Quantcast

'Buttock abscess' puts Marsh out

Shaun Marsh to have 'minor surgery' as bizarre injury revealed before South Africa opt to bowl in first ODI

Shaun Marsh has been ruled out of the opening Gillette One-Day Series match against South Africa in Perth with an "abscess in his buttock region" that will require "minor surgery".

South Africa captain Faf du Plessis won the toss and opted to bowl first as they made two changes from the side that was defeated by the Prime Ministers XI in Canberra last week.

No further details about Marsh's unusual injury were provided, but the Australia camp did confirm D'Arcy Short would come into the side for today's opening match in his stead.

Travis Head will open for Australia with Short to bat at No.3 ahead of Chris Lynn, who is playing just his second ODI for Australia following a torrid run with shoulder injuries. 

Wicketkeeper Alex Carey was listed to bat five ahead of Glenn Maxwell, with Marcus Stoinis coming in at No.7. 

Australia will take four quicks into the first ODI against the Proteas, reportedly after a last-minute rethink following a morning pitch inspection between head coach Justin Langer and selector Greg Chappell, with leg-spinner Adam Zampa missing out.

Australia captain Aaron Finch - who said he would also have bowled first if the coin fell his way - said spin bowling would come from Short, Head and Maxwell.

Finch had said on match eve the XI had been picked, but he declined to name it ahead of the coin toss. Marsh's injury, and a green-tinged Perth Stadium wicket, saw late changes to the team make-up anyway.

South Africa will take their leg-spinning weapon Imran Tahir into the match, but have opted against a two-pronged spin attack with Tabraiz Shamsi left on the sidelines.

The Proteas dropped Farhaan Behardien and Dwaine Pretorius, bringin in Heinrich Klaasen and Andile Phehlukwayo to their side.

Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and Nathan Coulter-Nile will lead the Australia pace-attack, with the Proteas spearheaded by Kagiso Rabada and Dale Steyn.

Australia-South Africa clashes have been heated affairs in recent times, and Proteas captain Faf du Plessis said that hostility brings the best out of the Proteas spearhead.

"It's a big rivalry not just for him but for all of us," du Plessis said on Saturday.

"Australia is such a great cricket team. When you come here there's a real feel about it that you're the away team.

"There's a presence about the press or the stadiums that you go to. The rivalry is great.

"Obviously, you want to try and perform at that stage. That's ‘KG’ (Rabada) in a nutshell. He loves the big stage."

Australia XI: Aaron Finch (c), Travis Head, D'Arcy Short, Chris Lynn, Alex Carey (wk), Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood 

South Africa XI: Quinton de Kock (wk), Aiden Markram, Reeza Hendricks, Faf du Plessis (c), Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dale Steyn, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Imran Tahir

Australia v Proteas, Gillette ODI series, November 2018

First ODI: Perth Stadium, November 4

Second ODI: Adelaide Oval, November 9

Third ODI: Blundstone Arena, Hobart, November 11

Australia squad: Aaron Finch (c), Josh Hazlewood (vc), Alex Carey (vc), Ashton Agar, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Pat Cummins, Travis Head, Chris Lynn, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, D'Arcy Short, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa

South Africa squad: Faf du Plessis (c), Farhaan Behardien, Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, Imran Tahir, Heinrich Klaasen, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Chris Morris, Lungi Ngidi, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Dale Steyn.