SA vs AUS Today 2nd ODI Match Prediction & Fantasy Tips

South Africa go 1-0 up after a 67-run win in Durban, with Matthew Breetzke’s fine season continuing to give them real batting depth as they look to seal the series here in Johannesburg.

Match Preview

South Africa head to the Wanderers with a 1-0 series lead after a 67-run win over Australia in the opener, and a win here would seal the series with a match to spare.

Quinton de Kock continues to be in outstanding form, with 367 runs this season at an average over 61. Matthew Breetzke has also had a strong year, scoring 355 runs at an average of 50.71. South Africa’s top order has looked settled and dangerous throughout this series so far.

Australia have had a good season overall, winning four of their last five matches, though they suffered that defeat in the series opener. Cooper Connolly remains their most consistent batter, with 375 runs this season at an average close to 47. Josh Inglis has also chipped in with 334 runs of his own.

With the ball, Nathan Ellis has been exceptional for Australia, taking 22 wickets this season at an outstanding economy under 4.6. South Africa will lean on Corbin Bosch and Bjorn Fortuin, who have 10 and 8 wickets respectively, to try and control Australia’s batting line-up again.

South Africa go into this with home advantage, a 1-0 lead and strong recent form, and they will be looking to wrap up the series here in Johannesburg.

Match Details

Here are the key details for the SA vs AUS 2nd ODI.

SA vs AUS Pitch Report – Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg

The Wanderers pitch is generally batting-friendly, with pace, bounce and strong new-ball assistance for fast bowlers in ODI cricket.

Venue data across 53 ODIs here shows an average first-innings score of 240, with teams bowling first winning 29 matches compared to 22 for teams batting first, giving a slight historical edge to the chasing side. The high altitude, fast outfield and good carry can make scoring very quick once batters get through the opening spell.

The last two ODIs at this ground show just how much conditions here can change. South Africa once made 315/9 against Australia before bowling them out for 193, with Marco Jansen taking 5/39. But in the very next ODI at this venue, seam bowlers exploited heavy movement and dismissed South Africa for just 116. This shows that swing, seam and steep bounce can dominate when there’s grass or moisture around, while a dry, firm Wanderers pitch can be excellent for batting.

For current conditions, 270-285 is a fair competitive par, 290-plus is strong, and 310-plus would be excellent on a dry batting surface. Under cloudy conditions or with visible grass on the pitch, even 240-260 can be competitive since the first 10-15 overs can be genuinely difficult. Fast bowling, hard lengths and cutters should be the main weapons here, with spin playing more of a supporting role through the middle overs. Bowling first has a slight edge if there’s moisture around, while batting first becomes the more attractive option on a hard, dry surface.

👉Pitch Report Source: CricBuzz

SA vs AUS Recent Form

The recent results of both teams provide some context ahead of the second ODI.

👉 Data Source: ESPNcricinfo

SA vs AUS Head-to-Head Record

South Africa hold a 1-0 lead in this series, though the head-to-head between these two sides has been closely fought overall.

👉 Data Source: ESPNcricinfo

SA vs AUS Probable Playing XI

The probable playing XIs for the second ODI are as follows.

South Africa:

Quinton de Kock (WK), Tony de Zorzi, Temba Bavuma (C), Matthew Breetzke, Ryan Rickelton, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Gerald Coetzee, Bjorn Fortuin, Keshav Maharaj

Australia:

Mitchell Marsh (C), Travis Head, Cooper Connolly, Josh Inglis (WK), Matt Renshaw, Cameron Green, Jack Edwards, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood

Top Picks for SA vs AUS Fantasy Team

These players stand out based on their recent performances and season statistics.

Top Batting Picks

• Quinton de Kock (SA, BAT/WK) — 367 runs this season at an outstanding average over 61. South Africa’s most in-form batter right now.
• Cooper Connolly (AUS, BAT) — 375 runs at an average close to 47 this season. Australia’s standout batting option.
• Matthew Breetzke (SA, BAT/WK) — 355 runs at an average of 50.71 this season.
• Josh Inglis (AUS, BAT/WK) — 334 runs at an average of 33.4 this season.

Top Bowling Picks

• Nathan Ellis (AUS, BOWL) — 22 wickets this season at an outstanding economy under 4.6. The best bowler in this contest by a distance.
• Corbin Bosch (SA, ALL/BOWL) — 10 wickets at an economy of 6.67 this season. South Africa’s leading wicket-taker.
• Bjorn Fortuin (SA, BOWL) — 8 wickets at an excellent economy of 4.6 this season.
• Matt Renshaw (AUS, ALL/BOWL) — 9 wickets at an economy of 5.15 this season, in addition to his batting ability.

SA vs AUS Best Fantasy Team

Here is a suggested fantasy team for the SA vs AUS 2nd ODI.

Captain and Vice-Captain Choices

• Captain: Quinton de Kock
• Vice-Captain: Nathan Ellis

SA vs AUS Toss Prediction

Prediction: Bat first

The forecast for Sunday points to a dry, sunny day at altitude, with no rain or moisture around to help the seamers early. That takes away the main reason to bowl first here. The Wanderers is a true, fast surface that rewards good batting once conditions are clear like this, and the last ODI at this ground saw a total of 308 successfully defended. With no assistance for bowlers expected, batting first and setting a total is the better option.

SA vs AUS Today Match Prediction

Prediction: South Africa to Win 

South Africa go into this with a 1-0 series lead, home advantage and Quinton de Kock in excellent form. A well-rounded batting line-up backed by Corbin Bosch and Bjorn Fortuin with the ball gives them a genuine edge to seal the series here.

Australia are far from out of this though. Cooper Connolly and Josh Inglis have both been consistent with the bat this season, and Nathan Ellis remains the standout bowler in the entire series. If Australia’s top order fires and Ellis backs it up with the ball, they have every chance of levelling things up.

Given South Africa’s current momentum and home conditions, they should have a slight edge to move 2-0 up in this series.