Two cricketing powerhouses do battle in a three match Test series this month as Australia host South Africa in the longest format of the game with the series including another day-night match to conclude it.
These two sides both have big winters ahead of them, winters they will be hoping to climb up the Test rankings in and head back towards the top. In order to do that they need to win this series so I’m expecting a hard fought three matches.
Schedule
1st Test: 3-7 Nov at Perth
2nd Test: 12-16 Nov at Hobart
3rd Test: 24-28 Nov at Adelaide
Australia
This is the first time we will have seen Australia in this format of the game since they surprisingly came unstuck in Sri Lanka. In terms of this series I don’t expect that defeat to have much about it given that the conditions here are totally different and suit the home side a lot more but this isn’t a settled side and that could be pivotal.
Prior to that series loss in Sri Lanka the Aussies had won five of their previous six series so this remains a format of the game they are strong in despite some high profile retirements and injuries in recent times. We saw their bowling exploited in South Africa in an ODI series recently and it will be interesting to see how it stands up here.
South Africa
South Africa haven’t played in many Test series over the last couple of years. In fact in total they have only played in four series and only once have they prevailed. That was a couple of months ago against New Zealand but this once ultra-strong Test side certainly aren’t the force they were five years ago.
One of the reasons for that has been their own high profile retirements especially in the batting line up with Jacques Kallis in particular a huge loss. His all-round skills meant that the Proteas could balance their side much better and it has been a struggle without him for that reason.
Head to Head
These two sides are no strangers to each other. They have met in 25 previous series with Australia having a pretty dominant record with 16 successes to South Africa’s four. They have also drawn on five occasions. South Africa have only beaten Australia in two series since they came back into Test cricket.
In Australia the home side have five wins and three draws in the 10 series but South Africa have won the last two series they have played down under. In bare matches Australia have a 50-21 winning record with 20 draws from the 91 matches.
Betting
I’m going with two bets in the series although neither of them come in the outright betting itself. The reason for that is the toss could be hugely significant in the final match which is the day-night game and we’re too far out to be guessing on that. Instead both my bets come in the South African player markets.
The first is on Quinton de Kock to leading their run scoring. He just went potty against Australia in the ODIs in South Africa and while this is a different attack to that one was he has already filled his boots on this tour and we’ve seen in the past that he can take care of the likes of Starc and Hazlewood.
There are a few players in this South African batting line up who might be fragile but de Kock isn’t one of them and with AB de Villiers missing the tourists need someone to step up to the plate. He can be that man.
With the ball I’m a huge fan of Kagiso Rabada and I’m happy to take him to lead the series betting for South Africa. It isn’t clear how much Australia will have seen of him but they’ll certainly know all about him by the end of the series. I don’t think Vernon Philander is bowling as well as he can and while Morne Morkel and Dale Steyn can never be ruled out I like Rabada here.
Tips
WON – Back Q.de Kock Top South Africa Series Batsman for a 1/10 stake at 9.00 with Ladbrokes
Back him here:
WON – Back K.Rabada Top South Africa Series Bowler for a 2/10 stake at 3.75 with William Hill
Back him here:
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