Proteas to exploit Australian attack as Bavuma believes it is weak spot

Though lacking the edge of a knockout fixture, Australia versus SA in an ICC tournament remains a captivating prospect, with the winner of Tuesday’s match almost certain to claim a playoff spot in the Champions Trophy. 

Any fears Australia would struggle to cope in the absence of their three front-line seamers, including skipper Pat Cummins, were doused after their dominant victory against England on Saturday. 

Nevertheless they did concede what for a few hours was a tournament record, 351 runs, and their inexperienced bowling line-up is an area the Proteas will look to exploit. 

“Maybe there are opportunities and we will look to take advantage of those should they arise,” Proteas captain Temba Bavuma said on Monday.

“We won’t take them lightly. Yes, they are missing some important bowlers, but maybe that means their batters are doing more than what they are accustomed to.”

The teams met twice in the 2023 World Cup, with the South Africans dominating the round robin fixture, which was played early in the tournament at a time when the Australians were well short of their best form and trying to find the right balance for their starting team. 

Opener Travis Head was also missing from that match and his 62 in the semifinal of the World Cup proved crucial in Australia’s triumph in the match that mattered. 

Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis and Spencer Johnson, the seam trio that started against England, have a combined 17 ODI caps and have taken 19 wickets between them. Australia may look at Sean Abbott to provide extra zip against the Proteas. 

Even if that is the case, Steve Smith, who is captain in Cummins’ absence, could also use all the bowling resources in the same way he did against England, where Marnus Labuschagne bowled five overs, including the 50th of the innings. 

As solid as last Friday’s performance against Afghanistan was, Bavuma knows his side will have to take a step up against the world champions at a venue that before Monday’s match between New Zealand and Bangladesh last hosted a one-day international in 2023. 

The Proteas practised at Rawalpindi Stadium on Sunday night, with Bavuma saying the dew that settled on the outfield was considerable. 

It was a similar scenario in Lahore on Saturday, where Smith admitted the decision to bowl after winning the toss was made because of the dew, which caused the pitch to speed up and made gripping the ball difficult for England leg-spinner Adil Rashid.

That is likely to lead to SA retaining the same attack as the one played on Friday, with Keshav Maharaj as the sole front-line spinner. 

Heinrich Klaasen’s fitness was going to be finally assessed at training on Monday and should he be passed as fit, will create a selection debate. It was unlikely Ryan Rickelton would have started against Afghanistan had Klaasen been fit, but having continued his excellent summer form with a maiden ODI century it will be impossible to omit him against Australia.

That leaves Tony de Zorzi, who scored only 11 and has been inconsistent this season, as the obvious choice to sit out should Klaasen be fit, with Bavuma, who batted at No 3 last Friday, returning to the top of the order. 

Klaasen has a stellar record against Australia, scoring two centuries and two fifties in 13 innings, with an average of 57.80 and a strike rate of 120.16.

Tuesday’s match starts at 11am SA time.