This is always a fiercely contested affair between two of cricket’s top teams, and this one promises to be a classic once again as Australia land in South Africa eight years after the infamous Sandpapergate affair.
There are three Tests to be played, there’s lots at stake and here’s the team news, latest odds and usual betting tip before it all gets underway.
- Starts: Friday, October 9, 08:00
- Venue: Durban, South Africa
- Live coverage: Sky Sports Cricket
Best Bet: Back Mitchell Starc To Be Australia’s First Innings Top Bowler
The years go by, but Mitchell Starc continues doing the business. Now 36, that slightly awkward-looking action is no prettier, but it's just as effective as ever.
His extra pace, ability to swing the ball, and experience of playing plenty in South Africa should give him every chance of being Australia’s top bowler in the first innings at 3.3.
The Format and Schedule
South Africa v Australia is one of the biggest rivalries in international cricket, with both teams known for their tough, gritty, never-say-die brand of cricket where the game is never over until it’s over.
They’ll play three Test matches:
- 1st Test: October 9-13 at Durban
- 2nd Test: October 18-22 at Gqeberha
- 3rd Test: October 27-31 Cape Town
And the results of this Series will count towards the World Test Championship Series (WTC), where South Africa are the defending champions, having won the final of the last edition of the WTC in June 2023.
Interestingly, that was against Australia at Lord's in London, with the Aussies going into that as quite strong favourites but coming up against an inspired Aiden Markram, who took a couple of wickets with the ball but really made his mark with a superb 136 with the bat in the second innings, to earn him a deserved Player of the Match award.
These two teams are always among the strongest sides in Test cricket and among the favourites for this edition of the WTC, so this Series will have a big impact on the standings.
The Scandal That Was Sandpapergate
Australia do not have good memories of the last time they played a Test series in South Africa.
In one of the biggest scandals to ever rock the sport, three of their players were found guilty of a conspiracy to change the shape of the ball: Cameron Bancroft used sandpaper to erode parts of the ball, to make it swing more through the air.
Steve Smith, the captain, and David Warner, the vice-captain, were considered the instigators and masterminds behind the whole affair, and all three players were banned: Smith and Warner for 12 months; Bancroft, the most junior and not in a leadership position, got nine months.
Warner retired a couple of years later after returning to international cricket after serving his sentence; Smith returned too and has played for Australia ever since, while Bancroft was never recalled.
As it happens, South Africa won the Series 3-1, but the end result was almost irrelevant compared to the overall repercussions of the Sandpapergate incident.
But it’s a big deal that this is the first Test series between these two in South Africa since that dark day for cricket.
Almost a 50/50 Affair Heading to Durban
This one is very unlikely to be a one-sided affair. Australia are currently the Number 1 side in the ICC Test rankings; South Africa are number two.
As it happens, Australia have an extremely strong record over the years against the Proteas. Across 102 Tests, Australia won 54, lost 27 and drew 21. But things have been much closer over the last few years, with the last five Tests producing a perfect split of two wins each, and a draw.
This last stat of things being even of late is clearly the one being given the most importance by the bookies, who make it 2.1 on hosts SA, 2.0 on Australia and 9.0 on the draw, a reflection of the fact that it is likely to not only be a close First Test, but also an extremely tightly contested Series as a whole.
Proteas Sweating on Rabada’s Fitness
It’s pretty obvious who are most of the players that both teams are planning on picking, but the one big question mark surrounds the fitness of Proteas fast bowler Kagiso Rabada.
He hasn’t played Test cricket for a year and hasn’t played any cricket at all since the IPL in May as he continues to recover from a couple of injuries, meaning the SA management is sweating on the fitness of the brilliant bowler that is Rabada and will be desperate to have him out on the pitch.
It will be touch-and-go as to whether he’s fit for the rigorous challenge of a five-day Test and it may be that they decide he needs another week of recovery and that it’s best to save him for the second and third games when he’s at 100%.
Proof of his quality is that he’s the 3.4 favourite to be SA’s top wicket taker in the first innings and one of the favourites at 14.0 for Player of the Match, despite the fact he may not play at all. That said, you would get your money back if you bet on him on any market and he doesn’t feature in the game.
Other Interesting Prices for the First Test
Steve Smith, one of the three players at the heart of the Sandpapergate affair eight years ago, is still one of the game’s big run machines even at 37, so it’s no surprise he’s the 4.0 favourite to be Australia’s first-innings top runscorer.
But save a thought for Matt Renshaw, who may not look particularly pretty when scoring his runs but is a player who has massively improved over the last couple of years; Renshaw is 7.0 while the stylish Alex Carey is a 6.0 chance.
For South Africa, skipper Temba Bavuma is another one who is far from flashy, but what he lacks in flair, he has in persistence and quality, so the 5.5 he top-scores in the SA first innings is of interest. Kyle Verreynne, the wicket-keeper, may be needed for a rescue act if lots of top-order wickets fall, so the 9.5 on him is eye-catching, too.
Elsewhere, it’s a short 1.3 that a century is scored in the game, while that man Markram, Player of the Match the last time these two met, is a big-looking 15.0 for a repeat when it comes to picking up the award, in a market where Australian captain Pat Cummins is the 11.0 favourite.
