Big Picture
It’s each cricketer’s Christmas dream: a Test match on the ‘G, with a giant crowd in attendance. While Australia’s gamers expertise this yearly, for everybody in this South African squad, it’s their first time that includes in this iconic event.
In the years since, Cricket South Africa sought to maintain their group at dwelling over the festive interval – an inexpensive plan contemplating it’s prime summer time in South Africa too, however a far much less profitable one than Australia’s. None of the three venues CSA have tried to host the Boxing Day Test – St George’s Park, Kingsmead and SuperSport Park – are ever as full, or as intimidating, because the MCG.
Form information
Australia WWWLW (final 5 accomplished matches, most up-to-date first)
South Africa LLLWW
In the highlight
David Warner might be capped for the a hundredth time on the MCG, an event that will have appeared unlikely when he made his debut on the again of his fame as a white-ball basher in 2011, and unlikelier nonetheless after his final sequence in opposition to South Africa, in 2018. He is considered one of Australia’s boldest gamers, on and off the sphere, and heads in the direction of this main milestone with out a lot type. Since scoring his final hundred in January 2020, Warner has performed 15 Tests, scored 678 runs, together with two nineties and a 50, and averages 26.07. In 2022, he averages simply 20.61, and there are questions on how for much longer he’ll hold taking part in the longest format. The reply might come on the MCG.
Team news
Pat Cummins confirmed the XI on Christmas Day with hometown cult hero Scott Boland retaining his place. A tricky resolution was truly prevented with Josh Hazlewood making his personal name that he wasn’t fairly prepared for a return after his facet pressure.
Australia: 1 David Warner, 2 Usman Khawaja, 3 Marnus Labuschagne, 4 Steven Smith, 5 Travis Head, 6 Cameron Green, 7 Alex Carey (wk), 8 Pat Cummins (capt), 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Scott Boland
South Africa had finalised their XI on Christmas Eve, however the one factor they have been keen to provide away was that any adjustments can be made in the road-up, not the group composition. That means they’ll proceed with a 6-5 break up, permitting all 4 specialist quicks and the spinner to take the sphere and haven’t been drawn into lengthening their beneath-fireplace batting line-up. If a swap occurs, it is prone to be in the highest three the place Rassie van der Dussen, who returned from a damaged finger in Brisbane, may make approach for Theunis de Bruyn.
South Africa (potential): 1 Dean Elgar (capt), 2 Sarel Erwee, 3 Rassie van der Dussen/Theunis de Bruyn 4 Temba Bavuma, 5 Khaya Zondo, 6 Kyle Verreynne (wk), 7 Marco Jansen, 8 Keshav Maharaj, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Anrich Nortje, 11 Lungi Ngidi
Pitch and situations
The Gabba was given a under common score for further bounce and occasional extreme seam motion and inconsistent bounce, and the MCG produced a low-scoring Test final 12 months. So, what are the chances on one other bowler-pleasant floor? Less than you’d suppose, it appears. The basic consensus is that this MCG pitch will perform a little lower than its 2021 avatar, with each groups hopeful it’ll produce a very good contest between bat and ball. Two days earlier than the Test, South Africa’s speedster Anrich Nortje stated he anticipated good tempo and bounce however not as a lot sideways motion as Brisbane.
The Test is ready to start out in scorching and humid situations. Melbourne is forecast to be 32 and 36 levels on days one and two, with the opportunity of some showers on the opening morning, earlier than a wetter third day will give option to cooler temperatures on the final two days.
Stats and trivia
Quotes
“We will try and get a lunch in somewhere but it’s obviously a PG-rated lunch. If the game was on the 28th, it might have been a bit different.”
South Africa are conserving it clear this Christmas Day, says Dean Elgar
Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo’s South Africa correspondent