Live cricket scores: Australia face deciding match against South Africa in Cape Town
Australia return to Cape Town for Test cricket for the first time since Sandpapergate and they’ve already been dealt a huge early blow. Follow the action with our live blog.
Australia return to Cape Town for Test cricket for the first time since Sandpapergate and their series against South Africa is on the line after a big defeat in Gqeberha.
Nic Maddinson has been sent home after being dropped but the Australians will wait until the last minute to name a team.
Meanwhile, South Africa will be without Anrich Nortje.
Follow the action with our live blog.
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Aaron Kirby and 2+ more are reporting live.
Seam away
Starc starts wide of the right-hander Markram and gets some seam away which the opener leaves well alone.
SA 0-0
Ready to roll
Starc has the new ball and all is in readiness!
The Aussies will want at least four wickets by lunch after bowling first.
Anthems
For the final time in the series we sing the anthems and then the action gets underway!
It’s all to play for with the series on the line.
And don’t forget, this is the first time Australia have played a Test a Newlands since they were caught using sandpaper.
And we have a full house in the ground, even on a Tuesday morning.
Clear skies
The weather forecast in Cape Town is pretty good this week.
A small chance of rain and the temperature is not expected to go above 25 degrees.
TEAMS
AUSTRALIA
Travis Head
Matt Renshaw
Marnus Labuschagne
Cameron Green
Josh Inglis
Alex Carey
Cooper Connolly
Pat Cummins
Mitch Starc
Nathan Lyon
Josh Hazlewood
SOUTH AFRICA
Aiden Markram
Marques Akerman
David Bedingham
Temba Bavuma
Matthew Breezkte
Ryan Rickleton
Wiaan Mulder
Marco Jansen
Simon Harmer ‘
Kagiso Rabada
Gerald Coetzee
Bowling first
Australia have won the toss in every match now and Cummins has decided that they will bowl first with moisture in the wicket this morning.
They make four changes with Nic Maddinson, Steve Smith, Beau Webster and Scott Boland out.
Nathan Lyon, Cooper Connolly, Josh Inglis and Cam Green come into the line-up.
Cummins didn’t explain the order but expect Green to bat four for Smith and then Inglis at five.
Carey will likely stay at six with Connolly at seven providing some extra spin against the right-handers.
Mass changes
Inglis makes it three West Aussies entering the Test team, joining Cooper Connolly and Cameron Green in the XI.
Beau Webster and Nic Maddison have been axed, with Green to bat in the middle order and Matt Renshaw set to open alongside Travis Head.
Nathan Lyon is also back, with Scott Boland set to miss out despite his impressive performance in their second Test loss as Australia look to try and respond to their Gqeberha smashing.
Inglis in
Having been in the frame to replace the under-fire Marnus Labuschagne at No.3, Josh Inglis is now set to come in for his sixth Test and replace Steve Smith at No.4.
Smith sidelined!
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Australia’s series-defining clash with South Africa in Cape Town.
Some big news has emerged from Newlands on the morning of the game - Steve Smith has failed a fitness test and will not feature.
Having hurt his neck in Australia’s embarrassing innings-and-31-run loss in the second Test, the superstar Australia batsman looked uncomfortable while attempting to bat wearing a heat pack on Tuesday morning.
Josh Inglis appears set to come into the side as his replacement.
