There has been little down time for Australia's T20I squad as they hit the ground running ahead of the Top End T20I series
On to the next: Destination Darwin for in-form Aussies
Having barely recovered from jet lag following their all-conquering Caribbean tour, Australia's cricketers were in good spirits on Thursday for their first training session in the Northern Territory in 17 years.
A three-flight and 35-hour minimum travel time to return to Australia following the final T20I in St Kitts, with a few delays thrown in, meant most players had only three or four days at home before they found themselves heading back to the airport.
Arriving in Darwin on Wednesday, they were greeted with weather not dissimilar to what they had acclimatised to over the previous six weeks; 31 degrees and sunny.
Twelve of Australia's 14-player squad featured at the optional session, with Josh Inglis and Matt Short the only absentees at the Marrara Cricket out-ground on Thursday.
While Inglis only arrived in Darwin from Perth as training was ongoing, Short's comeback from the side injury he picked up in Jamaica has not progressed as expected for the Victorian.
The Australian selectors are hopeful he will be available for the third T20I and the subsequent ODI matches, once the series moves to Cairns.
Australia T20 squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matt Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Owen, Matthew Short, Adam Zampa
"Matt won't be back, certainly not back bowling," Australia's selection chair George Bailey told reporters on Thursday.
"I think he'll be back as a batter (only) by the third T20, and on the bowling front, probably later in the one-day series."
Cameron Green, who has also been playing as a specialist batter since his back surgery late last year, bowled roughly two overs off his full run up early in the net session.
He won't bowl during the South Africa series but with his overs potentially a crucial part of Australia's Ashes plans, Bailey said he expected him to return to the bowling crease during one of the first four Sheffield Shield rounds.
Marcus Stoinis was arguably Australia's best player during their 2024 T20 World Cup campaign but he has now missed selection in two consecutive T20I squads.
Stoinis, who turns 36 next week, is playing for the Trent Rockets in the UK's Hundred competition and Bailey refused to put a line through the veteran allrounder for next year's T20 World Cup despite the emergence of Mitch Owen.
"He remains firmly in the plans because of his skill set," Bailey said.
"Having those power hitters who can also bowl you some really handy overs … we saw how valuable that is (in the West Indies).
"I don't think that's going to diminish (for him).
"I imagine once we get closer to picking that squad, that his name will be firmly in the mix."
Short's unavailability leaves the top order fairly settled for the first two matches, with the selection to come down to fitting the six bowlers into four spots.
Matt Kuhnemann is Adam Zampa's spin understudy, while Josh Hazlewood returns to lead an attack comprising Sean Abbott, Ben Dwarshuis and Nathan Ellis.
Hazlewood, the only member of the fast-bowling cartel likely to feature in this summer's Ashes, will be carefully monitored throughout the series with Bailey expecting to see "some load management and some rotation" among the quicks.
BKT Tyres T20I Series - Australia v South Africa
August 10: First T20I v South Africa, Marrara Stadium, Darwin, 7pm AEST
August 12: Second T20I v South Africa, Marrara Stadium, Darwin, 7pm AEST
August 16: Third T20I v South Africa, Cazalys Stadium, Cairns, 7pm AEST
Australia T20 squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matt Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Owen, Matthew Short, Adam Zampa
South Africa T20 squad: Aiden Markram (c), Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Nandre Burger, George Linde, Kwena Maphaka, Senuran Muthusamy, Lungi Ngidi, Nqaba Peter, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Prenelan Subrayen, Rassie van der Dussen
BKT Tyres ODI Series - Australia v South Africa
August 19: First ODI v South Africa, Cazalys Stadium, Cairns, 2:30pm AEST
August 22: Second ODI v South Africa, Great Barrier Reef Arena, Mackay, 2:30pm AEST
August 24: Third ODI v South Africa, Great Barrier Reef Arena, Mackay, 2:30pm AEST
Australia ODI squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Lance Morris, Mitchell Owen, Matthew Short, Adam Zampa
South Africa ODI squad: Temba Bavuma (c), Corbin Bosch, Matthew Breetzke, Dewald Brevis, Nandre Burger, Tony de Zorzi, Aiden Markram, Senuran Muthusamy, Keshav Maharaj, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Prenelan Subrayen