Australia have it all to do to keep their ODI series in South Africa alive when they take to the field at the Wanderers on Sunday, having been beaten by 67 runs in the first one-dayer at Kingsmead on Thursday.
The Baggy Green first have to find a way to stop Proteas batter Matthew Breetzke from dominating their bowlers again, with the right-hander making 112 to add to previous ODI knocks of 57 and 88 against the Aussies.
They also have to contend with the loss of Josh Inglis to a fractured right index finger, with Alex Carey set to take his place and resume wicketkeeping duties as a result.
South Africa v Australia Tips Summary
Best Bet - Matthew Breetzke 50+ runs @ 3.50
Alternative Bet - Most match sixes - Australia @ 1.80
Bet Builder - South Africa to win, Matt Renshaw top Australia batter & Marco Jansen 2+ wickets @ 20.00
South Africa v Australia Prediction
Best Bet: Matthew Breetzke 50+ runs @ 3.50
Proteas middle-order batter Matthew Breetzke was marked out as a player to watch in the series opener, this time around he is the leading pick for the game in Johannesburg on Sunday.
The dynamic right-hander has batted three times against Australia in ODI cricket and has made scores of 57, 88 and 112, so he clearly has one over on the Baggy Green's bowlers.
To date, Breetzke has batted 14 times in international 50-over cricket and averages a massive 63.23, having passed 50 on eight occasions, including three times in his last five knocks.
His century on Thursday showed him at his very best, with Breetzke having begun his ODI career last year with scores of 150, 83, 57, 88 and 85.
Alternative Bet: Most match sixes - Australia @ 1.80
While the hosts are expected to wrap up a series victory with a game to spare, the Baggy Green can take heart from the fact that their top order all contributed at Kingsmead, although none of them went on to make the big score needed to chase down the target of 298.
Leading the way was skipper Mitch Marsh, who smacked six sixes in making 60 from just 36 balls faced, although the rest of the Aussie order contributing just one more maximum between them.
That left them one short of the Proteas' tally of eight in the match, but the tourists can reverse that situation here, having not lost the six count in any of their previous five ODIs.
South Africa v Australia Bet Builder Tip
South Africa to win
Matt Renshaw top Australia batter
Marco Jansen 2+ wickets
Pays 20.00
South Africa dominated on Thursday and look well placed to follow up with a series-clinching victory at the Wanderers on Sunday.
Matt Renshaw has settled into his middle-order role nicely and is set to move up the order by one place on Sunday in Inglis' absence.
He can make the most of the opportunity by being Australia's top batter, having made 44 on Thursday and 109 in the series opener in Zimbabwe just under two weeks ago.
Left-armer Marco Jansen has developed into a top-class all-rounder for South Africa and he is added to this Bet Builder to make his mark with the ball, having starred with the bat by making 75 in Durban.
Jansen can be expensive, but he has the knack of picking up wickets and once took at least two wickets in eight consecutive ODIS, while he has repeated that feat in five of his last nine one-day international outings.
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Key Match Stats
South Africa have won seven of their last nine completed ODIs against Australia
The Proteas have won 12 of their 14 last one-day internationals at home to the Baggy Green
Matthew Breetzke has scored 57, 88 and 112 in three ODI innings against Australia
Australia have won six and lost six of their last 12 one-day internationals
Pat Cummins has played just two ODIs since the 2023 World Cup final
Mitch Marsh has hit 20 sixes in his last eight ODI innings
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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.
