Party in South Africa as World Cup holders Australia come calling

With four fast bowlers already lost to injury, the hosts will have to balance playing their strongest team and keeping players fit

Big Picture: One year out from the 2027 World Cup

Feel it, it's (nearly) here.

There's nothing South Africans love more than a party, except the build-up to a party and this summer is sizzling with anticipation. In a little over 12 months, the 50-over World Cup returns to the African continent for the first time in 24 years and everything in cricket - and we do mean everything - is prepping for it. Across the country, stadiums are being upgraded, the hype machine is whirring and now, the cricket needs to be played.

South Africa have made no secret of their desire for the 2027 World Cup to be "the one" they finally win and there's no better way to test themselves than against the current holders. Not only do Australia know what it's like to win a World Cup, but they know what it's like to win one in South Africa. While a year is a long time to spend building up to a major tournament, both teams will get a sense of where they are at and what needs to be done as they get ready for the big event.RelatedA year to go - Australia's to-do list for ODI World Cup defence

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There'll be some extra significance in the series starting on a public holiday in South Africa. Heritage day was initially used to commemorate the death of the Zulu king, Shaka, who ruled in the Kwa-Zulu Natal area in the 18th century. Now, it is a celebration of all South Africa's diverse cultures, usually united by one thing: the braai. Expect much meat to be cooked over hot coals, at Kingsmead and around the country, to kick off what will be a huge summer of cricket. These ODIs are merely the appetiser for the Test series which follows next month.

Form Guide

South Africa: WWWLW (Last five completed ODIs, most recent first)

Australia: WWWWL

In the Spotlight: Coetzee and Carey

South Africa have lost four fast bowlers to hamstring injuries before the home season has even begun and with eight Tests, nine ODIs and three T20Is in the next four months, all eyes will be on how many stay standing through the summer. Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Ottneil Baartman and Kwena Maphaka are out of the series entirely and South Africa will have to balance between having a strong enough attack to challenge Australia and wrapping the rest up in cotton wool. A particular focus will be Gerald Coetzee who has not played an ODI since the World Cup semi-final against Australia in 2023 and has had a range of problems ranging from a groin strain to a torn pectoral muscle and who South Africa will want to have at full fitness for a busy season.Alex Carey's form has been a concern for Australia•AFP/Getty Images

With three centurions across the three matches in Zimbabwe, Australia will be fairly happy with how their batting is going apart from the form of Alex Carey. He has not crossed fifty in 11 innings, since reaching the milestone against South Africa in Mackay last year, and was dismissed in similar fashion. In each of the three matches, Carey was driving on the up and ended up slicing the ball to a fielder in the gully or backward point position. South Africa's attack would have noted that back of a length and slightly wide seems to be the delivery that gets Carey and he will have to be prepared to play that along the ground instead.

Team News: Will the Jansen twins play together for SA?

After Kwena Maphaka was ruled out on the eve of the match, South Africa's bowling depth will be severely tested in this series. If a like-for-like replacement for Maphaka is what they are after, Duan Jansen could play alongside his brother Marco but they may also give opportunity to Lizaad Williams. There are plenty of opening batters to fit into the top four, so captain Temba Bavuma could find himself at No. 3 with room for only one of Tristan Stubbs or David Miller. Coetzee could play his first ODI in almost three years with Keshav Maharaj likely to be preferred over Bjorn Fortuin on his home ground.

South Africa XI (probable): 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Ryan Rickelton, 3 Temba Bavuma (capt), 4 Aiden Markram, 5 Tristan Stubbs/Matthew Breetzke, 6 David Miller, 7 Marco Jansen, 8 Corbin Bosch, 9 Keshav Maharaj, 10 Gerald Coetzee, 11 Lizaad Williams

With captain Pat Cummins set to miss the first match, Mitchell Marsh is likely to lead the XI while Mitchell Starc will lead an attack that will likely include Josh Hazlewood, after he played just one of the three matches in Zimbabwe. Australia stuck to the same batting line-up throughout the Zimbabwe series and it worked well for them but if Cameron Green has recovered from his shoulder concern, they will need to find a spot for him.

Australia XI (probable): 1 Mitchell Marsh (capt), 2 Travis Head, 3 Cooper Connolly, 4 Josh Inglis (wk), 5 Cameron Green/Alex Carey, 6 Matt Renshaw, 7 Olivier Peake, 8 Nathan Ellis, 9 Adam Zampa, 10 Josh Hazlewood, 11 Mitchell Starc

Pitch and Conditions: All eyes on the weather

It's a tired joke but since it hasn't been used for a while, here goes: if you want rain in Durban, put stumps at either end of a 22-yard strip.

Though training was interrupted earlier in the week with rain, the cricket gods seem to be taking kindly to the season starting and Thursday is forecast to be dry, warm and windy.

Expectation is always for pace and bounce in South Africa and this early in summer (spring, really) on fresh pitches. There has never been ODI cricket in Durban in September before, so it's difficult to make any comparisons but the last full match not affected by rain there, in January 2019, was fairly slow-scoring and favoured bowlers with variations at their disposal.

Stats and Trivia: Australia have a score to settle

South Africa have won the last five bilateral series they have played against Australia, dating back a decade to September 2016. The last time Australia won a bilateral contest against South Africa was in 2014.

The last time South Africa and Australia played in Durban, South Africa completed their second highest successful ODI chase. It has slipped to the third highest successful chase of all time.

Josh Hazlewood has dismissed Quinton de Kock eight times at an average of 15.75 in ODIs. But de Kock has fared slightly better over the last year, with 69 runs off 85 balls across five innings for two dismissals.