The Cricket West Indies (CWI) Selection Panel announced on Tuesday that seam bowler Shanika Bruce will join the team in South Africa for the upcoming T20 International (T20I) Tri-Nation Series against hosts South Africa and India. She comes in as a replacement for Cherry Ann Fraser who has been ruled out due to injury.
Bruce represented the West Indies Women’s ‘A’ Team in 2021 when Pakistan toured the Caribbean. She has played three T20Is for Barbados at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England last year. The Tri-Series will be played from 19 to 30 January and forms part of the preparations for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup which will also be played in South Africa.
Lead Selector Ann Browne-John said, “It’s unfortunate that Cherry Ann Fraser has been ruled out of the Tri-Series and ICC Women’s T20 World Cup due to injury. Fraser has shown improvement during the recent series against England and would have provided another fast-bowling option for the skipper. Shanika Bruce will replace Fraser in the Tri-Series squad. Bruce had a successful regional tournament last year and was one of the top bowlers, so as a result we believe she is the right fit for the team at this time.”
The West Indies Women will play at least four matches, playing two matches each against hosts South Africa and India. The two leading teams will then play each other in the Tri-Series Final on 2 February. West Indies will also play a warm-up match against South Africa ahead of the Tri-Series at Beacon Bay on 16 January.
Final squads for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa must be submitted by 2 February. The eighth edition of the marquee ICC Women’s event will begin on 10 February with hosts South Africa taking on Sri Lanka. West Indies have been drawn in Group 2 alongside England, India, Pakistan and Ireland.
FULL SQUAD
FULL MATCH SCHEDULE
16 January: warm-up match vs South Africa XI at Beacon Bay (start time TBC)
T20I Tri-Series Match Schedule
(all matches to be played at Buffalo Park, East London)
21 January: vs South Africa, 3pm local time (9am Eastern Caribbean/8am Jamaica)
23 January: vs India, 7pm local time (1pm Eastern Caribbean/12noon Jamaica)
25 January: vs South Africa, 3pm local time (9am Eastern Caribbean/8am Jamaica)
30 January: vs India, 3pm local time (9am Eastern Caribbean/8am Jamaica)
2 February: Tri-Series Final, 3pm local time (9am Eastern Caribbean/8am Jamaica)
India will be without Jasprit Bumrah for their ODI series against Sri Lanka.
Bumrah, who needs more time to recover from a back injury he suffered before the T20 World Cup last year, is also set to miss much of India's Test series against Australia, which starts on February 9.
The news of Bumrah's setback was confirmed on Monday, on the eve of Rohit Sharma's team taking on Sri Lanka in a three-match ODI series.
"It's an unfortunate incident with [Bumrah]," said India captain Rohit.
"The poor guy has been working very hard all this time. Just when he got back to full fitness, he started bowling and everything, the last two days I think this incident happened where he felt a little bit of stiffness in his back.
"It's nothing major, it's just stiffness. But when Bumrah says anything we have to be very cautious about it. I thought it was important for us to make that decision then to just pull him out.
"When we named him [in the squad], he was in the process of getting his workload done. We need to be very careful with him. He had a major injury before the [T20] World Cup. So we just need to be careful."
Former West Indies fast bowler Daren Powell believes serious consideration should be given to attempting to retrieve the team's former coach Richard Pybus for the recently vacated position of head coach.
Pybus was sacked in controversial circumstances four years ago as part of a raft of changes made by the then-incoming Cricket West Indies administration of president Ricky Skerritt and his vice president Kishore Shallow.
The move had proven to be particularly unpopular at the time, given the fact that West Indies, under his leadership had only just put together an impressive performance in a Test series win against England and showed plenty of good qualities in a battling 2-2 tie in the ODI series between the teams.
In addition to that, several stakeholders and even some players advised the administration against making so many changes with the 2019 World Cup less than two months away.
With the post once again vacant following the resignation of Phil Simmons, Powell believes the opportunity could exist to correct what many consider to have been a grave error in judgment.
As to whether the 54-year-old Pybus, who is reportedly shortlisted for the South Africa job, would be interested in returning after a departure in such acrimonious circumstances, or whether the CWI be willing to make such a drastic reversal is another thing entirely.
"Why can't we go back for him (Pybus) he was doing a good job and we have tried another way and it seems as if things didn't go down the right road," Powell told the Mason and Guest radio program.
As a part of their election platform, the Skerritt, Shallow administration had promised to give priority to Caribbean-born individuals for top leadership positions.
"If you look at Pybus and what he did with the West Indies, I would have been willing to cut off my nose to spite my face for him...how do you know why a man becomes a man when he can accept that he was wrong, apologize and move on," Powell added.
Prior to his appointment as coach of the team, Pybus endured somewhat of a rocky tenure, serving as High Performance director in February 2018, having previously served as West Indies director of cricket from 2013 to the end of 2016.
India star batsman Suryakumar Yadav has backed former West Indies captain Kieron Pollard to successfully adapt his leadership skills to the upcoming inaugural International League T20 (ILT20).
The 35-year-old swashbuckling batsman has been named as captain of the MI Emirates, the team owned by the executives of Mumbai Indians, ahead of the start of the competition on January 10.
Pollard, who played for over a decade with Mumbai in the IPL before retiring last year, will bring plenty of experience to the position having, among other things, lifted 5 titles with the IPL franchise.
Having played for many years at Mumbai with Pollard, Yadav is confident that MI Emirates could not be in safer hands.
“I feel as a leader Pollard has been very calm, composed and gives everyone a chance to express themselves on the field whether the team is under the pump or even if we are on top,” Yadav explained.
“We felt very comfortable when he led MI and I am sure he will do the same thing for the MI Emirates,” he added.
In addition to Pollard and Yadav, the team will be boosted by the likes of the West Indian duo of Dwayne Bravo and Nicholas Pooran, who himself stepped down as captain of the West Indies white-ball teams late last year.
Australia were left frustrated as they ran out of time chasing victory in the rain-affected third Test against South Africa at the SCG, which ended as a draw on Sunday.
The hosts needed 14 wickets on the final day to secure victory and a clean sweep of the three-game Test series, but were denied despite bowling out the Proteas and enforcing the follow-on.
South Africa finished 106-2 in their second innings, having been bowled out for 255 shortly before tea. Australia needed nine wickets in the final session but eventually opted to shake hands with five overs left.
Pat Cummins' side were left frustrated after a series of unsuccessful reviews including several LBW appeals from Nathan Lyon which reverted to the umpires' call.
Steve Smith was also denied a crucial catch by the third umpire for the second time in the match, when Heinrich Klaasen edged to first slip off a frustrated Lyon in the second innings. Lyon bowled 40 first-innings overs, taking 2-88 before toiling away for 0-32 from 15 overs in the second innings.
South Africa will be content to have shown some final-day fight after a lopsided series with Sarel Erwee (42no) and Temba Bavuma (17no) unbeaten.
The tourists had resumed at 149-6 with Marco Jansen dismissed early, caught behind off Travis Head, but Simon Harmer (47) and Keshav Maharaj (53) teamed up for a gritty 85-run eighth-wicket partnership that halted Australia's push for victory.
Australia had their chances, most notably when Head dropped a caught-and-bowled chance from Maharaj, who lasted almost two hours alongside Harmer.
Maharaj eventually fell LBW to Josh Hazlewood, who also claimed the wicket of Harmer after Lyon had two reviews denied against him on 47. Hazlewood finished with 4-48 in the first innings on his return from a side strain.
After enforcing the follow-on, Cummins gave Australia hope when he had opposition skipper Dean Elgar caught behind by Alex Carey down leg side for 10, but the Proteas were stubborn enough to see out the draw.
Khawaja gets his reward
Usman Khawaja was denied a shot at a maiden Test double hundred, rooted on 195no, when Cummins declared on the fourth day pursing victory after day three was lost to rain but he was named Player of the Match.
Khawaja had a lean two Tests before his big knock, managing only 14 runs in his previous three innings against the Proteas. Coincidentally, David Warner was named Player of the Series after his double century at the MCG Test, yet he otherwise only scored 13 more runs in three other knocks.
Elgar struggles as skipper
Elgar endured a lean tour with his cheap dismissal down leg side in the second innings underlining his struggles since taking over as South Africa skipper in March 2021 from Quinton de Kock. The opener managed only 56 runs in six innings this series.
Suryakumar Yadav played a virtuoso innings for India as his rapid century set up a series-clinching 91-run victory against Sri Lanka in Rajkot.
In the third T20I, a one-sided tussle at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Yadav blazed his way to 112 not out from 51 balls as India piled up 228-5, setting the tourists a daunting target. He got to three figures from just 45 deliveries.
India then limited Sri Lanka to 137 all out, sealing a 2-1 series success after the teams split the first two matches, both far tighter affairs than this spectacle.
Yadav's third T20I century contained nine sixes and seven fours, as he went after Sri Lanka's attack and flayed them unrelentingly. Coming in at 52-2 after 5.5 overs, Yadav followed his 117 against England last July and his 111 against New Zealand in November with another devastatingly brutal innings.
Shubman Gill (46), Rahul Tripathi (35) and Axar Patel (21no) performed well, but it was the Yadav show and they were merely a supporting cast.
Sri Lanka needed a fast start, and they got that, but openers Kusal Mendis and Pathum Nissanka both fell with the team score at 44, and Avishka Fernando followed soon after.
Wickets kept tumbling and it became clear Sri Lanka would not find a Yadav-like effort from within their ranks, with Arshdeep Singh finishing the rout by bowling Dilshan Madushanka to complete match-best figures of 3-20.
Sri Lanka find no answer to India assault
This was India's fourth-biggest win, by runs, in T20Is. Their heaviest win remains the 143-run victory over Ireland in Dublin in 2018, followed by a 101-run win over Afghanistan in Dubai in 2022 and a 93-run success against South Africa in 2017.
Yadav closes in on Rohit
India captain Rohit Sharma, who has missed this series with a finger injury, is the only man to have hit more T20I centuries than Yadav, who showed why he is number one on the ICC T20I batting rankings.
Rohit has four tons in the short format, with Yadav now one of four men with three by his name, along with Australia's Glenn Maxwell, New Zealand's Colin Munro, and Sabawoon Davizi, who has achieved the feat with the Czech Republic.
New Zealand bowler Trent Boult is unlikely to be involved against England next month, with coach Gary Stead effectively ruling him out of their Test series.
The paceman turned down his central contract in August but has still appeared for the Black Caps in white-ball cricket since.
Boult is set to spend the start of 2023 in franchise cricket, with the fast bowler set to depart the Big Bash League for a stint in the inaugural ILT20 League in the United Arab Emirates.
With the competition scheduled to end only four days before New Zealand host Ben Stokes' side at Mount Maunganui for the first of two Tests, Stead does not see Boult playing a part.
"No, I wouldn't have thought so," he said. "Trent and I have had discussions.
"I think his return from the UAE would only be a day or two immediately prior. I think from a workload perspective that's out of the picture."
Stead offered a promising update on Kyle Jamieson, who has not played competitive cricket since a back injury sustained against England in June last year.
He is set to appear in the Super Smash over the next week, though the Stead could make no promises about his inclusion in the wider red-ball picture.
"We'll make a decision a little bit closer to the time around the England series, whether that is maybe a step too far, or whether it is the right time for him to play again," he said.
"He's been out of cricket for a long time now and I think it would be silly to push too quickly and set him back again with the long-term plan of what's ahead of us."
Australia require 14 more wickets on day five against South Africa if they are to finish the job at the SCG and collect a Test series sweep.
After a number of delays for rain and poor lighting over the first two days, the third day was completely washed out, forcing the Australians to declare after lunch at 475-4 in order to chase a result.
It meant stranding hometown hero Usman Khawaja on 195 not out, but the hosts would get to bowl 59 overs in sharp turning conditions while the tourists could realistically only play for a draw.
Any South African dreams of a two-day batting stand to salvage a gutsy draw took a blow when Josh Hazlewood (2-29) removed Dean Elgar for 15, drawing an outside edge through to the Alex Carey behind the stumps after returning from over a month out of the side.
Things went from bad to worse for South Africa when opener Sarel Elwee opted to leave an off-spinner from Nathan Lyon, only for it to clip his off-stump, departing for 18.
After captain Pat Cummins removed number-three Heinrich Klaasen caught behind for just two runs, the combination of Temba Bavuma (35 off 74) and Khaya Zondo (39 off 83) built a respectable partnership.
Ultimately the Aussie pace attack was too much to handle, with Hazlewood finding the edge of Bavuma before Cummins landed a yorker on Zondo's toes for a plumb LBW.
Cummins took one more in the fading light – Kyle Verreynne's edge to Steve Smith in the slips – to finish the day with team-best figures of 3-29 from 14 overs as South Africa finally reached stumps at 149-6, trailing by 326.
Khawaja reaches new heights at home ground
With his 195no – his fourth not-out from 10 innings at his home ground – Khawaja raised his Test average at the SCG to 130.83.
It is the third-highest Test average for any batter with more than three innings at the ground, trailing only England's Wally Hammond (161.6 from six innings) and India's Sachin Tendulkar (157.0 from nine innings).
Frank Worrell and Sachin Tendulkar are the only other batters in Test history to have been in the 190s when their captains declared.
Hazlewood illustrates Australia's fast-bowling 'problem'
Australia currently have an embarrassment of riches in the fast-bowling department, and it has reached a stage where an elite talent like Hazlewood is fighting for his spot.
Having not played for Australia since a Test against the West Indies in late November, Hazlewood reminded everyone just how good he is, finding the edge of both Elgar and Bavuma to put the hosts in a winning position.
With Scott Boland also boasting historic Test figures, as well Michael Neser and Lance Morris champing at the bit for their opportunity, it creates a good problem for the Aussies to have in an Ashes year.
Rain has forced the third day of the third Test between Australia and South Africa at the SCG to be abandoned without a ball being bowled on Friday.
Persistent downpours in Sydney mean Australia captain Pat Cummins faces a dilemma on when to declare with his side in complete control at 475-4 with Usman Khawaja (195*) and Matthew Renshaw (5*) at the crease.
Time is running out for Australia to complete a clean sweep of the three-game Test series, after 57 overs were lost on the opening two days before Friday's complete washout.
The Sydney forecast is for improved weather on the remaining two days, with a shower or two predicted for Saturday, followed by partly cloudy conditions without any rain on Sunday.
There are 196 overs remaining in the Test, meaning Cummins will need to be decisive, but likely will allow Khawaja to reach a maiden double hundred.
Australia will be motivated to secure the victory clinch their first-ever spot in the ICC World Test Championship final to be played in June.
The Aussies are due to travel to India for a four-game Test series starting in February.
Sydney's rain curse persists
Sydney's poor run of rain impacting Tests in January continues, with a total of 25 days washed out due to rain in 110 Test matches at the SCG. Over the past eight years, 64 per cent of days during the SCG Tests have been impacted by rain.
Elsewhere, Perth has never had an entire day's play washed out, while Hobart (one) and Adelaide (two) have had minimal issues, while Brisbane and Melbourne have lost eight and nine full days respectively.
Dasun Shanaka blasted a rapid unbeaten half-century and held his nerve when bowling the final over as Sri Lanka beat India by 16 runs to level the Twenty20 International series.
Captain Shanaka bludgeoned 56 not out off only 22 balls to get the tourists up to 206-6 at the MCA Stadium on Thursday.
Kusal Mendis (52 from 31) also made a quickfire half-century, while Charith Asalanka struck 37 and Pathum Nissanka 33 two days after India edged the first T20I by two runs.
India looked to be heading for a hammering when they slumped to 57-5 in reply, the impressive Kasun Rajitha (2-22) removing openers Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill.
But a sixth-wicket stand of 91 between Axar Patel and Suryakumar Yadav kept them in the hunt, the spinner having also taken 2-24 after he kept it tight in the last over to seal victory in the opening match.
Dilshan Madushanka (2-45) removed Yadav (51 off 36) in the 16th over, yet Axar flexed his muscles with support from Shivam Mavi to give India a chance of pulling off an unlikely win.
With 21 needed off the final over, Shanaka dismissed Axar (65 off 31) and Mavi (26) with two of the only six balls he delivered to set up a decider in Rajkot on Saturday.
Shanaka steps up to lead by example
Sri Lanka had lost four wickets for 30 runs when Shanaka arrived at the crease, but the skipper took control of the situation with a swashbuckling knock.
He cleared the rope six times, Mavi and Umran Malik coming in for some treatment as 77 runs were scored in the final five overs.
Shanaka then took responsibility to bowl the last over and clearly thrived on the pressure, with Axar caught in the deep and Mavi taken by Maheesh Theekshana off the last ball.
Axar shows all-round capabilities
Spinner Axar was excellent with the ball, giving little away and taking two wickets.
He threatened to get India home with a brilliant knock to make a game of it, hitting six sixes and three fours. He was unable to deliver more final-over heroics, though, as India fell short.
Cameron Green thinks he and Mitchell Starc will be "touch and go" to be fit for the start of a four-match Test series against India.
Green underwent surgery after breaking his right index finger during a victory over South Africa in the Boxing Day Test at the MCG.
Starc damaged his middle finger in the same match in Melbourne, with both players missing out as Australia attempt to secure a 3-0 whitewash of the Proteas at the SCG.
Australia start the first Test against India in Nagpur on February 9 and Green believes that contest could come too soon for himself and paceman Starc.
He told SEN WA: "I think me and Starcy are maybe touch and go for that first one but obviously we'll give ourselves the best chance.
"[It's] going well. Had successful surgery in Sydney and the surgeon is really happy with how it went. I think he did Tim Paine's successful surgery, so it fills me with a lot of confidence.
"The rehab is having two weeks of time [off], then two weeks to start running and get the shoulder and back moving just to double-check they haven't frozen over. Then probably at the four-week mark I'll try and hold a ball and see how that works.
"Try and hold a cricket bat and see how it feels. At the moment [the finger] feels really good, pain-free, so that gives me a bit of confidence in four weeks' time that it will be all good.
"We meet over in Sydney for the Allan Border Medal [ceremony], then we leave the next day to go to India."
Starc also dismissed talk that he may not be able to bowl for the Mumbai Indians at the start of his first Indian Premier League campaign.
He said: "No, that's not correct. I've heard about this for quite a while now. I don't know where it's come from. We've spoken to the selectors. I've heard that I'm 100 per cent available for both skill sets in the IPL at the start, so I'm not too sure where that's come from.
"Obviously my first priority is the Test series that's beforehand, getting myself right for the first Test."
Steve Smith is unsure how long he will carry on playing for Australia after surpassing the great Don Bradman's tally of Test centuries at the SCG on Thursday.
Smith reached three figures for the 30th time in the longest format on day two of the third Test against South Africa, making 104 on his home ground before Australia closed on 475-4 with Usman Khawaja unbeaten on 195.
Only Ricky Ponting (41) and Steve Waugh (32) have more Test hundreds for Australia than the 33-year-old Smith, who moved level with Matthew Hayden's haul.
The former captain is not thinking about his future as he enjoys living in the moment.
When asked about his future, he said: "I don't know, we'll see. I'm enjoying it at the moment. I really can't say how long I'll play for, I'm not sure.
"Take it one tour at a time, enjoy it, enjoy training and trying to get better. Whilst I'm doing that I'm happy playing, but don't know how long it will last."
Australia will fancy their chances of securing a 3-0 whitewash of the Proteas in Sydney as they look certain to seal their place in the Test Championship final at The Oval in June.
Smith is relishing the opportunity to pass on his experience to his team-mates as he continues to rack up the runs.
"It's [about] trying to get better, help the team win games of cricket," he added. "I think we've played some really good cricket the last 12 months…we've got two really big hurdles in front of us with India and the Ashes.
"For me, it is trying to get better and trying to help some of the other batters coming through.
"I still try to help Marnus [Labuschagne] as much as possible, [Travis] Head, Cameron Green, Matty Renshaw, Marcus Harris…try to impart as much knowledge of conditions and ways to go about.
"If I can say something and you see that lightbulb go on and someone figures something out I get a big thrill out of that. I'll try and help them as much as I can."
Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith scored centuries as Australia built a massive lead before rain intervened again on the second day of the third Test against South Africa at the SCG on Thursday.
Australia were 475-4 at stumps after play was interrupted by light rain at drinks in the final session with Khawaja unbeaten on 195* alongside Matt Renshaw (5*).
The hosts were utterly dominant, beating the Proteas into submission, with only two wickets falling across 84 overs bowled for the day. However, the issue of time remaining in the Test looms large after more delays on day two, with grim weather forecast for Sydney in the coming days.
Khawaja had resumed alongside Smith with Australia 148-2 after only 47 overs were bowled on day one due to a combination of bad light and rain.
After an early rain delay, the 36-year-old left-handed opening batsman led from the front, bringing up his 13th Test century late in the opening session with two off Kagiso Rabada.
Khawaja celebrated his third straight SCG hundred with an air-punch and a little jig. Smith brought up his half-century shortly after.
South Africa skipper Dean Elgar demonstrably discarded the old ball when the Proteas took the new ball shortly before lunch, but it led to few opportunities for the tourists.
Smith went on to bring up his 30th Test century, surpassing the great Sir Donald Bradman, pulled to the backward square leg boundary from Anrich Nortje to reach triple figures.
But the vice-captain was dismissed caught and behind by Keshav Maharaj for 104 in the next over, ending their 209-run third-wicket stand. That marked the pair's 10th century partnership from 33 innings.
Travis Head kept the game moving with aggressive stroke play, blasting eight fours and one six before being caught by sub fielder Rassie van der Dussen at deep square off the tiring Rabada.
Renshaw, who tested positive to COVID on day one and had to keep his distance from team-mates, batted late in the day before stumps was called.
Patient Khawaja bats through
Khawaja finished the day unbeaten on 195, having faced 368 deliveries with 19 fours and one six, batting through the opening two days, albeit amid numerous delays. The Queenslander's 195* is his highest Test score and he will be chasing a maiden Test double hundred on Friday.
Maharaj breaks duck
Proteas left-arm orthodox spinner Maharaj had endured a lean series prior to claiming Smith's wicket, which was his first in the three Tests. That dismissal ended Maharaj's dire record of 0-247 from 66.5 overs in the series.
The Barbados Cricket Board will host a tri-series tournament to decide their West Indies Championship squad in January.
Shai Hope, Shane Dowrich and Nicholas Kirton will captain the different sides which are named after Sir Charles Griffith, Sir Garfield Sobers and Sir Wes Hall.
The first match is from January 5-7, second is from January 10-12 and the third match is from 15-17. After those three, the Pride squad will play the best remaining players from the series in a four-day practice match from January 21-24.
Sir Charles Griffith Squad: Nicholas Kirton (Captain), Mikhail Austin, Joshua Bishop, Leniko Boucher, Jamaine Bullen, Rivaldo Clarke, Zidane Clarke, Joshua Drakes, Tauron Gibson, Keon Harding, Chaim Holder, Jarion Hoyte, Matthew Jones, Shayne Mosley, Shamar Springer, Craig St. Hill, Shanaldo Taylor, Kevin Wickham.
Sir Garfield Sobers Squad: Shai Hope (Captain), Marrodon Bend, Joshua DOrne, Jonathan Drakes, Jaden Edmund, Matthew Forde, Amari Goodridge, Chemar Holder, Javed Leacock, Jaden Lorde, Zachary McCaskie, Antonio Morris, Tariq O’Neale, Indal Persaud, Demario Richards, Demetrius Richards, Jomel Warrican, Rashawn Worrell.
Sir Wes Hall Squad: Shane Dowrich (Captain), Michael Agard, Kadeem Alleyne, Camarie Boyce, Shian Brathwaite, Jonathan Carter, Romario Greaves, Kyle Hope, Aaron Jones, Akeem Jordan, Johann Layne, Kalvin Marcus, Jair McAllister, Hakeem Perryman, Nathan Sealy, Kemar Smith, Akeem Springer, Nyeem Young.
Josh Hazlewood is hopeful he can reassert his place in Australia's bowling attack ahead of the third and final Test against South Africa.
With Australia having already wrapped up a series victory following an impressive rout at the MCG, Pat Cummins' side head to Sydney in search of a clean sweep.
Injuries to Cameron Green and Mitchell Starc have seen Ashton Agar and Matt Renshaw handed red-ball recalls for the match, while Scott Boland has impressed through the series, but Hazlewood will hope he can rediscover his form after returning from injury.
Having missed the majority of a home Ashes series just over a year ago, Hazlewood played only two Tests in 2022, though the paceman believes he still has a valuable position in the pecking order.
"I still feel like it's in place," Hazlewood told reporters. "It's always good to have pressure It's great to have options, and it keeps you on your toes.
"[Injuries have been] frustrating, definitely. I don't feel like I've been injured much. It just happens to be at the wrong time of the year.
"The Test matches are so close together now. Apart from that, [for] the rest of the 24 months I've been fit and firing. So it's frustrating when you think about it like that."
Green and Starc's absence will possibly open the door for Hazlewood to feature, though he will face increased competition again when the two return.
But the focus will be on ensuring a whitewash against the Proteas at the SCG, where Australia have lost just one of their last 21 Tests.
Australia have won their last three men’s Tests against South Africa at home, the last and only time they recorded a longer winning run against the Proteas in such fixtures was an eight-match span from February 1911 to December 1952.
South Africa meanwhile risk losing a fifth straight Test, matching the rough run they endured between February and October 2019.
Khawaja heads to happy hunting ground
While his team-mates have been racking up big scores against the Proteas, Usman Khawaja has struggled for form across the series, with a total of 14 runs over three innings.
But he heads to a venue with rich pickings. Just 33 runs away from 4,000 in international red-ball cricket, his Test average at the SCG of 98.3 is the third-best of any player at the stadium, behind Wally Hammond and Sachin Tendulkar.
Nortje out to frustrate foes again
It has been a humbling experience for South Africa with bat and ball, but Anrich Nortje will hope at least to continue being a thorn in the side of opposition orders in 2023.
Batters played and missed at 19 per cent of balls he bowled in Tests in 2022, the highest rate of any player.
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