Aussie duo under injury cloud at Newlands

Australia had their first training session in Cape Town on Monday with all eyes locked on the fitness of Mitchells Marsh and Starc.

Both players were limited during practice at Newlands, with Marsh nursing a groin strain he picked up in the second Test in Port Elizabeth, while a sore calf kept Starc from bowling.

Marsh and Starc skipped warm-up and fielding drills at the scenic venue on a brilliant day and instead headed straight to the nets to face throwdowns and net bowlers as their teammates sprinted, jumped, caught and threw on the main oval.

Marsh would later return to the middle to practice his slips catching and bowl a few overs running in gently off his long run.

The 26-year-old has been perhaps Australia’s form player on tour, with scores on 96 and 45 in the first two Tests to go with crucial wickets at St George’s Park.

The third Test starts on Thursday and opening batsman Cameron Bancroft is confident the allrounder will be fit to resume his spot in the XI.

"He (Marsh) has had four really important days off, as it has been for everyone,” Bancroft told reporters on today at Newlands.

“Especially our fast bowlers, who have spent a lot of time bowling over the last six months.

“Mitch has been working through his stuff.

"He had a bowl. I assume he'll hopefully pick that (speed) up leading up to the game on Thursday. I'm sure he'll be fine.”

Starc is expected to bowl tomorrow and Australia’s leadership duo of Steve Smith and David Warner could be in for some nasty treatment from the left-armer.

As Smith and Warner left the practice nets they playfully ribbed Starc, who had just fended a bouncer from a support staff member armed with a ‘wanger’ – a modified plastic tennis ball launcher.

Before the pair departed, Starc sent a gentle reminder to his captain and deputy that if they would like to avoid a volley of express short balls from him they best keep quiet.

All eyes might be again locked on Starc tomorrow, only this time with the ball in his hand bowling to Australia’s two senior batsmen.

Qantas tour of South Africa

South Africa squad: Faf du Plessis (c), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Theunis de Bruyn, Dean Elgar, Heinrich Klaasen, Quinton de Kock, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Morne Morkel, Chris Morris, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Duanne Olivier, Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada, AB de Villiers.

Australia squad: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), Cameron Bancroft, Pat Cummins, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Jon Holland, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Tim Paine, Jhye Richardson, Chadd Sayers, Mitchell Starc.

Warm-up match: Australia beat South Africa A by five wickets. Report, highlights

First Test Australia won by 118 runs. Scorecard

Second Test South Africa won by six wickets. Scorecard

Third Test Newlands, Cape Town, March 22-26. Live coverage

Fourth Test Wanderers, Johannesburg, March 30-April 3. Live coverage