Australia vs South Africa Betting Tips – Confident Teams Head Into Vital Group B Encounter

• Australia vs South Africa Group B
• Australia Form
• Australia Team News
• South Africa Form
• South Africa Team News

Australia and South Africa made sprightly starts to their respective Champions Trophy campaigns with wins in their openers, albeit in contrasting fashion. Australia were run all the way by a strong England performance while South Africa cruised to a win in their opener against Afghanistan.

Australia conceded a mammoth 351 for 8 in their opener on a flat pitch in Lahore led by Ben Duckett’s 165 off 143 balls for England. Joe Root contributed with 68 off 78 balls as England plundered runs on a batting-friendly deck. Ben Dwarshuis was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3 for 66.

In response, Australia rode on Josh Inglis’ 120 off 86 balls as he joined the rare club of having scored a hundred in all formats of international cricket. Matthew Short and Alex Carey hit 60-plus scores to contribute from the other end as Australia completed the chase with enviable ease eventually, with 15 balls and 5 wickets to spare.

South Africa played a perfect match in their opener, with Ryan Rickelton’s 103 paving the way for their total of 315 for 6. South Africa were aided with impetus towards the end with fifties from Temba Bavuma, Rassie van der Dussen and Aiden Markram.

All five South African bowlers took at least one wicket each as they bowled Afghanistan out for 208 to complete a huge 107-run win. The context and margin of that victory could certainly come into play later in the tournament as Group B reaches its climax.

Australia Form

Australia played smart ODI cricket in their last game, preferring Marnus Labuschagne to bowl the end overs as he picked up 2 for 41 in his five overs. Dwarshuis and the rest of the Australian bowlers were quite efficient in their defense on a flat featherbed of a pitch.

The batting will particularly please Australia because both Treavis Head and Steven Smith both made single-digit scores. Yet, Australia had enough resources to comfortably put England away. Glenn Maxwell also chipped in with a typical cameo of 32 off 15 balls that consisted four fours and two sixes.,

Australia have no particular issues but they will be tested again by a disciplined, resurgent South Africa team. Will their new-look bowling unit stand up to another strong batting attack?

Australia Team News

Australia could bring in Sean Abbott for this game, potentially in place of Nathan Ellis, who also bowled well in the opener with stifling figures of 0 for 51 from 10 overs.

South Africa Form

South Africa broke their run of barren form in ODI cricket with almost the ideal performance against a tricky team in these conditions. Even without Heinrich Klaasen, South Africa’s middle order stood out to carry the team to a score that was well above par for those conditions.

The bowling was incisive and disciplined, traits that you come to expect with this South Africa team. Form may not be as big a worry as their skill for these conditions.

South Africa Team News

Klaasen missed the first game as a precaution over his left elbow injury. If he’s fit, he will slot straight back in to the South African team. That may need some rejigging to the top order.