After a gobsmacking thrashing at Perth, Australia are living on the edge as the action shifts to Adelaide, where the Proteas take on the hosts in the second match of the three-match ODI series. A win could see South Africa seal the series early while Australia would be hellbent on not losing one more —they have lost seven out of eight matches this year—as Aaron Finch settles into his role as ODI skipper.
South Africa's pace bowling battery was largely responsible for a comfortable win at Perth. Dale Steyn, Lungi Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada and Andile Phehlukwayo were on top of their game as Australia's vulnerable batting unit coped another failure. Much is unlikely to change with Shaun Marsh's surgery furthering Australia's issues ahead of the key clash. Adelaide is a happy hunting ground for the Aussies with them winning 35 out of the 50 ODIs at the ground. That said, in the only ODI they faced the Proteas, in 2009, they lost. The last ODI at the ground was a low scoring thriller, against England in January, and the pace bowlers found plenty of purchase from the surface. The drop-in pitch could further help the quicker bowlers.
Conditions: Slightly overcast. No possibility of rain. Windy in the afternoon.
Player Recommendations:
Wicket-keeper: Quinton de Kock
de Kock was off to a flier at Perth but fell to a slower ball from Nathan Coulter-Nile before he could punish the Aussies further. The wicket-keeper batsman hasn't been in the best of touches of
After a gobsmacking thrashing at Perth, Australia are living on the edge as the action shifts to Adelaide, where the Proteas take on the hosts in the second match of the three-match ODI series. A win could see South Africa seal the series early while Australia would be hellbent on not losing one more —they have lost seven out of eight matches this year—as Aaron Finch settles into his role as ODI skipper.
South Africa's pace bowling battery was largely responsible for a comfortable win at Perth. Dale Steyn, Lungi Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada and Andile Phehlukwayo were on top of their game as Australia's vulnerable batting unit coped another failure. Much is unlikely to change with Shaun Marsh's surgery furthering Australia's issues ahead of the key clash. Adelaide is a happy hunting ground for the Aussies with them winning 35 out of the 50 ODIs at the ground. That said, in the only ODI they faced the Proteas, in 2009, they lost. The last ODI at the ground was a low scoring thriller, against England in January, and the pace bowlers found plenty of purchase from the surface. The drop-in pitch could further help the quicker bowlers.
Conditions: Slightly overcast. No possibility of rain. Windy in the afternoon.
Player Recommendations:
Wicket-keeper: Quinton de Kock
de Kock was off to a flier at Perth but fell to a slower ball from Nathan Coulter-Nile before he could punish the Aussies further. The wicket-keeper batsman hasn't been in the best of touches of late but Australia is a happy hunting ground for him and the ball coming onto the bat should aid de Kock. That he opens the innings and is a potential game-changer should make him a priority in your fantasy team.
Batsman: Aaron Finch
Finch has had a hectic few weeks after being conferred the title of Australian skipper. The kind of person he is, Finch is unlikely to be intimidated by the situation. His starts at the top of the order could be pivotal for Australia, particularly if the surface aids stroke-making. Finch is among Australia's best ODI batsmen in the absence of Warner and Smith and it isn't often that he fails in back to back games. He is a better pick than some of South Africa's and Australia's inconsistent top-order batsmen.
All-rounder: Marcus Stoinis
Stoinis bats at No. 7, and is likely to bowl less than 10 overs, but given the vulnerability at the top of the order and Stoinis' own firefighting skills, he is a must-have in your fantasy side. The all-rounder picked up three wickets in the first ODI and cleverly varied his pace against the South African batsmen. With the visitors themselves having a few issues in batting with the likes of Hashim Amla and JP Duminy missing, Stoinis could be a value add.
Bowler: Kagiso Rabada
Rabada was sidelined as Dale Steyn made an impact performance at Perth but given the fiery bowler he is, the youngster is bound to create a few issues for Australia's inconsistent batsmen. When he clicks, Rabada takes wickets in aplenty and missing him out in your fantasy side on an Adelaide-like surface on an overcast day could prove to be costly.
Captain: Kagiso Rabada
Vice-captain: Aaron Finch
