South Africa vs Australia 2nd Test Predictions - Bedingham and Rabada to get Proteas back on level terms with Aussies

Simon Lewis

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Last updated: 31 minutes ago

Simon Lewis 31 minutes ago

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South Africa have won three of their last four Test matches.
Australia won the 1st Test at Kingsmead by 214 runs.
South Africa have won five of their last seven Tests at Gqeberha.

Kagiso Rabada took 9/110 against Australia in the World Test Championship Final at Lord's (Getty Images).

South Africa vs Australia Predictions

Australia recovered from a poor start in the 1st Test to pull off a 214-run win at Kingsmead for their fourth win in a row at the venue. The Proteas were without Kagiso Rabada and put up a poor performance with the bat.

South Africa vs Australia Predictions
Head-to-Head
South Africa Form
Australia Form
Team News

South Africa’s David Bedingham has scores of 129, 114, 49 & 46 in his last 4 innings.
South Africa’s Aiden Markram scored 37 & 75 in the 1st Test.
South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada has figures of 3/32, 2/54 & 2/35 in his last 4 matches.
Australia’s Matt Renshaw scored 190 & 82 in the 1st Test.
Australia’s Steven Smith has scored 45, 61, 25 & 27 in his last 4 knocks.
Australia’s Josh Hazlewood has figures of 6/89, 1/5, 2/54 & 6/49 in his last 2 Tests.
South Africa have won their last 2 Tests against Australia at Gqeberha.

Head-to-Head

South Africa have won just one of their last five Tests against Australia, who have picked up three wins. One Test was drawn.

South Africa Form

Fresh from last year’s triumph in the World Test Championship final at Lord’s South Africa suffered a humiliating 214-run defeat against Australia at Kingsmead. It was a venue at which they had lost their last four Tests against Australia, while they have beaten Australia in their last two Tests at Gqeberha.

Marco Jansen (3/68) and Wiaan Mulder (4/68) were superb to put Australia on the back foot at 124/6 in their first innings but the visitors recovered to post 390. They added 314/6 in their second innings as the Proteas attack failed to fire.

The Proteas were bowled out for 284 and 206 in a poor batting display with only Aiden Markram (37 & 75) and David Bedingham (49 & 46) offering much resistance. South Africa need a major improvement with the bat to avoid going down 2-0 in the three-match series.

Australia Form

Australia got the series off to a great start with a 214-run win at Kingsmead to make it three Test wins from four. Their top order failed to fire in the first innings but Matt Renshaw (190 off 397 balls) and Pat Cummins (43 off 98) rescued them from 124/6 to put them on course for a score of 390.

Matt Renshaw top-scored in the second innings again with 82 backed by 48 off just 38 balls from Nic Maddinson. Pat Cummins led the way to limit South Africa to 284 in their first innings by taking 3/52. Australia’s attack continued to fire in the second innings to bowl the Proteas out for 206 led by a superb spell of bowling from Josh Hazlewood (6/49).

Team News

South Africa have dropped Tristan Stubbs from the match-day squad and reports are that Ryan Rickleton will take the gloves from the under-performing Kyle Verreynne, even though Rickleton has never kept wicket in a Test match. Marques Ackerman looks likely to replace Stubbs and to go in at the top of the order so that Rickleton can recover from his keeping stint before batting.

Kagiso Rabada missed the 1st Test but is almost certain to be back in the side as the Proteas look to level the series. Rabada took 5/96 and 6/54 at Gqeberha when South Africa beat Australia by six wickets in 2018.

"Even when he doesn't keep in matches, he still comes and does his work. He is diligent with his work. Even when he just plays as a batter, in the white-ball stuff as well, he does his keeping work as well. So it's not like he's had to dust them [his keeping pads and gloves] off and start over again," said Kruger van Wyk, South Africa's fielding coach in a pre-match press conference.

Cameron Green is still not available so Beau Webster is likely to continue at number six, although Australia might be tempted to slip Scott Boland into the attack as the pitch will suit him down to the ground and Australia will be looking to avoid a third straight Test defeat to South Africa at the venue. That would require them to go into the match with a five-strong bowling attack and just five specialist batters, but it might be worth the risk to have extra bowling options unless they want to rest Mitchell Starc with the remainder of the series in mind.

South Africa (possible XI): Aiden Markram, Matthew Breetzke, David Bedingham, Temba Bavuma (c), Marques Ackerman, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Gerald Coetzee.

Australia (possible XI): Travis Head, Nic Maddinson, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Matthew Renshaw, Alex Carey (wk), Beau Webster, Pat Cummins (c), Mitch Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.

Verdict

South Africa v Australia 2nd Test

South Africa are tipped to win a tight contest to level the series, with David Bedingham and Matt Renshaw tipped to continue their good form with the bat, Josh Hazlewood and Kagiso Rabada are tipped to star with the ball.

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Simon is a talented sports writer in South Africa with a strong focus on cricket having played first-team level for UCT, including playing at two Universities Weeks.

From a young age Simon was an avid reader of cricket magazines and books, and went on to be Editor of The Googly, CricketScene SA and SA Cricket, in addition to being a Features Writer on SA Sports Illustrated.

He has interviewed most of South Africa's premier cricketers and was the first writer to interview a teenaged Jacques Kallis.

Simon has also written about English and local football, rugby and cricket, in addition to major international tennis and golf stars and competitions.

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