SYDNEY (AP) — Australia captain Pat Cummins won the toss on Wednesday and elected to bat at the Sydney Cricket Ground in the final test of the three-match series as Australia look to complete a series sweep and confirm their place. in the final of the world trial championship.
Australia have already won the series thanks to crushing defeats in the first two tests in Brisbane and Melbourne. Both Tests brutally exposed South Africa’s fragile batting line-up, with the Proteas only managing a top score of 204 in their four innings.
A victory for Australia in this third test would confirm their place in the world test championship final to be played at Lords in England in June this year.
Both Cameron Green, who bowled a career-best 5-23 in the first innings at Melbourne, and Mitchell Starc are out with finger injuries sustained during the Boxing Day test. Spinner Ashton Agar and hitter Matthew Renshaw come in for Green and Starc.
Josh Hazlewood is also returning to his home soil after recovering from a lateral strain that kept him sidelined for the first two tests of the series. Scott Boland is the twelfth man.
South Africa have recalled Heinrich Klaasen for Theunis de Bruyn, who is unavailable for ‘family reasons’. Fast pitcher Lungi Ngidi also misses out with spinner Simon Harmer coming on the team.
The SCG pitch is expected to be friendly to batsmen in the early days of the match, but offer more support for spin bowling as the match progresses. The weather is hot and cloudy.
South Africa were bowled out for 152 and 99 in the first Test in Brisbane as Proteas crashed out for a six wicket loss in two days of play.
The second Test in Melbourne ventured into a fourth day but Australia dominated with bat and ball throughout as they wrapped up an innings and 182-run win to seal their first home series against South Africa since 2005-06.
David Warner, who had come under pressure after a poor scoring run and without a Test century in over three years, scored a memorable two hundred at the MCG to silence his critics and will enjoy opening the batting on Wednesday in his hometown. where he has scored three centuries.
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Teams:
Australia: David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Matthew Renshaw, Alex Carey, Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins (captain), Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.
South Africa: Dean Elgar (captain), Sarel Erwee, Heinrich Klaasen, Temba Bavuma, Khaya Zondo, Kyle Verreynne, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Simon Harmer, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje.
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