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This Saturday brings one of the most anticipated Test series of the summer, with the No.1 and No.2 sides in the World Test Championship rankings coming up against each other in a three Test series.
We look at all of the latest betting odds ahead of the Australia vs South Africa first Test, and break down the best bets to be made on this match up over the weekend.
Prediction 1
Australia to Win the First Test
1/2 (1.50)
Prediction 2
Labuschagne to Be Australia’s Top Scorer
3/1 (4.00)
Prediction 3
Nortje to Be South Africa’s Top Bowler
11/4 (3.75)
Australia vs South Africa First Test Betting Tips
Contents
For those looking to bet on the Australia vs South Africa first Test match, here are three of our top picks ahead of the first ball this Saturday:
Australia to Win the First Test @ 1/2 (1.50)
Australia head into this series having just clean swept the West Indies, where their batsmen scored plenty of runs, and their bowlers took plenty of wickets; South Africa head into this off the back of three months without Test cricket, and two heavy losses in their past two red ball outings.
While this series overall will likely be a real arm-wrestle between two quality sides, it would be no surprise if South Africa have a slow start and drop the first Test to an in-form Australia. The nation hasn’t played any form of cricket since crashing out of the T20 World Cup 2022 six weeks ago, and will likely find it tough to hit the ground running and be competitive against an Australia that has just been scoring runs at will against the West Indies.
Marnus Labuschagne to Be Australia’s Top Run Scorer in the First Innings @ 3/1 (4.00)
Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne is a problem—for the rest of the Australian batting order, because he’s preventing them from getting any chances to prove themselves. In the West Indies series alone, Labuschagne scored over 500 runs, with scores of 204, 104*, 163 and 31. This is a man that thrives in Australian conditions, and is seeing the red ball like a beach ball at the moment.
There’s plenty of competition in this Australian side currently for the top run scorer. Usman Khawaja is rounding into form and is yet to get a big score, Travis Head is a recent centurion, as so is Steve Smith. However, you wouldn’t want to bet against Marnus Labuschagne knuckling in and churning out a big score in the first innings here again.
Anrich Nortje to Be South Africa’s Top Bowler in the First Innings @ 11/4 (3.75)
In a South African side that yet again underwhelmed in an ICC event, Anrich Nortje was one of the few shining lights for his nation in the T20 World Cup 2022. The fast bowler claimed 11 wickets, and was constantly threatening batsmen with his accurate line and length.
Expect Nortje to come out and bowl well from the get go here in Australia, given that he’s used to the conditions and performed well on Australian pitches already this summer. While dislodging the likes of Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith may prove a tougher task than some Nortje faced in the T20 World Cup, he’s still South Africa’s best bet to lead from the front in the bowling department.
Australia vs South Africa First Test Odds
Looking at the latest betting odds for this match up, here’s how the majority of bookmakers have the outright odds sitting ahead of the Australia vs South Africa first Test:
- Australia to win @ 1/2 (1.50)
- South Africa to win @ 15/4 (4.75)
Given that this is a match up between the top two sides in the World Test Championship rankings at the moment, it’s a little surprising how lopsided the bookies have the odds ahead of this first Test. Bottom line, these odds come down to momentum and recent results, with Australia having had the better of both these.
Australia vs South Africa First Test Betting Preview
This is one of the most hotly anticipated series of the Southern Hemisphere summer. Outside of England and their Bazball hijinks, Australia are the hottest thing in Test cricket right now. South Africa are right behind them on the World Test Championship standings, however, and will be looking to prove that they deserve to be in the final at Lord’s next year. This series will go a long way to one of these teams solidifying their place in that match.
Here’s a look at how each of these sides have been performing in the lead up to this first Test:
Australia: World Cup Disappointment Well and Truly in the Past
Six weeks ago, Australia were hanging their heads in shame having failed to progress from the group stage of the T20 World Cup 2022. The defending champions and host nation were thoroughly beaten by New Zealand in the opening game of the tournament, and never recovered, missing out on the knockout phase due to a poor run rate.
Now, however, that disappointment is well and truly behind them, with Australia having delivered comprehensive whitewashes of T20 World Cup 2022 winners England in a three match ODI series, and more recently over the West Indies in a two Test series. The momentum of these three big wins puts Australia in a prime position heading into this first Test, as a side brimming with the confidence of recent victory.
In Tests this year, Australia have just the solitary loss to Sri Lanka. Outside of this, they’ve accrued five wins and three draws, results that see them sitting atop of both the ICC Test rankings and the WTC points table currently.
South Africa: Hot and Cold Year So Far
South Africa, on the other hand, are still recovering from their T20 World Cup 2022 exit. The side haven’t played a match since their shock upset to the Netherlands in the final group game of the tournament, which sent them crashing out of the event despite being in prime position to contest a semifinal.
After six weeks of licking their wounds, South Africa will be eager to get their teeth stuck into Australia and give their fans something to cheer about. Test match cricket this year has been up and down for South Africa—2022 began strongly with two seven wicket wins over India in January. The side were then rolled for 95 and 11 against New Zealand, losing by a whopping innings and 276 runs, before bouncing back to draw the series with a 198 run win.
Two big wins against Bangladesh followed, as well as the only win a side has had against England this year. However, the last two Tests South Africa played were abysmal, losing by an innings and 85 runs, then nine wickets to England. Across their four innings, South Africa were unable to exceed 179 runs. Since then, they haven’t played Test cricket in three months.
Australia vs South Africa First Test Event Details
Here are all the practical details of this weekend’s first Test between Australia and South Africa:
- Date and Time: Saturday 17th December from 12:20 AM GMT
- Venue: The Gabba, Brisbane, Australia
- Format: First Test of a Three Test Series
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