Australia v South Africa: 2nd Twenty20 – Match Preview
South Africa will be eying revenge against Australia in the second Twenty20 of the two-match series at the New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg in South Africa on Sunday, October 16, 2011.
The tourists have gained a 1-0 lead in the series by winning the opening game by five wickets at Newlands in Cape Town.
However, South Africa will be determined to level the series by winning today’s game. The team was put on the back foot before the start of the series, as their regular Twenty20 and One Day International (ODI) skipper AB de Villiers was ruled out due to an injury.
The flamboyant batsman was named captain for the limited-over cricket after Graeme Smith stepped down from the job after a disappointing end to the Proteas’ ICC World Cup 2011 campaign.<
However, de Villiers’ sustained an injury during a practice session in the Champions League Twenty20 tournament.
In his absence, stylish batsman Hashim Amla led the side in the opening Twenty20 game against Australia. He would have been under pressure, but did a decent job overall.
Amla’s aim will now be to get a win under his belt before heading into the ODI series. It will be a big challenge for him since some big names are missing from the team.
Apart from the injured de Villiers, star players Jacques Kallis and Dale Steyn were rested for the series. This might allow the Australian side to claim victory in today’s game as well.
However, the hosts have some solid players in their side, who can turn things around. Although Smith has stepped down from captaincy in limited-over cricket, he adds great value to the team as a batsman.
The left-handed opener forms a formidable opening pair with Amla and together, they can be dominant against any opposition.
There is some inexperience in the middle-order, as some senior players will not be playing today. JP Duminy will have the responsibility to anchor the innings and bat until the end. He is a quality cricketer and can win the game for the Proteas single handedly.
All-rounder Johan Botha can also play a handy role as a batsman if he gets promoted up the order. He is a quality player and will be eying to make a solid contribution in today’s game.
South Africa’s bowling department will be led by Morne Morkel, Lonwabo Tsotsobe and Wayne Parnell. The pitch in Wanderers offers pace and bounce to the seamers, which will make things interesting today.
On the other hand, the Kangaroos look like a very well balanced side with some quality players. The team is led by Cameron White in the shortest version of the game and he would have gained tremendous confidence after his side’s victory in the first Twenty20.
Australia has a solid batting lineup with David Warner and Shane Watson opening the innings followed by some quality batsmen like David Hussey, Shaun Marsh and White.
The team has a relatively inexperienced bowling lineup, but the conditions will be helpful for the seamers Doug Bollinger, Patrick Cummins and Mitchell Marsh
Cameron White’s led side will be starting as favourites today, but the home team has the potential to bounce back and level the series.
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