Australian cricket team in South Africa in 2023

Australia men's cricket team in South Africa in 2023
	South Africa	Australia
Dates	30 August 2023 – 17 September 2023
Captains	Temba Bavuma (ODIs) [n 1] Aiden Markram (T20Is)	Mitchell Marsh
One Day International series
Results	South Africa won the 5-match series 3–2
Most runs	Heinrich Klaasen (243)	Marnus Labuschagne (283)
Most wickets	Marco Jansen (8) Keshav Maharaj (8)	Adam Zampa (8)
Player of the series	Aiden Markram (SA)
Twenty20 International series
Results	Australia won the 3-match series 3–0
Most runs	Reeza Hendricks (101)	Mitchell Marsh (186)
Most wickets	Lizaad Williams (4)	Sean Abbott (8)
Player of the series	Mitchell Marsh (Aus)

The Australia men's cricket team toured South Africa in August and September 2023 to play five One Day International (ODI) and three Twenty20 International (T20I) matches. ^{[1] [2]} The ODI matches formed part of both teams' preparations for the 2023 Men's Cricket World Cup. ^[3]

Originally, the tour was scheduled to take place in March 2021, ^{[4] [5]} and three Test matches were slated to be played. ^[6] Those matches would have formed part of the 2019–2021 ICC World Test Championship tournament. ^[7] However, that tour was postponed in February 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. ^[8]

Background

In December 2020, South Africa's One Day International (ODI) series against England was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. ^[9] As a result, both cricket boards were looking at contingency plans for the Test series, including the possibility of playing the matches in Perth or the United Arab Emirates. ^[10] An initial provisional start date for the tour of 18 February 2021 meant a tight turnaround from the end of South Africa's tour of Pakistan, ^[11] although an update in January suggested the tour would begin in March 2021. ^[12]

On 27 January 2021, Cricket Australia (CA) named their squad for the tour, ahead of any confirmation of the dates of the fixtures. ^{[13] [14]} However, on 2 February 2021, Cricket Australia announced that the tour had been postponed due to the pandemic. ^[15] As a result of the tour being postponed, New Zealand qualified for the final of the 2019–2021 ICC World Test Championship. ^[16] In October 2021, Cricket Australia said that they were looking at a window in 2023 to play the white-ball matches. ^[17]

Squads

South Africa		Australia
ODIs [18]	T20Is [19]	ODIs [20]	T20Is [21]
Temba Bavuma (c) Dewald Brevis Gerald Coetzee Quinton de Kock (wk) Bjorn Fortuin Reeza Hendricks Marco Jansen Heinrich Klaasen Sisanda Magala Keshav Maharaj Aiden Markram David Miller Lungi Ngidi Anrich Nortje Wayne Parnell Kagiso Rabada Tabraiz Shamsi Tristan Stubbs (wk) Rassie van der Dussen	Aiden Markram (c) Temba Bavuma Matthew Breetzke (wk) Dewald Brevis Gerald Coetzee Donovan Ferreira (wk) Bjorn Fortuin Reeza Hendricks Marco Jansen Sisanda Magala Keshav Maharaj Lungi Ngidi Tabraiz Shamsi Tristan Stubbs (wk) Rassie van der Dussen Lizaad Williams	Mitchell Marsh (c) Sean Abbott Ashton Agar Alex Carey (wk) Pat Cummins Tim David Nathan Ellis Cameron Green Aaron Hardie Josh Hazlewood Travis Head Josh Inglis (wk) Spencer Johnson Marnus Labuschagne Glenn Maxwell Tanveer Sangha Steve Smith Mitchell Starc Marcus Stoinis David Warner Adam Zampa Michael Neser	Mitchell Marsh (c) Sean Abbott Jason Behrendorff Tim David Nathan Ellis Aaron Hardie Travis Head Josh Inglis (wk) Spencer Johnson Glenn Maxwell Tanveer Sangha Matthew Short Steve Smith Marcus Stoinis Ashton Turner Matthew Wade (wk) Adam Zampa

On 18 August 2023, Australia's Steve Smith and Mitchell Starc were ruled out of tour due to injuries. ^[22] Ashton Turner replaced Smith in the T20I squad, whereas Marnus Labuschagne and Spencer Johnson replaced Smith and Starc respectively in the ODI squad. ^[23] On the same day, Mitchell Marsh replaced Pat Cummins as Australia's ODI captain for the tour, ^[24] with Cummins' participation in doubt as he was returning from a wrist injury. ^[25] Initially, Glenn Maxwell was set to miss the ODI series to return home for the birth of his first child. ^[26] However, he was also ruled out of the T20I series due to an injury and was replaced by Matthew Wade in the Australia's T20I squad. ^{[27] [28]} On the day of first T20I, Tanveer Sangha was added to Australia's T20I Squad, after Adam Zampa couldn't play due to illness. ^[29] On 31 August 2023, Tim David was added to Australia's ODI squad. ^[30] On 10 September 2023, Michael Neser was added to Australia's ODI squad. ^[31]

T20I series

1st T20I

30 August 2023 18:00 (N) Scorecard

Australia   226/6 (20 overs)	v	South Africa 115 (15.3 overs)
Mitchell Marsh 92* (49) Lizaad Williams 3/44 (4 overs)		Reeza Hendricks 56 (43) Tanveer Sangha 4/31 (4 overs)

Australia won by 111 runs Kingsmead Cricket Ground, Durban Umpires: Lubabalo Gcuma (SA) and Bongani Jele (SA) Player of the match: Mitchell Marsh (Aus)

• South Africa won the toss and elected to field.
• Dewald Brevis, Gerald Coetzee (SA), Aaron Hardie, Spencer Johnson, Tanveer Sangha and Matthew Short (Aus) all made their T20I debuts.
• This was Australia's highest team total against South Africa in men's T20Is. ^[32]

2nd T20I

1 September 2023 18:00 (N) Scorecard

South Africa   164/8 (20 overs)	v	Australia 165/2 (14.5 overs)
Aiden Markram 49 (39) Sean Abbott 3/22 (4 overs)		Mitchell Marsh 76* (39) Lizaad Williams 1/17 (2 overs)

Australia won by 8 wickets Kingsmead Cricket Ground, Durban Umpires: Stephen Harris (SA) and Allahudien Paleker (SA) Player of the match: Sean Abbott (Aus)

• Australia won the toss and elected to field.

3rd T20I

3 September 2023 14:00 Scorecard

South Africa   190/8 (20 overs)	v	Australia 191/5 (17.5 overs)
Donovan Ferreira 48 (21) Sean Abbott 4/31 (4 overs)		Travis Head 91 (48) Bjorn Fortuin 2/36 (4 overs)

Australia won by 5 wickets Kingsmead Cricket Ground, Durban Umpires: Bongani Jele (SA) and Allahudien Paleker (SA) Player of the match: Travis Head (Aus)

• South Africa won the toss and elected to bat.
• Matthew Breetzke ‍and Donovan Ferreira (SA) both made their T20I debuts.

ODI series

1st ODI

7 September 2023 13:00 (D/N) Scorecard

South Africa   222 (49 overs)	v	Australia 225/7 (40.2 overs)
Temba Bavuma 114* (142) Josh Hazlewood 3/41 (10 overs)		Marnus Labuschagne 80* (93) Kagiso Rabada 2/38 (8 overs)

Australia won by 3 wickets Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein Umpires: Richard Kettleborough (Eng) and Allahudien Paleker (SA) Player of the match: Marnus Labuschagne (Aus)

• Australia won the toss and elected to field.
• Marnus Labuschagne (Aus) replaced Cameron Green as a concussion substitute during the second innings of the match. ^[33]

2nd ODI

9 September 2023 13:00 (D/N) Scorecard

Australia   392/8 (50 overs)	v	South Africa 269 (41.5 overs)
Marnus Labuschagne 124 (99) Tabraiz Shamsi 4/61 (10 overs)		Heinrich Klaasen 49 (36) Adam Zampa 4/48 (9 overs)

Australia won by 123 runs Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein Umpires: Bongani Jele (SA) and Nitin Menon (Ind) Player of the match: Marnus Labuschagne (Aus)

• South Africa won the toss and elected to field.
• Tim David and Aaron Hardie (Aus) both made their ODI debuts.
• David Warner scored his 46th international century, the most by any opener. ^[34]

3rd ODI

12 September 2023 13:00 (D/N) Scorecard

South Africa   338/6 (50 overs)	v	Australia 227 (34.3 overs)
Aiden Markram 102* (74) Travis Head 2/39 (10 overs)		David Warner 78 (56) Gerald Coetzee 4/50 (6.3 overs)

South Africa won by 111 runs JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom Umpires: Bongani Jele (SA) and Richard Kettleborough (Eng) Player of the match: Aiden Markram (SA)

• Australia won the toss and elected to field.
• Tanveer Sangha (Aus) made his ODI debut.

4th ODI

15 September 2023 13:00 (D/N) Scorecard

South Africa   416/5 (50 overs)	v	Australia 252 (34.5 overs)
Heinrich Klaasen 174 (83) Josh Hazlewood 2/79 (10 overs)		Alex Carey 99 (77) Lungi Ngidi 4/51 (8 overs)

South Africa won by 164 runs Centurion Park, Centurion Umpires: Nitin Menon (Ind) and Allahudien Paleker (SA) Player of the match: Heinrich Klaasen (SA)

• Australia won the toss and elected to field.
• Adam Zampa (Aus) equalled the record for most runs conceded in an ODI (113). ^[35]

5th ODI

17 September 2023 10:00 Scorecard

South Africa   315/9 (50 overs)	v	Australia 193 (34.1 overs)
Aiden Markram 93 (87) Adam Zampa 3/71 (10 overs)		Mitchell Marsh 71 (56) Marco Jansen 5/39 (8 overs)

South Africa won by 122 runs Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg Umpires: Richard Kettleborough (Eng) and Allahudien Paleker (SA) Player of the match: Marco Jansen (SA)

• Australia won the toss and elected to field.
• Marco Jansen (SA) took his first five-wicket haul in ODIs.

Notes

1. Aiden Markram captained South Africa in the 4th ODI.

References

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2. "Australia's cricket schedule is INSANE as epic journey is revealed". Fox Sports. 10 May 2022. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
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5. "Sri Lanka set to play two-Test series in South Africa". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
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7. "Men's Future Tours Programme" (PDF). International Cricket Council. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
8. "Australia call off South Africa tour because of 'unacceptable' Covid-19 risk". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
9. "South Africa v England: ODI series called off after Covid-19 tests". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
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13. "Matthew Wade dropped from Test squad, Travis Head set to reclaim middle-order spot". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
14. "Wade dropped, uncapped quintet picked for SA tour". Cricket Australia. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
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17. "Australia looking at 2023 window for postponed South Africa Test series". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
18. "South Africa call up Dewald Brevis for Australia series". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
19. "Rising star earns maiden call-up as South Africa name squads for white-ball series against Australia". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
20. "Marsh to lead Aussie T20I squad in South Africa". Cricket Australia. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
21. "Mitchell Marsh named Australia's T20 captain for South Africa; uncapped trio earn call-ups". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
22. "Smith, Starc ruled out of South Africa tour". Cricket Australia. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
23. "Mitchell Marsh to captain Australia for white-ball tour of South Africa". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
24. "Smith ruled out of South Africa tour due to wrist injury". ESPNcricinfo. 18 August 2023. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
25. "Wrist injury no worry for Cummins' Cup hopes". Cricket Australia. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
26. "Maxwell ruled out of SA T20s as Wade returns". Cricket Australia. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
27. "Wade replaces injured Maxwell for South Africa T20Is". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
28. "Johnson, Hardie and Short confirmed for T20I debuts against South Africa". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
29. "Sangha rushed in for debut as Australia bat first". Cricket Australia. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
30. "Tim David handed 50-over chance with ODI call-up". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
31. "Neser added to Australia's ODI squad in South Africa". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
32. "Records for Australia in T20I matches". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
33. "Marnus Labuschagne called in as Cameron Green's concussion sub". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
34. Sanfui, Arti (9 September 2023). "David Warner overtakes Sachin Tendulkar to claim international opening centuries record". Wisden . Retrieved 12 September 2023.
35. "Records for ODI Matches". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 16 September 2023.

External links

• Series home at ESPNcricinfo