Big picture: South Africa tick first box of home summer, Australia look for answers
According to Cricinfo’s data, since the end of 2023 World Cup, Cameron Green has faced the most balls by left-arm spin – 192 in 14 innings – and has a strike rate of 75 while Mitchell Marsh has faced 127 balls with a strike-rate of 74.8. Matt Renshaw and Cooper Connolly have fared better with strike rates of 91.86 and 93.97 and it will be up to them to keep Australia ticking over in the middle period. That task will not be easy, especially against Keshav Maharaj. Not only does he have the most wickets in the series so far, but an eye-wateringly good economy rate of 3.82. Maharaj has almost single-handedly ensured South Africa have not felt the absence of their frontline seamers, Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi, as much as they might have. For all the talk of South Africa-Australia clashes being battles of the seamers, it’s turned (literally) into something a little different.
The mid-week fixture during school holidays will be the final palette cleanser before things get serious ahead of next month’s Tests. Expect an engaged student crowd, and hope the weather holds.
Form guide:
South Africa: WWWWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Australia: LLWWW
In the spotlight: Quinton de Kock and Pat Cummins
Team news
With the series won, Conrad urged fans to “fasten your seatbelt” ahead of his selection on Wednesday, which could only mean South Africa will empty the bench and test a few combiations.Tony de Zorzi and Ryan Rickleton missed the pink ODI and could be back, perhaps in slightly different batting positions. Marco Jansen and his twin Duan may not get the chance to play in front of what is essentially their home ground, with both left-arm spinners likely to keep their spots.
South Africa (probable XI): 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Tony de Zorzi, 3 Ryan Rickelton, 4 Matthew Breetzke, 5 Tristan Stubbs, 6 David Miller, 7 Duan Jansen 8 Keshav Maharaj (capt), 9 Bjorn Fortuin, 10 Nqobani Mokeona 11 Lizaad Williams
With only four fit fast players to choose from after Nathan Ellis was ruled out with a side strain, Australia should have Cummins back in the XI. Josh Hazlewood is expected to be rested. The only decision will be whether Jack Edwards, who took his maiden five-for in the last match, will make way for Ollie Peake, who has yet to play a game in South Africa.
Australia (Probable XI): 1 Mitch Marsh (capt), 2 Travis Head, 3 Cooper Connolly, 4 Alex Carey (wk), 5 Matt Renshaw, 6 Cameron Green, 7 Jack Edwards, 8 Xavier Bartlett, 9 Pat Cummins, 10 Mitchell Starc, 11 Adam Zampa
Pitch and Conditions: All eyes on the weather
A grim day is forecast for much of the Highveld with temperatures dipping as low as six degrees and heavy rain for much of the area. Most of it should fall on Tuesday but there remains the possibility of a delayed start and a reduced match. The last time Potchefstroom hosted an ODI, in September 2023, it was also against Australia and played as a day-night game. South Africa piled on 338 for 6 to win by 111 runs.
Stats and trivia
- The last time Australia were blanked in an ODI series was a 2-0 loss to Sri Lanka in February 2025. They last lost 3-0 to South Africa in February 2020.
- Since Shukri Conrad took over the South African ODI side permanently in April 2025, South Africa have won four out of six series, losing only to Pakistan and India in the subcontinent.
Firdose Moonda is Cricinfo’s senior correspondent for Africa and women’s cricket
