South Africa Vs Australia odis & Tests

[andy]

Tony De Zorsi has been ruled out of the first test...another South African with a hamstring issue

[andy]

Cam Green is out of the first test with an abdominal strain

[andy]

All the signs from Australia training sessions are that Nic Maddinson will open the batting with head dropping to 5 with green injured...surely that would be one of the most random test selections for a long long time?!

[andy]

South Africa have named their XI for the first test

Aidan Markram
Ryan Rickelton
David Bedingham
Temba Bavuma
Tristan Stubbs
Wiaan Mulder
Kyle Verryenne
Marco Jansen
Keshav Maharaj
Simon Harmer
Anrich Nortje

[andy]

Oz have won the toss and are batting

Head
Maddinson
Labsuchagbe
Smith
Renshaw
Carey
Webster
Cummins
Starc
Lyon
Hazelwood

[andy]

First ball goes for 4 leg byes

[andy]

Muldee surprisingly took the new ball with Jansen and got head early 23-1 after 10....Maddinson has faced 31 balls so far without getting off the mark!

[andy]

32 ball duck for Maddinson! Oh god the ex Aussie players who were sticking the boot in before this test are going to have a field day with this!

24-2

[GarlicJam]

All the signs from Australia training sessions are that Nic Maddinson will open the batting with head dropping to 5 with green injured...surely that would be one of the most random test selections for a long long time?!

It has been viewed this way in Aus, don't you worry.

I've heard a few ex=players be extremely damning of the choice and justification. Maddison's innings will not have helped George Bailey in the in the Court of Social Media. Watching his dismissal to the most nonthreatening of balls was very disappointing.

First hour, definitely SA's.

[andy]

Smith brings the Aussie 50 up with a 6...

Wonder if SA wish they'd picked a 3rd frontline seamer...Mulder took new ball, Jansen already bowled 8 overs and plenty of carry in the surface...Markram could have been the second spinner....thoughts?

[andy]

Smith hits Maharaj for two sixes in the over....maybe go back to Mulder? Ball still swinging slightly smith looked more in trouble against that than spin...

[GarlicJam]

I think that Smith is making a bit of a statement against Maharaj - aiming to, at least.

[Durhamfootman]

32 ball duck for Maddinson! Oh god the ex Aussie players who were sticking the boot in before this test are going to have a field day with this!

24-2

hard to score with a bat that's 4 feet wide.... unwieldy!

[andy]

Labsuchagbe falls last ball of the session LBW to Mulder! 84-3 at lunch

[GarlicJam]

a decent fightback by Smith and his doppelganger - until the junior partner got himself out the last ball of the session.

Disappointing - a moderately even session before then. Definitely SA's now.