Australia v South Africa, II Test, Hobart – Preview
Australia will enter the second Test against South Africa, starting in Hobart on Saturday (November 12), knowing it is under pressure after a run of four consecutive Test defeats.
Australia lost 3-0 to Sri Lanka away, and then went down by 177 runs against South Africa in Perth in the first Test of the three-match series. The visiting side was missing AB de Villiers, its regular captain, and lost Dale Steyn, the pace spearhead, early in the Australian first innings to a fractured shoulder. However, it still outplayed Australia, with Kagiso Rabada stepping up to lead the bowling attack wand JP Duminy and Dean Elgar hitting crucial second-innings centuries that gave South Africa a winning total.
“I am incredibly proud of him and I have a lot of respect for anyone who puts their hands up and does the hard yards,” said Faf du Plessis, the South Africa captain, of Rabada's heroic 31-over effort that ended with 5 for 92 in Australia's second innings.
It was Australia's first loss in an opening Test of its home season in 28 years.
The second Test will also be the first one in which South Africa will have neither of Steyn and de Villiers ever since both men made their debuts together in December 2004.
There will be at least three enforced team changes for the Australians at Bellerive Oval with injuries to Shaun Marsh, Adam Voges and Peter Siddle, but the entire team is under pressure ahead of the third Test, a day-night affair in Adelaide, starting on November 24.
Steven Smith, the captain who has been feeling the heat for his captaincy too, indicated that Adam Voges was fit after some hamstring trouble, but that Australia might play with only four bowlers in this Test.
“The forecast isn't great for the next couple of days so we'll wait until the toss,” said Smith on Friday about the wet weather predictions, especially on the first three days of the match. “You might not need to have that extra bowling option if there's going to be lots of rain around and the bowlers are going to get some adequate rest with that. There's possibilities that we could go in with six genuine batsmen but we'll wait and see in the morning.”
If Australia go with that combination, the axe could fall on Mitchell Marsh, the all-rounder, or Nathan Lyon, the off-spinner.
Joe Burns is expected to open the innings with David Warner, while Joe Mennie is likely to make his Test debut. Jackson Bird, the Tasmanian paceman, has been added to the squad and the selectors have also included Callum Ferguson, originally as cover for Voges, so he could also be an option if Australia decide on an extra batsman.
South Africa, meanwhile, will have to decide between Morne Morkel and Kyle Abbott as Steyn's replacement in its only likely change from Perth.
Teams (from)Australia: Steven Smith (capt), David Warner, Joe Burns, Usman Khawaja, Adam Voges, Callum Ferguson, Mitchell Marsh, Peter Nevill (wk), Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Joe Mennie, Nathan Lyon, Jackson Bird.
South Africa: Faf du Plessis (capt), Stephen Cook, Dean Elgar, Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, JP Duminy, Quinton de Kock (wk), Vernon Philander, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Morne Morkel, Kyle Abbott, Dwayne Pretorius, Rilee Rossouw, Tabraiz Shamsi, Dane Vilas.