Warner and Smith, Rabada and Nortje... SOUTH AFRICA V AUSTRALIA T20 SERIES THINGS TO WATCH

Australia's villains are back while The Proteas' pace attack is recharged for the three-match series scheduled for Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town

• PODCAST: The Cricketer's Cricket Club, Episode 16 - Tom Harrison special
• Smith unperturbed by South Africa return

Smith and Warner in South Africa

Nearly two years after the infamous ball-tampering scandal, David Warner and Steve Smith return to South Africa for the first time. A warm welcome is unlikely.

Warner and Smith’s 12-month bans came after a test series full of animosity between the sides, and while Australia have tried to move on and change their culture under Tim Paine and Aaron Finch, it is expected many South African fans will not be keen to forgive and forget.

The pair have both insisted they are prepared for the treatment they will receive and had a taste of it during the Ashes last summer when they were met with almost constant boos when walking to and from the crease.

Smith could hardly have performed much better and Warner much worse during that series, but the reception at the Wanderers in Friday’s first match is likely to be far more hostile than they experienced in England.

Quinton de Kock and Warner were also involved in an altercation on a staircase during that tour and had to be separated, and with the former now captain of the side he will have an important role in setting the tone of the series.

Australia’s middle-order

With Warner and Aaron Finch in their ranks, there is little doubt over who will stride out into the middle to open Australia’s innings. What comes later, however, is far from certain.

Glenn Maxwell was in impressive form in the Big Bash and earned a recall to the national side having missed the tour to India earlier this year, but an elbow injury has ruled him out of the South Africa tour. That leaves a significant void in the Australian middle order.

Against Pakistan in their last T20 series, Australian lined up with Ben McDermott at four and Ashton Turner at five – McDermott has averaged 14 at a strike rate of just over 93 in 10 innings in T20 internationals, Turner 14.25 at 100 in seven innings. Both have disappointed, and as a result, neither were selected for this series.

Mitchell Marsh, D’Arcy Short and Matthew Wade have all been called up and look set to compete for those middle-order spots, but Short and Wade have earned their places in the squad through runs scored for Hobart Hurricanes as openers.

Australia are well stocked with T20 openers, so much so Marcus Stoinis has not been selected despite scoring 705 runs in the recent Big Bash – the most ever in a single season. A priority for this series against South Africa will be solidifying their options down the order to ensure their batting efforts don’t peter out meekly ahead of the World Cup.

^{There will be no Glenn Maxwell for the tourists}

Balance of Australia’s bowling

Marsh has an important role to play with the bat, but it’s his role as an all-rounder that may have the biggest impact on the balance of the side. The Australians in recent T20s have largely favoured three specialist fast bowlers, mainly Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Sean Abbott, and two spinners, Adam Zampa and Ashton Agar, in recent matches.

However, the potential inclusions of Marsh, and to a lesser extent Short, have the potential to change this. Australia have been reluctant to use a fast-bowling all-rounder, but Marsh’s ability to fill overs with the ball will allow them the security of not having to rely on five bowlers.

Short’s ability as a part-time spinner, going at an economy of 7.94 when he has bowled in T20 internationals, could tempt the Australians to drop one of their main spin options and enable them to play an extra fast bowler on pitches where pace is more productive. Maxwell may well play that role as a second spinner in the World Cup, but this series will give Australia the chance to test the balance of their bowling attack.

Australia players can benefit from more County Championship stints, admits Chris Rogers

Returning South Africans

Speculation continues about AB de Villiers’ potential inclusion in South Africa’s World Cup line-up, but there is no return for the Australia series. There are recalls for Kagiso Rabada, Faf du Plessis, and Anrich Nortje though.

In Rabada, Nortje, Lungi Ngidi, and Dale Steyn, South Africa have on paper an extremely potent pace attack. Three matches against a strong Australian side provide the perfect opportunity for the hosts to experiment and establish which of the bowlers they trust at various stages of the innings.

It is a dilemma of managing the fast bowlers that is no longer du Plessis’ concern, with the 35-year-old stepping down as captain just before the squad announcement. His focus is now on securing a World Cup spot purely for his batting, starting against a team he has enjoyed batting against.

He averages 54 in ODIs and 38.75 in T20s, at a strike rate of 167, against the Australians, and with the pressure of captaincy off he’ll be looking to find his best form with the bat once again. With Temba Bavuma ruled out of the first match with injury, de Plessis may well be called on to open the batting with de Kock and get South Africa off to the kind of starts they enjoyed against England.

^{Dale Steyn continues to eye an outing at another World Cup}

Match Sharpness

South Africa come into this off the back of a thrilling three-match series with England, with all of them going into the final over and two decided on the final ball. They may have lost the series 2-1, but their batsmen look in good form and the team would have benefitted hugely from the tight finishes.

Australia have won their last seven T20s, comprehensively beating Sri Lanka and Pakistan at the end of last year. In that three match series against Sri Lanka, Warner scored 100*, 60*, and 57*. 

However, their last match T20 international was on November 8, and against a South Africa side just involved in an incredibly competitive series they may be caught cold in the first match. 

Some of the Australian squad will certainly benefit from their involvement in the Big Bash, but their bowlers will have to find their form from the off against a South African side that hit 177, 202, and 222 against England.