South Africa tour of Australia 2018-19 [Preview]

South Africa is scheduled to tour Australia in the month of November to play three-match one-day series followed by a one-off T20 game. The visitors will come into this series on the back of good performance against Zimbabwe in the three-match one-day series.

Aaron Finch has replaced Tim Paine as the captain of Australia in limited-overs cricket. The opener has been a consistent performer for Australia in one-day internationals. He has scored 3,361 runs in 93 matches at an average of 38.19 with 11 centuries to his name. He has scored 773 runs so far this year at an average of 59.46 in limited-overs cricket.

D’Arcy Short will have a chance to showcase his abilities with the bat in the upcoming three-match one-day series against South Africa. Travis Head and Marcus Stoinis have been consistent performers for the side in limited-overs cricket.

Shaun Marsh retains his place in the ODI squad due to his impressive returns with the bat in England earlier this year. The left-handed batsman has scored 288 runs in 5 matches at an average of 57.6 with two centuries to his name. He will certainly be determined to get back to form with the bat ahead of Australia’s big series against India.

Chris Lynn and Josh Hazlewood make their return to the one-day squad. Nathan Coulter-Nile, Mitchell Starc, Ashton Agar and Pat Cummins are options in the bowling department for the one-day series.

On the other hand, South Africa completed a 3-0 whitewash over Zimbabwe in the one-day series. South Africa Captain Faf Du Plessis will be keen that South Africa can produce a good performance in this one-day series.

Quinton de Kock will be keen to get back to form and get a big score in this series. The left-handed batsman has yet to score a century this year in limited-overs cricket. He will certainly be focused to find form against Southern Hemisphere rivals Australia.

Aiden Markam will certainly replace Hashim Amla, who has been ruled out of the series due to a finger injury. Markam hasn’t got off to an ideal start in his limited-overs career and is currently averaging 24.61 from 13 games with one half-century to his name.

Captain Faf Du Plessis has been in-form for South Africa in limited-overs cricket for past couple of years.

Reeza Hendricks will replace injured JP Duminy in the middle-order slot for South Africa. Heinrich Klaasen is another player, who can certainly play for South Africa in the middle-order. David Miller has recently retired from first-class cricket to prolong his one-day career. He has been not been in the form and averaging 21.33 with the bat this year.

Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi have been excellent for South Africa with the new-ball. Dale Steyn made an emphatic return to one-day cricket with superb performances against Zimbabwe in the three-match one-day series.

Leg-spinner Imran Tahir is the premier spinner bowling option for South Africa. He produced impressive returns in the one-day series played against Zimbabwe. Tahir will be keen to continue his good form on the Australian tour.

The first game of the one-day series will be played at Perth Stadium, Perth on 4^th November. The remaining games will be played at Adelaide and Hobart respectively. The culmination of one-day series will be followed by a one-off T20 game that will be played on 17^th November at Carrara Oval, Queensland.