Following two dominant performances at Kingsmead and the Wanderers, South Africa has already secured the ODI series against Australia. The upcoming third match, scheduled for Wednesday, September 30, 2026, at the JB Marks Oval in Potchefstroom, serves as a chance for squad members who have seen little action to prove their worth before the upcoming Test series. Rendering the last game of the series irrelevant, here’s the cynical view going into Wednesday’s third men’s ODI in Potchefstroom: Australia choked twice and lost the series. And here’s a balanced view: who thought spin would come to the South Africans’ rescue just when their vaunted pace resources have fallen victim to a hamdemic. All of the above have their merits.
The venue in Potchefstroom, a university town favored by various sports teams for its focused training environment, has historically been high-scoring. While South Africa posted a massive 418/5 there two decades ago against Zimbabwe, the pitch has seen two other totals exceeding 300 in the five completed day-night matches held at the ground. However, weather remains a concern, with forecasts predicting potential thunderstorms and over 11 millimeters of rain that could impact outfield conditions during the second innings. Maybe the forecast for an afternoon thunderstorm will put this farce out of its misery.
South African coach Shukri Conrad has signaled significant rotation, advising fans to prepare for a reshuffled lineup. With the Test series against Australia beginning at Kingsmead on October 9, the team aims to manage workloads while testing depth. Nqobani Mokoena is expected to make an appearance as the only squad member yet to feature in the series. Captain Keshav Maharaj has encouraged these fringe players to demonstrate their quality and show how they can contribute at the international level. But let’s hope the rain doesn’t interfere unduly to allow those who haven’t yet been given an opportunity to make good use of it, the series is over as a contest. Besides, what are dead rubbers for if we can’t have some fun with them.
Australia enters the fixture looking to recover from a difficult run against South Africa’s spin attack. In their previous outing at the venue in September 2023, the Australians struggled to chase 339, eventually being bowled out for 227 in 34.3 overs. During that match, South African spinners Aiden Markram, Tabraiz Shamsi, and Keshav Maharaj proved difficult to face, taking a collective 4/99 across 21 overs at an economy rate of 4.71. Conversely, the seam attack of Marco Jansen, Sisanda Magala, and Gerald Coetzee conceded 5/126 in 13.3 overs, maintaining an economy rate of 9.33.
For the visitors, Mitchell Marsh is expected to retain the captaincy, while Pat Cummins is slated to enter the side, likely replacing the injured Nathan Ellis, who is sidelined with a side strain. Oliver Peake is also in contention to replace Jack Edwards, who remains a doubt due to a hamstring injury. Reflecting on the broader scope of their development, Matt Renshaw noted that the match provides a valuable learning opportunity to prepare for future challenges against South Africa, including potential World Cup scenarios.
The match is set to commence at 1:30 PM local time (11:30 AM GMT). Potential lineups reflect the experimental nature of the contest. South Africa’s potential XI includes Tony de Zorzi, Quinton de Kock, Ryan Rickelton, Matthew Breetzke, Tristan Stubbs, David Miller, Duan Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Bjorn Fortuin, Lizaad Williams, and Nqobani Mokoena. Australia’s possible lineup features Mitchell Marsh, Travis Head, Cooper Connolly, Alex Carey, Matt Renshaw, Cameron Green, Oliver Peake, Xavier Bartlett, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Adam Zampa. The Australians alleged allergy to left-arm slow poison, centuries by Matthew breetzke, Temba Bavuma and David Miller — and none by the Aussies — and the script for the series writes itself, add to that two turning pitches.
