With the first game of the series washed out without a ball bowled, all eyes will be on the the second T20I between South Africa and Australia at Kingsmead in Durban on Wednesday.
First the bad news. The game in Durban could well go down the path of the first match, with rain forecast throughout the day.
Whether there would be enough time for both teams to face five overs apiece remains to be seen but the players – and the fans as well – would hope for a longer game than that.
At best of times, T20I cricket is considered a lottery, a five-over-a-side game or something similar may not be too different from drawing a chit from a pot.
And both teams would want to play.
The upcoming World T20 may not be played on pitches similar to the ones in South Africa and the change in mindset from playing in the longer format to T20I cricket may not be as difficult as the other way around, but nothing like match practice going into a huge tournament like that.
Australia will have to make do without Brad Hogg, who misses out because of a hamstring injury, which also means that the selectors will need to closely look at the weather before deciding on their bowling attack.
Hogg would have made it to the starting 11 on any track but if it’s going to be James Muirhead playing as a sole frontline spinner, it will be interesting to see whether the management will want to risk him on a surface that could have a bit of spice in it.
Australia have Glenn Maxwell if they do need a slow bowling option, which is why it will be interesting to see whether Muirhead also features in the game ahead of a seam bowling option.
The advantage South Africa had from the abandoned first game was that they could allow the pair of Wayne Parnell and Beuran Hendricks an extra couple of days of rest. Both had niggles before the first match which would have recovered by now and should make for a bit of a headache for the selectors.
But it will be a headache of the good kind.
With Morne Morkel expected to lead the attack and Lonwabo Tsotsobe also a part of the squad, there’s every chance that Parnell and Hendricks will be fighting for that one spot. Parnell’s experience and all-round skills could trump the Ram Slam T20s top wicket-taker, Hendricks.
South Africa also have a couple of spinners in Imran Tahir and Aaron Phangiso, to choose from and this selection could depend on the weather again. A shortened match in wet conditions may not inspire too much faith in Tahir and Phangiso may get the nod ahead of him.
Join me for this second T20I out of three on Wednesday and you can follow the live score of this game from 3am AEDT (Thursday) and post your comments below.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
It's quite difficult to find faults with anyone in such a game, seven-overs-a-side, but I can put my finger on a couple of things from the South African perspective. 1. Why open with Hashim Amla in a seven-over match when David Miller and Albie Morkel are in the dugout. Wouldn't have been a bad option to even have du Plessis open and then Miller come in at one-drop. Flexibility would have been good. 2. Why bowl Beuran Hendricks after the debutant went for 18 in his first. In the end, he conceded 'only' 13 in his second but probably would have made more sense to bowl the best bowler on the night, Parnell, that over? That will be it from me, will be back with the final T20I on Friday. Hopefully we will get a full game.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
So that's that, a wide to finish off things! Too short and too high, with Hodge looking to hook it... ...missed but they were through for a bye anyway. Umpire calls it a wide and that's that. Australia have won by five wickets with two balls to spare.
And that's game. Well done Australia.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Banged away for a six! Hodge turns it on when it's mattered... ...was a fullish ball, an attempted yorker which Hodge has turned into a fuller one, by getting his front foot out and hitting it over mid-wicket for a six. And make that two sixes in as many balls to tie the scores. Same shot attempted and his one's a low full-toss that he's hit away. Scores are tied now.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
And now Haddin looks to move towards the off stump and hit it over the leg-side. Hits his pads and there's an appeal for lbw but missing the stumps. Just a leg-bye though. 13 needed from 4.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Excellent first ball from Parnell and Hodge fails to get under it... ...just a single to long-on. 14 needed from 5.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Wayne Parnell, as expected, will be bowling the final over.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Six off the first two non-deliveries and just seven off the remaining six balls of the over. 13 in the over but a crucial run-out in the over. 15 needed from 6, with Australia on 5/66 in 6. Turning out to be a humdinger this.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
After those first two non-deliveries, it's been three singles alone. 19 needed from 9.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Gone! Run-out! Bailey's gone! That's an excellent piece of work from the long-on fielder, as Miller shoots one down to the striker's end and finds the captains short. Was dug out well by Hodge and it went to the wide long-on region where the fielder had to run across and pick and throw one-handed. Bailey wanted the second while Hodge was having none of it. The captain had come halfway down the track and had no chance of getting back. Brad Haddin comes in.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Two overs remaining, one of which should be bowled by Parnell I am assuming. The other has been handed over to Hendricks... ...and what a poor start from the debutant. Full-toss over the waist and it's been dispatched over the covers for a four! No-ball too and the game swings. The second one is a wide. Six from the over already and he's yet to bowl one! He had conceded 18 in his first over.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
And a single to backward point ends one of the best ever you would find in this format... ...just five from it and a couple of wickets too. 28 needed from 12. Gets a wee bit tougher.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Brad Hodge comes in at six. Key moment to come in.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
This is turning out to be a good over from Duminy, just four from the first four balls... ...and a wicket of Warner to boot. And here we go, that's another wicket in the over! Maxwell's slashed it to the covers! Very full and Duminy had sent it wider too, he went after it but the lack of speed gets the better of Maxwell. Easily caught. Four down. 4/52 in 4.5, 29 needed from 13.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
In comes George Bailey, at five. The wicket of Warner could be a bit of a turning point here. Can Maxwell and Bailey up the ante immediately? 3/50 in 4.2
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Gone! First ball! Duminy strikes and South Africa have their hopes alive! Very full from Duminy and Warner, who loves to show his reverse-slog off, attempts it, gets beaten and is trapped right in front of his stumps. The umpire gives him his marching orders and Australia have lost three now. 3/48 in 4.1, 33 needed from 17.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Whoa, 147.7 km/hr from Wayne Parnell and that's beaten Warner. Just three off the first five balls and a single down the ground to round it off with four from it... ...Warner's reached 40 from 15, Australia are on only 48! 33 needed from 3.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
One hitter's replaced by another, Glenn Maxwell comes in at four. Just 35 needed from 21.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
And Parnell has a wicket! Watson has blown up a chance to hit the full-toss over the fence... ...instead he's struck it straight to extra-cover inside the circle. Simple catch and Australia have lost their second. 36 needed from 22.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Just being different, cannot have everyone betting on the same team!