T20I 2021 T20 World Cup - Australia v South Africa - 23 October 2021 9pm AEDT

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corbies

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We thought we'd have separate threads for Australias games at the T20 World Cup. First up Australia take on South Africa in Abu Dhabi.

Both sides are perennial under performers in T20 World Cups so will be looking to get off to a good start with a win. South Africa have won 9 of their last 10 T20Is but despite this they enter the tournament in a bit of turmoil as drama surrounded the non-selction of Imran Tahir and Faf Du Plessis as well Chris Morris making himself unavailable.

Australia have lost their last 4 T20 series and enter the tournament in what seems to be a state of confusion as to what their best side is or even how they want to play. Warner and Finch - so often the backbone of any white ball success in recent times - come into the tournament under pressure after a run of poor form.

Finch confirmed Australia would go in with 4 specialist bowlers with Stoinis, Marsh and Maxwell to make up the rest of the overs:

Australia (possible): 1 Aaron Finch (c), 2 David Warner, 3 Mitchell Marsh, 4 Glenn Maxwell 5 Steven Smith 6 Marcus Stoinis, 7 Matthew Wade (wk), 8 Ashton Agar, 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Josh Hazlewood

South Africa (possible): 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Temba Bavuma (c), 3 Aiden Markram, 4 Rassie van der Dussen, 5 David Miller, 6 Heinrich Klaasen, 7 Wiaan Mulder, 8 Kagiso Rabada, 9 Keshav Maharaj, 10 Anrich Nortje/Lungi Ngidi, 11 Tabraiz Shamsi
 

BGman

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These will be spinning decks. Saffers happen to have the #1 ranked T20 bowler too in Shamzi.
Finch ~~ poor player of spin
Warner~~poor player of spin
Marsh~~poor player of spin
Smith~~good player of spin
Maxwell~~good player of spin
Stoinis~~ average player of spin
Wade (wk)~~average player of spin
Agar~~good player of spin.
Starc
Zampa
Hazlewood

India opened the match with spin in the warm up and we were 3-11 before you blink an eye. I expect the Saffers to do the same with Shamzi and Maharaj. If CA had any sense they'd open with Maxwell and Agar with Smith #3 or #4.
 
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Australia (possible): 1 Aaron Finch (c), 2 David Warner, 3 Mitchell Marsh, 4 Glenn Maxwell 5 Steven Smith 6 Marcus Stoinis, 7 Matthew Wade (wk), 8 Ashton Agar, 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Josh Hazlewood

interesting to see cummins possibly not playing and hard to see richardson squeezing into the best XI.

hard to see inglis and swepson getting games unless things go pear shaped.
 

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magpiemaniac44

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I think SA will go with Malan over Klaasen. Maharaj is an average T20 bowler but I can see Shamsi spinning webs around our batsmen
 

Tugga27

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These will be spinning decks. Saffers happen to have the #1 ranked T20 bowler too in Shamzi.
Finch ~~ poor player of spin
Warner~~poor player of spin
Marsh~~poor player of spin
Smith~~good player of spin
Maxwell~~good player of spin
Stoinis~~ average player of spin
Wade (wk)~~average player of spin
Agar~~good player of spin.
Starc
Zampa
Hazlewood

India opened the match with spin in the warm up and we were 3-11 before you blink an eye. I expect the Saffers to do the same with Shamzi and Maharaj. If CA had any sense they'd open with Maxwell and Agar with Smith #3 or #4.
That's just crazy IMO.

You don't "protect" your openers and change the whole line up in case they open up with spinners.
They're either good enough or they aren't.

And Agar couldn't open a can of baked beans.
 

Voice of the G

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They are obviously not. yet CA will pick them in same position despite knowing spin will open the innings against these three inept players of the turning ball.
Inglis to open with Maxwell. But we both know Inglis wont play.
Ever seen Agar open. I have not.. so your criticism of him does not hold water. Agar took apart Swann in his magic innings of 98. Used agile footwork and spot on timing. You dont lose that ability. Yet skippers today continue to hide him down the order.

Important Maxwell bats the last 10 to 12 overs and stays in.His SR is important for the team.As for opening just not sure about,has to bat in the 3 to 5 position depending on the state of the innings.Important Finch and Warner get us off to a good start.
 

Tugga27

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They are obviously not. yet CA will pick them in same position despite knowing spin will open the innings against these three inept players of the turning ball.
Agree. Inglis to open with Maxwell. But we both know Inglis wont play.
Ever seen Agar open. I have not.. so your criticism of him does not hold water. Agar took apart Swann in his magic innings of 98. Used agile footwork and spot on timing. You dont lose that ability. Yet skippers today continue to hide him down the order.
I haven't see Mitchell Starc open either to know he can't.
FMD, that innings was 8 years ago and he batted at 11.


Agar is a number 7 or further down.
He's not an opener.
 

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magpiemaniac44

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I don't think he's in their squad magpiemaniac44
Oh I didn't realise that, Reeza Hendricks is also a possibility to open. Do you know was position Bavuma has been batting in recently? Because you'd think there middle order of Markram, vd Dussen and Miller is set.
 

Tugga27

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he batted higher in the bbl with mixed results. Iirc he was batting at 4?

he is a good player of spin and frankly anyone is giving me more conference than warner/finch lol
I don't think he batted much higher than 7 on most occasions.
He might've been pushed up the order a few times.
Was never going to bat before Inglis, Roy, Livingstone, Munro, MMarsh and Turner on a regular basis.

Finch and Warner don't fill me with any confidence either.
But if you play them, you open with them.
 
Oh I didn't realise that, Reeza Hendricks is also a possibility to open. Do you know was position Bavuma has been batting in recently? Because you'd think there middle order of Markram, vd Dussen and Miller is set.

he opened in the 1st warm-up game (batting first) and batted at 4th in the 2nd warm-up game (chasing).
 

Pippen94

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These will be spinning decks. Saffers happen to have the #1 ranked T20 bowler too in Shamzi.
Finch ~~ poor player of spin
Warner~~poor player of spin
Marsh~~poor player of spin
Smith~~good player of spin
Maxwell~~good player of spin
Stoinis~~ average player of spin
Wade (wk)~~average player of spin
Agar~~good player of spin.
Starc
Zampa
Hazlewood

India opened the match with spin in the warm up and we were 3-11 before you blink an eye. I expect the Saffers to do the same with Shamzi and Maharaj. If CA had any sense they'd open with Maxwell and Agar with Smith #3 or #4.

Australian cricket doesn't believe in spin
 

Crusty Demon

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We are nowhere near it in this format. Have never looked comfortable. Have never chosen the right teams. I thought at first we were taking the pi$$ with the format, but I feel we just aren't very good at it. I'll be amazed if we make it to a Semi Final. Finch and Warner are in diabolical form as well. Spinning decks make it even harder for us to make any impact over there. Look, I hope we do well of course, and I think our only chance is if Maxwell and Marsh go bonkers and Zampa can get wickets at important times. Not without a chance, but I'd have us 7th or even 8th in this format.
 

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