The summer of cricket arrives in Brisbane on Saturday when Australia meets South Africa at The Gabba for the first of three Tests.
Fresh off a 2-0 series sweep of the West Indies, Australia have completed an ideal tune-up for what is expected to be a tough Test match, and they have opened firm $1.36 favourites to win.
South Africa, meanwhile, have not played a Test match since losing to England at The Oval back in September, and they have gone up at odds of $5.50 to win in Brisbane.
I’ve run the rule over both squads, and you can find my complete Australia vs South Africa First Test Tips below.
Australia
Australia were pushed to dive days by the West Indies in their series opener in Perth, but returned an utterly dominant performance to win in just over three days in Adelaide.
Their second performances was particularly impressive when considering that Australia were without captain Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, two key figures in what is arguably the world’s strongest bowling attack.
As they did last summer, Scott Boland and Michael Neser ably filled the void left on the Australian roster, and with Hazlewood ruled out for a second time this summer, selectors now have the headache of deciding which of the two bowlers to keep in the starting XI.
Michael Neser is a Queenslander, he boasts an outstanding record at The Gabba, and if I were a selector, that would be the way I would be looking.
Likely Australia XI for First Test: D. Warner, U. Khawaja, M. Labuschagne, S. Smith, T. Head, C. Green, A. Carey (wk), P. Cummins (c), M. Neser, M. Starc, N. Lyon
South Africa
South Africa arrived in Australia a little over a week ago and have contested a four-day warmup match against a Cricket Australia XI, in the hopes of tuning up for the First Test.
Radie van der Dussen made a successful return from injury with an eye-catching 95 in the second innings, while captain Dean Elgar was also good with the bat, notching a first innings ton.
Having started their three-Test series with England back in August with a dominant victory at Lord’s the Proteas were unable to go on with it, and they suffered two heavy defeats at the their two subsequent meetings.
The South African pace attack is rich with some of the world’s fastest, and is likely to feature all of Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngii and Marco Jansen.
South Africa Squad: D. Elgar (c), T. Bavuma, G. Coetzee, T de Bruyn, S. Erwee, S. Harmer, M. Jansen, H. Klaasen (wk), K. Maharaj, L. Ngidi, A. Nortje, K. Rabada, G. Stuurman, R. van der Dussen, K. Verreynne, K. Zondo
Australia vs South Africa 1st Test Betting
The summer of cricket has already been a lucrative one for us from a betting perspective – we’ve managed to find winners in Perth and Adelaide, and I am confident of continuing that run into Brisbane.
I landed on Steve Smith to top the run sheet in the first innings in Adelaide, and he was about the only top order batsman not to get going. I am more than happy to give him another chance – I think that the result of that innings alone is another to bring him on, but he also has a point to prove, given that this will be the first time that he meets South Africa in a Test match since the infamous sandpaper incident.
If Neser plays in Brisbane, I think he’ll put on a show on his home deck, but with that selection up in the air, I am going to have something on Nathan Lyon to take the most wickets for Australia in the first innings. Lyon took his 450th Test wicket in Adelaide, and he’ll begin the journey towards an inevitable 500 with a bag in Brisbane.
In terms of the tourists, two names stand out: Dean Elgar and Kagiso Rabada. Two of South Africa’s elder statesman, Elgar is as solid as they come at the top of the order and will look to lead from the front, while there is no denying that Rabada is one of the world’s best Test bowlers, and he was named player of the series against England earlier in the year, despite his nation having lost.
Australia vs South Africa 1st Test Tips
Back Australia to Win @ $1.36
Back Steve Smith to be Australia’s Top Runscorer in the 1st Innings @ $3.75
Back Nathan Lyon to be Australia Top Wicket Taker in the 1st Innings @ $4.50
Back Dean Elgar to be South Africa’s Top Runscorer in the 1st Innings @ $3.50
Back Kagiso Rabada to be South Africa’s Top Wicket Taker in the 1st Innings @ $3.75