Australia face South Africa in three-match ODI series opener today

CAIRNS, Aug (Agencies): Australia and South Africa gear up to face each other in a three-match ODI series as they begin their preparations for the ODI World Cup 2027. The two teams contested in a three-match T20I series recently, which the Aussies won 2-1 following Glenn Maxwell's brilliance in the deciding match.

While the T20 World Cup preparations are in full swing, the ODI World Cup build-up has taken a backseat. However, the teams will look to find answers for the future, especially after retirements on either side.

Australia are now without Steve Smith and Glenn Maxwell in the 50-over format after their retirements, while the Proteas go into the series after the international retirement of Heinrich Klaasen.

The two teams meet each other in the first ODI in Cairns on Tuesday, August 19. The venue hosted the third T20I, the first at the venue.

Australia look for first ODI series win in 11 years

Meanwhile, Australia are looking to end an 11-year-long wait against the Proteas. The Aussies have not won a bilateral series against South Africa since 2014, when they clinched a five-match series 4-1.

Since then, the two teams have contested in four bilateral ODI series, and South Africa won all four of them: three at home and one Down Under. Dewald Brevis set to make debut "Getting ready to spend three and a half hours in the field will be a little bit different for a few of the boys," Marsh told reporters on Monday.

"But as a group and as a whole, nothing really changes.

"(There's a) bit of a mindset change, it's obviously different format.

"But the same stuff rolls on."

The full-time T20I captain for over a year now, Marsh has led Australia nine times in ODIs when Cummins has been unavailable, filling the role in South Africa in 2023 and England in 2024.

Cummins, who also holds the top job of the Test team, has played only two of Australia's 17 ODIs since leading his country to the ultimate glory at the 2023 World Cup in India.

One of the quirks of Marsh's captaincy to date has been his decisions at the coin toss.

Across both ODIs and T20s, the Western Australian has won the toss 20 times - and chosen to bowl first on all 20 occasions.

"It's a bit of a common trend, generally speaking, in T20 cricket these days," explained Marsh, whose Australian side have lost just three out of the 15 T20s in which he chose to chase.

"You get to assess the conditions, but you also just know what you're chasing.

"I'm certainly not afraid to bat first. But we have lent towards bowling first."

That trend is unlikely to change in the ODI opener in Cairns (a day-night game) with dew a major factor in the third T20I on Sunday night.

South Africa coach Shukri Conrad lamented getting the "rot end of the of the conditions" and even blaming Kagiso Rabada's uncharacteristic beamer to Glenn Maxwell on the soggy outfield.

"The ball was getting really wet," Conrad said. "If you said to me that one of the world's best bowlers was going to bowl a beamer like that, and then the free goes for six, I'd never believe you."

Now with the start of the elongated 50-over format, one side will be bowling in the far-northern Queensland sunshine and one will be bowling under lights with moisture on the surface of the pristine Cazalys Stadium outfield.

"Playing with dew is not something that we're used to in Australia," Marsh said.

"We saw the ball get really soft in Darwin.

"That's been a different challenge for us."

Proteas skipper Temba Bavuma is one of the five inclusions for South Africa into their ODI squad along with the likes of veteran spinner Keshav Maharaj, recent Test triple-centurion Wiaan Mulder and top-order batters Matthew Breetzke and Tony de Zorzi.