The third and final Test between Australia and South Africa begins in the early hours of Thursday morning. As a competitive element this is a dead rubber with the series already won but the fire has been stoked by the treatment of Faf du Plessis since the last Test so this could be the most competitive match of the three!
Australia
It has been a wretched series for Australia so far with two absolutely brutal beatings in the first two matches and with some tough series to come for the remainder of the summer they could do with a win here just to restore an ounce of confidence and to get the public and media back onside.
You could be forgiven for thinking this isn’t a time for panic and wholesale changes but the Australians have done exactly that which suggests a deeper crisis than just five Test defeats in a row. The simple fact is they have been outplayed by a top quality side. It will be interesting to see how their new look line up goes here.
South Africa
Despite all the hoohah around the second Test and the alleged ball tampering nonsense South Africa have barely put a foot wrong in this series when they were four down on the opening morning of the first Test. Like most good sides their batting depth has got them out of a couple of tricky spots and their seam attack has dominated the opposition.
Any chance there was of South Africa rolling over and preparing for the plane home and a big home summer to come went out of the window when the ball tampering issue blew up. We can be assured they will be out to rub Australia’s noses in it further and complete a unique whitewash against them.
Team News
Australia are making five changes for this match with debuts being handed out to Matt Renshaw, Peter Handscomb and Nic Maddinson while there are recalls for Jackson Bird and Matthew Wade. Joe Burns, Callum Ferguson, Adam Voges, Peter Nevill and Joe Mennie make way.
South Africa have no new injury problems for this match. We know they will be without AB de Villiers and Dale Steyn so they could name an unchanged side unless they decide to bring in the wrist spinner Tabraiz Shamsi on a track that does turn as the match goes on.
Adelaide Oval
This will be the 75th time there has been a Test match staged on this famous ground although it is only the second day-night match. Last year Australia beat New Zealand in a low scoring clash to extend their overall record to 38 wins and 17 defeats here with 19 draws. South Africa have just two wins from their eight visits to this ground.
Usually this ground is a high scoring one but we’re yet to truly see a high scoring day-night Test match so it should be expected that the ball may well dominate the bat. That said with the short square boundaries there will be full value for shots.
Betting
South Africa might have already won the series but I can’t avoid a cheeky bet on them to win this match as well. They have been so dominant in the two matches so far that I’m not expecting anything to change. Confidence is a big thing in sport and South Africa are full of it. Australia have had a massive overhaul of their side but three debutants in a side not functioning well is risky. I’m with this South African pace attack to seal another win in this one.
I’m also going to take the performance of Kagiso Rabada once again. In the series so far he has scored 161pts and 105pts so a target of 102.5pts is well within his range especially when you consider that the ball is likely to even more under the lights here than it has done so far. His accuracy, pace and bowling smartness is such that six wickets should be the least he gets.
Given how badly they are batting it makes sense to target the bigger prices in the top Australia batsman market. Peter Handscomb’s Shield form has caught the eye but he’s on debut so instead I would prefer to look at another man who has shown some form in Matthew Wade. Wade is a gutsy player who has a couple of tons at this level and at 16/1 in a line up that have been shot out twice he looks decent value.
Tips
Back South Africa to win 3rd Test for a 4/10 stake at 2.10 with Boylesports
Back them here:
Back K.Rabada’s Performance – Over 102.5pts for a 4/10 stake at 1.73 with Bet365
Back him here:
Back M.Wade Top Australia 1st Inns Batsman for a 1/10 stake at 17.00 with Ladbrokes
Back him here:
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