Key events
News just in…
Ryan Rickelton has withdrawn from South Africa’s team due to “personal reasons”.
He’ll be back for the third ODI on Wednesday.
Hope everything’s OK.
South Africa’s Pink ODI tradition began at the Wanderers in 2013, raising breast-cancer awareness and funds.
The Pink ODI Fund has supported breast-care services at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital.
I was there for the most famous edition back in 2015 when South Africa made 439-2 against West Indies, then the country’s ODI record. AB de Villiers was unreal, thwacking 149 from 44 balls, reaching his hundred in 31 balls, then the fastest ODI century. Hashim Amla made an unbeaten 153 and Rilee Rossouw 128 as South Africa won by 148 runs.
South Africa remain Australia’s nemesis in this format.
After the first ODI in Durban, the teams had played 114 ODIs: South Africa 58 wins, Australia 52, three ties and one no-result.
Against every other opponent, the Aussies have a superior record.
On the other hand, they also have six World Cup wins while South Africa have yet to get off the mark.
Go on then…
Take another look at the greatest ever run chase in ODI history.
Preamble
Daniel Gallan
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the second of three ODIs between Australia and South Africa.
We’re in Johannesburg, home of the greatest 50-over game ever played, for a very special day.
It’s the annual Pink Day at the Wanderers where the home side will change their green kit pink to raise funds and awareness for breast cancer detection and treatment. They’ll also be switching out their names on the backs of their shirts for the names of survivors. David Miller will have his mom’s name on his back today.
On the pitch, this is South Africa’s best venue for high octane cricket. A bouncy pitch sees the ball fly off the surface and onto the batters’ blades while the thin air at altitude compels the ball over the ropes and into the heaving stands. In my opinion, it’s the best venue for cricket anywhere in the world.
Australia need a response after their chase of 298 collapse in Durban in a 67-run defeat. Matthew Breetzke’s 112 launched South Africa to a decent score before Micth Marsh and Travis Head got off to a flyer.
But regular wickets, including that of Matt Renshaw who was caught spectacularly by Marco Jansen on the boundary, pegged the Aussies back.
Can they find an extra gear to level the series? We’ll find out soon enough.
Toss and teams to come before play starts at 10am local time/9am BST/6pm AEST.
