dale Steyn won’t play this one, with the South African speedster expected to return for the final match of the series.
While the absence of Johnson and Steyn could take some sheen off the competition, it allows others to put their hand up before the World T20 and be counted.
Among the South Africans who could be looking to make a mark will be Quinton de Kock, Beuran Hendricks and Albie Morkel and for different reasons.
De Kock had a string of three centuries in a row against India late last year and would love to show he can do that against an attack of a higher pedigree.
Hendricks was the highest wicket-taker in the South African t20 competition, the Ram Slam Cup – and by a distance – and if fit, he would love to repeat that showing at the international format as well.
And Morkel is making a comeback into the side after almost believing his international career was over.
Australia won their previous T20I series 3-0 and each win was more comprehensive than the previous one.
While they will be up against alien conditions and a bowling line-up that could test them slightly more than a below-par and shattered England attack, Australia have the firepower to take them on. And one that can diffuse most bowling arsenals in the world.
Aaron Finch and David Warner will come in at the top, with Shane Watson, George Bailey and Cameron White making the top five. And with Glenn Maxwell coming in at six, it’s very difficult to see everyone fail dramatically here.
Given what Finch is capable of in this format and Warner’s swashbuckling form in the other forms of the game, this opening pair has the capacity to take the game away from the opposition.
What needs to be seen is if Morne Morkel, Lonwabo Tsotsobe and Hendricks can hold the reins of the game long enough to defy their opponents.
The Faf du Plessis-led South African side have the line-up that should be able to challenge most opponents in such conditions but as their record against Australia suggests, it could right down to the wire.
And it’s a remarkable one, the South Africa-Australia rivalry in this format of the game.
Apart from three games that ended easily in favour of one or the other team, the number of games that went right down to the wire is a pointer to what can be expected out of this one.
Australia are only marginally ahead at 5-4 but trust this one to swing either way.
Join me for this first T20I out of three on Sunday and you can follow the live score of this game from 11.30 pm AEDT and post your comments below.
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