Australia bowl first vs South Africa, Jack Edwards debuts
Australia won the toss and chose to bowl in the first ODI in Durban, handing Jack Edwards his debut, while South Africa are without Aiden Markram.
Australia won the toss and chose to bowl in the first one-day international against South Africa in Durban, and handed Jack Edwards his ODI debut.
Captain Mitchell Marsh pointed to the 10am local start and a breeze across Kingsmead Ground that is expected to move the ball in the air. South Africa captain Temba Bavuma said he would have bowled as well.
Australia go with pace. Josh Inglis takes the gloves, and Alex Carey is left out. Cameron Green returns to the XI, though it is not yet clear whether he will bowl as well as bat. Ollie Peake, who showed decent form in Zimbabwe, is not in the side. The XI is Travis Head, Marsh, Cooper Connolly, Inglis, Matt Renshaw, Green, Edwards, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa and Josh Hazlewood.
South Africa, by contrast, lean on spin as injuries thin their depth. Aiden Markram is missing for personal reasons. Dewald Brevis and Tristan Stubbs have been left out. The side is Quinton de Kock (wk), Tony de Zorzi, Bavuma (capt), Matthew Breetzke, Ryan Rickelton, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Gerald Coetzee, Bjorn Fortuin and Keshav Maharaj.
This is the first of three ODIs. The series is a step towards the Cricket World Cup, which South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia will host jointly in a little over 12 months.
Australia arrive from Zimbabwe, where they swept the ODI series 3-0. Inglis scored 103 in the last match, and Ellis hit an unbeaten 36 and a last-over six to win it by one wicket with a ball to spare. Head, Inglis and Ellis are all in the XI in Durban.
If Australia's pace attack finds movement in the morning, South Africa's shortened bowling stocks and the loss of Markram may be tested early in the series.
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