Aiden Markram won the toss and chose to bat for South Africa in the second ODI against Australia in Mackay, as the Proteas look to seal the series in Australia.
Stand-in captain Markram emphasized a measured workload for regular captain Temba Bavuma, who was rested for the second match but will be available to lead in the final game on Sunday. Bavuma has been managing a hamstring issue since the World Test Championship final against Australia, though he showed no discomfort in the first ODI.
South Africa also made changes, omitting off-spinner Prenelan Subrayen after he was reported for a suspect bowling action in his ODI debut at Cairns. Toni de Zorzi moved up to the top of the order, while Senuran Muthusamy, who bowls left-arm spin, came in for Subrayen.
Australia rested Ben Dwarshuis and brought in fast bowler Xavier Bartlett, the sole change from the opener, which Australia lost by 98 runs in Cairns.
Lineups:
– South Africa: Ryan Rickelton, Aiden Markram (captain), Tony de Zorzi, Matthew Breetzke, Tristan Stubbs, Dewald Brevis, Wiaan Mulder, Keshav Maharaj, Senuran Muthusamy, Nandre Burger, Lungi Ngidi
– Australia: Mitchell Marsh (captain), Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Josh Inglis, Alex Carey, Aaron Hardie, Xavier Bartlett, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood
The match marks another opportunity for both sides to push toward the series decider, with South Africa aiming to extend their advantage after a strong first outing. The presence of de Zorzi and Muthusamy provides additional depth in the spin and top-order options for the Proteas, while Bartlett’s inclusion gives Australia extra pace for the pace-heavy Cairns conditions.
Summary: South Africa, led by a rested Bavuma but captained by Markram, bats first in the second ODI in Mackay as they seek to clinch the series, making key changes to manage workload and resolve substitution needs from Cairns. A positive sign for fans is the return of strong depth in both batting and bowling options for both sides.