Teams start afresh after tough Tests
Preview to the first Twenty20 international between Australia and South Africa at the MCG
Match facts
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Start time 7.35pm (08:35 GMT)
The Big Picture
Can anything really live up to the Test series we've just witnessed between these two teams? Probably not. But the world's two top-ranked limited-overs sides going head to head in a Twenty20 match in front of a likely crowd of more than 75,000 at the MCG should be a terrific spectacle in any case. Australia will be desperate for some strong performances to ease the pressure after losing their first home Test series in 16 years. South Africa have declared that they are treating this portion of their trip as a separate tour. Both teams are taking the opportunity to trial some fresh talent.Team news
Australia have rested Brad Haddin due to his heavy workload in the past month and Luke Ronchi will take up the position behind the stumps. Ronchi was excellent with both bat and gloves in the West Indies this year but his domestic batting form has been down this summer and a lower-order position is likely. Michael Clarke and Mitchell Johnson have also been given time off. Australia's major decision was over which bowlers to include. They are keen to get some overs into Shaun Tait, while squad members Ryan Harris and Nathan Hauritz will have to wait until Tuesday at the Gabba for potential Twenty20 international debuts.Watch out for ...
David Warner was the bolter in Australia's squad. At 22 and having not yet made his first-class debut, Warner was picked on the strength of a couple of brilliant limited-overs performances for New South Wales. He made a state record unbeaten 165 in from 112 balls against Tasmania and followed it a week later with 97 from 54 balls - narrowly missing the fastest one-day hundred in Australian domestic history - against the same opponents in Hobart. He will be especially fascinating to watch if he uses the double-sided bat he has trialled this season; it allows him to play the reverse-sweep without changing his grip.Pitch & conditions
The MCG's drop-in pitches have not been easy to score on in recent years. The surfaces are often two-paced and in limited-overs formats bowlers have had more reason to cheer than usual.Stats and trivia
- The teams have met in two Twenty20 internationals for one win each.
- The MCG has hosted only one Twenty20 international and the 74 made by India last year was the lowest innings total ever recorded by a Test-playing nation in the format.
- Australia have never been beaten in a Twenty20 match at home
- This is only the second Twenty20 match South Africa have played outside their own country
Quotes
"We're expecting a huge backlash from them in this series and they have to start as favourites. There's no doubt about that."South Africa's coach Mickey Arthur
Australia's fast bowler Nathan Bracken
Brydon Coverdale is a staff writer at Cricinfo