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Oz aim for better show against South Africa
Australia's Marcus Stoinis during a practice session at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, in Lucknow on Wednesday
Lucknow: Smarting from its opening game defeat against India, a determined Australian team is likely to bring in a fit-again all-rounder Marcus...
Lucknow: Smarting from its opening game defeat against India, a determined Australian team is likely to bring in a fit-again all-rounder Marcus Stoinis to bolster its batting line-up against a rampaging South Africa in a World Cup contest here on Thursday. The five-time champions' World Cup campaign was off to a worst possible start as they were handed a six-wicket drubbing by hosts India.
The Proteas will head into the contest, high on confidence, having thrashed Sri Lanka by 102 runs in their opener. With the win, the South Africans announced themselves as contenders. It is not so much the defeat, but the manner in which Australia lost the game that will certain be a headache for the team management . The batting lacked aggression.
Apart from David Warner and Steve Smith, no one breached the 30-run mark as they once again lost wickets in clutches.
The Australians struggled against India's quality spin attack on a slow Chepauk turner and lack of second frontline spinner also compounded their problems. Adam Zampa was the only option they had since Glenn Maxwell is only a part-timer. To add to their woes, Mitchell Marsh, who generally has a safe pair of hands, dropped a simple catch offered by Virat Kohli that could have potentially changed the complexion of the game.
Stoinis has recovered from his hamstring injury and looks to set to replace Cameron Green. The all-rounder is a proven match-winner and is also familiar with the ground, having played for Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL. He will assist Australia's fearsome three-pronged pace attack of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, which will look to cause maximum damage.
While Maxwell will continue to share the spin bowling duties with Zampa, the latter will certainly be under pressure to deliver with no other alternative available. South African team, on the other hand, boasts of a trio of centurions, who decimated Sri Lanka during its first game.
The destructive Quinton de Kock, who like Stoinis plays for LSG in the IPL and understand the surface as well as the Australian does. Rassie van der Dussen and Aiden Markram, who scored the fastest-ever ton in the World Cup are two gun batters, who can change the course of any game.
