Australia skipper Mitchell Marsh won the toss and chose to bat first in the third and final one-day international against South Africa on Sunday.
The Proteas have already wrapped up the three-match series with emphatic wins — by 84 runs in Cairns and 98 runs in Mackay — marking their fifth consecutive bilateral ODI series triumph over Australia.
South Africa welcomed back captain Temba Bavuma, who was rested in the previous match for workload management. Matthew Breetzke, who made history by scoring four consecutive 50-plus knocks in his first four ODIs, was left out to accommodate Bavuma’s return. The visitors also rested star pacer Lungi Ngidi, fresh off a five-wicket haul, along with Nandre Burger. Corbin Bosch and Kwena Maphaka were drafted into the playing XI.
Ngidi bags five as South Africa beat Australia to secure ODI series
Australia, desperate to avoid a whitewash, kept faith in its misfiring top order but made two changes — Sean Abbott and Cooper Connolly came in for rested duo Josh Hazlewood and Aaron Hardie.
Playing XIs:
Australia: Mitchell Marsh (captain), Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Josh Inglis, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Xavier Bartlett, Sean Abbott, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa.
South Africa: Ryan Rickelton, Aiden Markram, Temba Bavuma (captain), Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs, Dewald Brevis, Wiaan Mulder, Corbin Bosch, Keshav Maharaj, Senuran Muthusamy, Kwena Maphaka.
Source: Agency