Australia tour of South Africa 2023

SA vs AUS, 2nd ODI  

Preview 

Australia's cricket team continued their winning streak against South Africa, following their recent 3-0 triumph in the T20I series, with a nail-biting three-wicket victory in the first ODI in Bloemfontein. The match, played on a challenging pitch, saw an unexpected hero emerge in the form of Marnus Labuschagne. Acting as a concussion substitute for the injured Cameron Green, Labuschagne played a brilliant innings, scoring an unbeaten 80 runs from 93 deliveries to guide his team to victory.

Earlier in the day, Temba Bavuma, showcased his class by carrying the bat and notching up an impressive 114* off 142 balls. However, apart from a brief partnership with Marco Jansen (32 off 40 balls), Bavuma lacked support from his teammates as South Africa was eventually bowled out for a below-par 222.

Australia's chase of the modest yet challenging target got off to a shaky start, with seven wickets down and approximately 100 runs still required. The fiery opening spells from Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen, and Lungi Ngidi had dismantled Australia's top-order batters. However, as the ball got older and the pitch eased up, Ashton Agar and Marnus Labuschagne stitched together a match-winning partnership.

Looking ahead to the next game, South Africa's pace trio of Rabada, Jansen, and Ngidi is expected to continue to pose challenges for Australia, especially when the ball is new. Bavuma, who has been consistent, will be crucial for South Africa once again, and Aiden Markram, despite failing in the first ODI, is expected to bounce back.

Marco Jansen's ability with the bat is an asset for South Africa, and his contributions down the order can make a difference in upcoming matches.

The standout performance of Marnus Labuschagne, who stepped in as a substitute and played a match-winning innings, leaves Australia with an interesting selection dilemma for the next ODI.

Travis Head, who has been in great form for Australia, is expected to play a pivotal role, having scored 362 runs in his last 7 matches at an impressive average and strike rate. Skipper Mitchell Marsh, who has had a terrific summer, will be looking to make amends for his performance in the first ODI.

Australia's bowling was exemplary in the first ODI, with Josh Hazlewood leading the way with figures of 3-41. The likes of Sean Abbott, Marcus Stoinis, Ashton Agar, and Adam Zampa also played crucial roles in containing the South African batting lineup.

As the two teams gear up for the second ODI in Bloemfontein, cricket fans can expect another thrilling encounter, with both sides eager to secure victory and gain the upper hand in the series.

Match Details

Match: SA vs AUS, 2nd ODI,  Australia tour of South Africa, 2023

Date: Saturday, September 09, 2023

Time: 4:30 PM

Venue: Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein

Pitch and Weather Report

The Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein is known for its pitch that provides early bounce and movement for the bowlers. As a result, batsmen need to exercise caution during the first 15 overs, especially considering that both teams have quality fast bowlers in their lineup. However, as the match progresses, batting becomes more comfortable, and a well-set batsman can capitalise on this to score big.

Historically, the average score for the team batting first at the Mangaung Oval has been 246. It's not a high-scoring ground, as evidenced by recent matches. Therefore, the team batting first should aim to set a target of approximately 270 runs to be competitive. The average runs scored per over at this venue is 5.10.

Regarding the weather, Bloemfontein is expected to have sunny, clear, and very hot conditions for the match.

SA vs AUS Squads

SA: Quinton de Kock (wk), Temba Bavuma (c), Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Dewald Brevis, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Sisanda Magala, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi, Wayne Parnell, Tristan Stubbs

AUS: David Warner, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh (c), Cameron Green, Josh Inglis, Alex Carey (wk), Marcus Stoinis, Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Josh Hazlewood, Adam Zampa, Marnus Labuschagne, Spencer Johnson, Tim David, Aaron Hardie, Tanveer Sangha, Nathan Ellis

SA vs AUS Probable Playing XIs 

SA: Quinton de Kock (wk), Temba Bavuma (c), Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi

AUS: David Warner, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh (c), Cameron Green/ Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis, Alex Carey (wk), Marcus Stoinis, Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Josh Hazlewood, Adam Zampa

Match Prediction

Australia has secured victory in four consecutive matches during this tour, indicating a promising winning streak. Although they faced some challenges in their batting during the first ODI, they maintained a well-rounded squad, even in the absence of key players. South Africa boasts a formidable bowling attack that is expected to perform consistently. However, their batting lineup presents concerns, as several players have been underperforming. This weakness could prove to be a significant problem when facing a team as strong as Australia. It's highly probable that Australia will maintain their dominance over the Proteas in the upcoming second ODI.

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