Oz eye batter show!

Smarting from their opening game defeat against India a determined Australian team will be aiming to put up a much better batting performance with a rejigged playing XI against an upbeat South Africa in a World Cup encounter here on ThursdayThe fivetime championsrsquos World Cup campaign was off to the worst possible start as they were handed a sixwicket drubbing by hosts IndiaSA high on confidenceThe Proteas will head into the contest high on confidence having thrashed Sri Lanka by 102 runs in their opener With the win the South Africans announced themselves as contendersIt is not so much the defeat but the manner in which Australia conceded the game that will certainly be a headache for the team managementThe batting lacked aggression as they posted just 199 runs Apart from David Warner and Steve Smith no one breached the 30run mark as they once again lost wickets in clutchesThe Australians struggled against Indiarsquos quality spin attack on a slow Chepauk turner and lack of a second frontline spinner to save Adam Zampa also compounded their problemsTo add to their woes Mitchell Marsh who generally has a safe pair of hands dropped a simple catch of Virat Kohli that could have potentially changed the complexion of the gameGlenn Maxwell will continue to share the spin bowling duties with Zampa the latter will certainly be under pressure to deliver with no alternative availableAlso Read ICC World Cup 2023 Is World Cup physically taxing for bowlers Pat Cummins thinks soStoinis likely to playMarcus Stoinis has recovered from hamstring injury and looks set to replace Cameron Green The allrounder is a proven matchwinner and is also familiar with the ground having played for Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL He will assist Australiarsquos fearsome threepronged pace attack of Pat Cummins Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc which will look to cause maximum damageThe South African team on the other hand boast of a trio of centurions who decimated Sri Lanka in their first gameThe destructive Quinton de Kock who like Stoinis plays for LSG in the IPL and understands the surface as well as the Australian doesRassie van der Dussen and Aiden Markram who scored the fastestever ton in the World Cup are two gun batters who can change the course of any gameNew pitch at EkanaAfter facing much criticism during the IPL the wicket at the Ekana Cricket Stadium has been relaid No one knows how it will pan out If it aids spin and given Australiarsquos struggle against the slow bowlers South Africa will be tempted to bring in wristspinner Tabraiz ShamsiThey already have a weapon of destruction in Keshav Maharaj who is a leftarm spinner and can ask probing questionsSouth African batters themselves have no such troubles while facing spinThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever