Australia and South Africa meet in the first ODI of their three-match series on Thursday, with a heavyweight showdown expected at Kingsmead in Durban.
The Baggy Green are boosted by the returns to the fold of Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc, while all-rounder Jack Edwards has been called up with both Bill Stanlake (injury) and Spencer Johnson (rested) ruled out.
The Proteas also have injury problems surrounding their pace options, with Kagiso Rabada, Lungu Ngidi and Ottneil Baartman (all hamstring) all sidelined for the series, meaning late calls for Nqobani Mokoena and Duan Jansen.
South Africa v Australia Tips Summary
Best Bet - South Africa to win @ 2.20
Alternative Bet - Temba Bavuma top South Africa batter @ 5.00
Bet Builder - Quinton de Kock 30+ runs, Cooper Connolly most match sixes & Pat Cummins 1+ wicket @ 15.00
South Africa v Australia Prediction
Best Bet: South Africa to win @ 2.20
The hosts looked well placed to start the series with a victory, even if key bowlers Rabada and Ngidi are missing.
The Proteas have won six of their last eight one-day internationals against the Aussies and 11 of their 13 last ODIs at home to the Baggy Green, with the last five series between these two sides all going the way of South Africa.
All of that recent form suggests that the hosts can get the job done on Thursday, even with the returns of Cummins and Starc to boost the Australia pace attack, with both of those world-class performers having moderate records against the Proteas.
Alternative Bet: Temba Bavuma top South Africa batter @ 5.00
The home side have a number of players with very strong records on home soil, skipper Temba Bavuma averages 53.12 in South Africa, while Quinton de Kock averages 52.77 and it is the former who is taken the lead the way on Thursday.
Overall, Bavuma has an average of 45.25 against the Baggy Green in one-day international cricket and has been consistent in 50-over cricket for some time, with his last nine ODI innings being 82, 58, 56, 65, 19, 6, 4, 46 and 48.
Mathew Breetzke is also worth keeping an eye on, even if his extraordinary start to his ODI career has stalled slightly, with his two previous knocks against Australia being 57 and 88.
South Africa v Australia Bet Builder Tip
Quinton de Kock 30+ runs
Cooper Connolly most match sixes
Pat Cummins 1+ wicket
Pays 15.00
Having backed the Proteas batters to enjoy themselves, start this Bet Builder with De Kock making 30+ runs, which he has done in four of his last six ODI innings, going on to make two centuries in that time.
Overall, the left-hander has six tons in his last 16 one-day international innings, so will surely make his mark at Kingsmead on Thursday.
While South Africa have been backed to win, Aussie all-rounder Cooper Connolly is tipped to lead the way in the match sixes market, having cleared the ropes 12 times across his last four ODI innings.
Finally, add in returning Aussie skipper Cummins to take at least one wicket, with the pacer having taken two or more wickets in five of his last eight one-day international appearances.
Learn more about how Bet Builders work in our Bet Builder guide.
Key Match Stats
South Africa have won six of their last eight completed ODIs against Australia
The Proteas have won 11 of their 13 last one-day internationals at home to the Baggy Green
Temba Bavuma averages 45.25 against Australia and 53.12 on home soil
Australia have won five of the eight ODIs they have played at Kingsmead
The Baggy Green have lost their last five ODI series against the Proteas
Australia beat South Africa by three wickets in 2023 World Cup semi-finals
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
