GQEBERHA: Australia captain Pat Cummins faces tough selection calls before the deciding Test against South Africa in Cape Town next week.
South Africa won the second Test by an innings and 31 runs on Thursday. The result levelled the three-match series at 1-1. Australia made 99 in their first innings and 295 in the second.
Travis Head scored 121, while Scott Boland made 40 from 166 balls. “Clearly need to be a lot better than that if we want to compete,” Cummins said.
Marnus Labuschagne is among the players under pressure. He has gone three years without a Test century, despite regularly reaching scores around 30.
Opener Nic Maddinson has made 0, 48, 0 and 8 in the first two Tests. All-rounder Beau Webster’s place also appears uncertain.
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Cameron Green is expected to be available after missing both matches through injury. Josh Inglis is fit, while Cooper Connolly provides another option.
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Boland strengthened his case for another Test with five wickets in South Africa’s first innings. His long second-innings stay with the bat also helped Australia resist.
Selectors must also decide whether to recall Nathan Lyon. The choice could depend on conditions in Cape Town. Australia and South Africa meet there next week for the series decider.
