Deadline: March 4, 2020 at 4:30 PM IST
Venue: Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein
Pitch report
Although the wicket has been traditionally friendlier for the pacers, it looks like the one we saw at Paarl: flat and slow. Another high-scoring game is on the cards.
In the previous ODI at Mangaung Oval, a lower-order batsman scored a fifty and a wrist-spinner took a six-wicket haul.
Fantasy team
We have opted for a fantasy team on the basis of players’ impact, recent performances, and credit points.
You can also check players’ performances in the last 5 matches. Tap on the players’ images to get the data while making your fantasy team.
Wicketkeepers: Heinrich Klaasen, Quinton de Kock (vc)
Batsmen: Aaron Finch, David Miller, David Warner (c), Steven Smith
All-rounders: Andile Phehlukwayo
Bowlers: Lungi Ngidi, Adam Zampa, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc
NOTE: Pick your fantasy cricket team wisely.
Power players
Quinton de Kock has played only one ODI at the venue and yet managed to score an unbeaten 138. In his last 4 ODIs, he has scored a fifty and a hundred. However, his average drops to 33.6 against Australia, scoring two hundreds and as many fifties in 21 games.
Steven Smith and Marnus Labuschagne’s partnership averages over 100 across formats. They added 86 runs together in the series opener, but that and Smith’s 76 did not save them from defeat. With 180 runs, Smith is the highest run-scorer on the tour for Australia.
In his last 9 international games, Lungi Ngidi has taken a three-wicket haul five times. He bowls in the power play as well as at the death, making him valuable in fantasy cricket.
David Warner‘s scores on the tour read 4, 67*, 57, and 25. He looked careful in the first ODI until he decided to play one on the up, chipping it to the covers. Given his form in the last 8 months, a hundred is due. Against South Africa, he has scored 4 hundreds and as many fifties including a spectacular score of 173*.
Value picks
David Miller is steadily getting rid of his poor form, scoring his consecutive fifty in ODIs. He has not retained his beast mode yet, but his contributions have been significant.
Whatever Aaron Finch does is spectacular, be it his success or failure. If he struggles at the start, it means he isn’t going to get many runs on the board and he makes sure he does not hang around for long. If he looks comfortable, expect a high score. Here, there is no limit for a high score: it can be anything between 100 and 250.
Heinrich Klaasen has been in a stunning form in 2020. He scored consecutive fifties in First Class games, followed by a decent string of scores in List A cricket. He eventually earned a spot in T20Is against England, against whom he spanked a 33-ball 66. On Saturday, he took his form to the next level, scoring his maiden international hundred.
Probable XIs
South Africa: Janneman Malan, Quinton de Kock (c & wk), Temba Bavuma, Kyle Verreynne, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Andile Phehlukwayo, Keshav Maharaj, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi
Australia: David Warner, Aaron Finch (c), Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey, D’Arcy Short, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood/Ashton Agar
Also, get to know the tips & tricks on how to play fantasy cricket.