Two games into the series, thought it would be fun to look at what a combined XI of the 1st and 3rd ranked Test teams would look like. Obviously Aus batting is a strength, while Saffers bowling is theirs, so we'd expect a bit of a divide there.
1. Usman Khawaja - hasn't managed to cash in this summer, but 1000 runs in the year means he's a lock for first opening position.
2. David Warner - this was a bit tight between Elgar and Warner, but Warner's 200 in extreme heat and high pressure, plus his fantastic overall record and good fielding means you can't look past him.
3. Marnus Labuschagne - well you can't look past the number 1 ranked batter for the number 3. Rides his luck a bit, yes, but even with that in mind his appetite for runs and contribution in the field make him the first picked player in this team.
4. Steve Smith - much like Marnus, you can't look past Smudge. Runs, runs and more runs, and has taken 150 catches as well.
5. Travis Head - after a slightly underwhelming tour of the subcontinent, Head has been back to his best and making runs for fun. Argument he could move back to six to make room for someone at 5, but either way he's a lock in what is a very strong combined batting lineup.
6. Cameron Green - yet to have a real breakout with bat in hand, he is nevertheless a very solid number six, averaging 35 and batting with rare discipline and concentration. His ability with the ball opens up so many options for what is a very strong combined bowling lineup.
7. Alex Carey - another tight one, with Verreynne one of South Africa's best performers so far, but Carey's form since the Karachi pool with both bat and gloves gives him the edge.
8. Mitch Starc - arguably in career best form of late, his development of the cross seam variation gives him much needed flexibility when the ball stops swinging. This gives him the edge over South African strike bowlers like Rabada, who is immense when the ball is moving but struggles on flatter pitches, or Nortje, who relies on raw pace and grit but lacks craft. Starc continues to improve, he has probably been Australia's best bowler this summer, and he's capable of providing handy lower order runs as well.
9. Pat Cummins - 9 is probably a little high in the order for Cummins, whose batting has dropped of markedly. Nevertheless, Captain Cummins continues to perform with ball in hand, his game developing even further to bring bowled and LBW more prominently to his repertoire of wicket-taking methods.
10. Nathan Lyon - Spin is definitely Australia's relative strength versus South Africa in the bowling department. Maharaj is not the first spinner to struggle in Australian conditions, he is a solid Test spinner, but the GOAT takes the biscuits this time.
11. Scott Boland - with a Test bowling average of 12 and a strike rate of 33, Boland consistently delivers. His record is no fluke, and simply cannot be overlooked.
12th man. Josh Hazlewood - well in a combined team of such quality attacks, 12th man naturally has to be a bowler. You could make arguments for any of them, but the fact is the only reason Hazlewood isn't playing is because of injury. His record and consistency across conditions, his ability to play the miserly workhorse or the aggressive strike bowler gives him the edge as the spare bowler.
So what do we think? Clearly a very strong side, that bowling attack, including 12th man, has 4 bowlers with 200+ wickets and 2 bowlers with over 300!
I guess it's to be expected when you combine two titans of Test cricket, but this team would surely prove difficult to beat anywhere in the world.
1. Usman Khawaja - hasn't managed to cash in this summer, but 1000 runs in the year means he's a lock for first opening position.
2. David Warner - this was a bit tight between Elgar and Warner, but Warner's 200 in extreme heat and high pressure, plus his fantastic overall record and good fielding means you can't look past him.
3. Marnus Labuschagne - well you can't look past the number 1 ranked batter for the number 3. Rides his luck a bit, yes, but even with that in mind his appetite for runs and contribution in the field make him the first picked player in this team.
4. Steve Smith - much like Marnus, you can't look past Smudge. Runs, runs and more runs, and has taken 150 catches as well.
5. Travis Head - after a slightly underwhelming tour of the subcontinent, Head has been back to his best and making runs for fun. Argument he could move back to six to make room for someone at 5, but either way he's a lock in what is a very strong combined batting lineup.
6. Cameron Green - yet to have a real breakout with bat in hand, he is nevertheless a very solid number six, averaging 35 and batting with rare discipline and concentration. His ability with the ball opens up so many options for what is a very strong combined bowling lineup.
7. Alex Carey - another tight one, with Verreynne one of South Africa's best performers so far, but Carey's form since the Karachi pool with both bat and gloves gives him the edge.
8. Mitch Starc - arguably in career best form of late, his development of the cross seam variation gives him much needed flexibility when the ball stops swinging. This gives him the edge over South African strike bowlers like Rabada, who is immense when the ball is moving but struggles on flatter pitches, or Nortje, who relies on raw pace and grit but lacks craft. Starc continues to improve, he has probably been Australia's best bowler this summer, and he's capable of providing handy lower order runs as well.
9. Pat Cummins - 9 is probably a little high in the order for Cummins, whose batting has dropped of markedly. Nevertheless, Captain Cummins continues to perform with ball in hand, his game developing even further to bring bowled and LBW more prominently to his repertoire of wicket-taking methods.
10. Nathan Lyon - Spin is definitely Australia's relative strength versus South Africa in the bowling department. Maharaj is not the first spinner to struggle in Australian conditions, he is a solid Test spinner, but the GOAT takes the biscuits this time.
11. Scott Boland - with a Test bowling average of 12 and a strike rate of 33, Boland consistently delivers. His record is no fluke, and simply cannot be overlooked.
12th man. Josh Hazlewood - well in a combined team of such quality attacks, 12th man naturally has to be a bowler. You could make arguments for any of them, but the fact is the only reason Hazlewood isn't playing is because of injury. His record and consistency across conditions, his ability to play the miserly workhorse or the aggressive strike bowler gives him the edge as the spare bowler.
So what do we think? Clearly a very strong side, that bowling attack, including 12th man, has 4 bowlers with 200+ wickets and 2 bowlers with over 300!
I guess it's to be expected when you combine two titans of Test cricket, but this team would surely prove difficult to beat anywhere in the world.
