Richard Mann is sticking with South Africa for Sunday morning's ODI with Australia – get his full preview and tips here.
Cricket tips: South Africa v Australia
2pts South Africa to beat Australia at 23/20 (betway)
1.5pts Nathan Ellis to take 2+ wickets in the match at 10/11 (bet365)
0.5pt Nathan Ellis to take 3+ wickets in the match at 10/3 (bet365, betway)
South Africa rate the best bet
Answers on a podcast as to why SOUTH AFRICA are still second favourites to win the second ODI in Johannesburg on Sunday (09:00 start time), and I'll be betting accordingly.
We were with the Proteas to win the first match in Durban on Thursday, and the hosts duly obliged, running out 67-run victors to confirm their recent superiority over Australia.
South Africa are now firmly on track to claim their fifth consecutive ODI series win over Australia.
Moreover, South Africa did very well to prevail in Durban, having lost the toss and found themselves needing to recover from a slow start with the bat in bowler-friendly conditions.
Don’t forget, both captains confirmed at the toss their preference for bowling first, and yet Australia still couldn’t make that advantage count.
Matthew Breetzke was the star of the show, hitting a brilliant 112 to continue his stunning start to international cricket, while Marco Jansen thumped 75, before Keshav Maharaj claimed four wickets with the ball.
I said in my preview of Thursday’s match that this is an Australian team very much in transition, and the poor impression they made in the recent series win over lowly-ranked Zimbabwe does seem to sum up where this group is right now.
There is just no basis for the bookmakers to make Australia favourites again, and with the series still on the line, don’t expect South Africa to relent.
As such, I’ll happily take the 23/20 (betway) for SOUTH AFRICA TO WIN THE MATCH.
Ellis to continue hot streak
One bright spot for Australia has been the form of bowler Nathan Ellis, who fans of The Hundred will know well for his exploits with Sunrisers Leeds this summer.
Ellis continues to go under the radar, but he has quickly become one of Australia’s key bowlers in the shorter formats, with his excellence at the death putting him up there with the very best.
It was striking how Ellis was saved predominantly for the end of South Africa’s batting innings on Thursday, picking up three wickets to beat the likes of Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Adam Zampa in the top Australia bowler market.
He looks a fair bet to win that market again, but I’d rather back ELLIS TO TAKE 2+ WICKETS IN THE MATCH and 3+ WICKETS IN THE MATCH at 10/11 and 10/3 respectively.
Including that Zimbabwe series, Ellis has taken three of more wickets in three of his last four ODIs.
Preview posted at 11:20 BST on 25/09/26
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