By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Australia won the toss and chose to bowl at Kingsmead stadium in Durban, where the Proteas have selected spinners Keshav Maharaj and Bjorn Fortuin in their starting line-up.
South Africa, who are preparing for next year’s home ICC ODI World Cup in this three-match series, are without four of their key pace bowlers – Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Ottneil Baartman and Kwena Maphaka – all with hamstring injuries.
Australia’s captain, Pat Cummins, will also miss today’s match. Mitch Marsh will take over his duties today.
“It’s obviously an early start,” Marsh said at the toss. “I’d be lying if I said I got a really good read on the wicket, but we’re going to bowl first.”
Bavuma admitted South Africa would also have preferred to bowl first.
“If the toss had gone our way, we probably would have bowled first,” he said.
“We know in the morning here there will probably be more swing, but maybe a little bit slow or sticky, the wicket. We’ll have to adapt as well as we can.”
South Africa: Quinton de Kock (wk), Tony de Zorzi, Temba Bavuma (capt), Matthew Breetzke, Ryan Rickelton, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Gerald Coetzee, Bjorn Fortuin, Keshav Maharaj
Australia: Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh (capt), Cooper Connolly, Josh Inglis (wk), Matt Renshaw, Cameron Green, Jack Edwards, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood.