Preview: Australia will aim to dish out another clinical display and complete a 3-0 sweep when they take on South Africa in the New Year’s Test in Sydney starting Wednesday.
Australia gained an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series after their six-wicket win in Brisbane followed by an even more lopsided innings-and-182-run victory in the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Though the prospect of a series victory is no longer a possibility for South Africa, Dean Elgar on Tuesday reminded his team of the importance of a victory in the Sydney Test. The Proteas, after all, are fourth on the World Test Championship points table and a victory in the third Test would keep their hopes of reaching the final alive.
“There’s plenty to play for. We’re playing for pride, we’re playing for a potential place to the WTC final. So we’ve also got a lot to play for.
“That’s a massive incentive for us and for me you play every Test match like it’s your last and hopefully we can put on a better spectacle this time. We always want to play good Test cricket and be a thorn in the side of the opposition and we’ll be aiming to so better again this time,” Elgar told reporters in Sydney on the eve of the match.
Squads:
South Africa: Dean Elgar(c), Sarel Erwee, Rassie van der Dussen, Temba Bavuma, Khaya Zondo, Kyle Verreynne(w), Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi, Simon Harmer, Lizaad Williams, Heinrich Klaasen, Gerald Coetzee
Australia: David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Alex Carey(w), Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins(c), Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland, Josh Hazlewood, Marcus Harris, Matt Renshaw, Lance Morris
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