Best odds & betting tips for Australia vs. Sth Africa, 1st ODI

11:20am AWST Sunday, November 4 at Perth Stadium

This is the first time Australia and South Africa have met since the ball-tampering scandal earlier this year.

The hosts have lost some big names as a result of that saga, namely Steve Smith and David Warner.

The man who skipped in their absence, Tim Paine, is also out of the equation.

Aaron Finch is the new captain of the ODI team, with Alex Carey taking up both the gloves and a share of the vice-captaincy.

Mitchell Marsh is sitting out this series after a tough tour against Pakistan, but Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood are back after injury layoffs.

Also in the mix are Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis, neither of whom made the trip to the UAE.

There are two notable absentees from South Africa’s touring party.

The Aussies won’t have to fret about AB de Villiers, who announced his retirement from international cricket in May.

In even better news for the home side, Hashim Amla will miss the series as he recovers from a finger tendon injury.

Even so, Faf du Plessis has plenty of top-drawer talent at his disposal.

Dale Steyn and Kagiso Rabada make up the deadliest new-ball partnership in world cricket, while leg-spinner Imran Tahir is a known threat in the shorter formats.

Quinton de Kock is a one-man show at the top of a batting order that also includes Aiden Markram, Farhaan Berhardien and David Miller.

Several of those big names were in attendance when the Proteas went down to the Prime Minister’s XI on Wednesday.

Aaron Finch odds and betting tips

Man of the match	+700	+500	+800
Top Australia batsman	+300	+250	+260
To score 50	+165	+175	+140
To score 100	+450	–	–

With no Smith and no Warner to contend with, Finch is Australia’s standout option in the top batsman betting markets.

The Victorian had a rotten Twenty20 series in the UAE, but he was one of the few who contributed in both Test matches against Pakistan.

Leadership sits well with Finch, who has skipped the Melbourne Renegades with aplomb in the T20 Big Bash League.

He is also the kind of player who is most dangerous after a run of low scores, especially when facing the white ball.

Back him to top score for the Aussies and keep him in mind for the Man of the Match award.

Best bets for top wicket-taker

Mitchell Starc – $3.50 at Sportsbet

Starc was nowhere near his best in the recent UAE tour, but he is a different beast in limited-overs cricket. If he finds his rhythm and a little bit of movement, the New South Welshman could have some fun with a South African batting lineup that looks a wee bit lighter than usual.

Kagiso Rabada – $3.75 at BetEasy

This guy is a jet and everybody knows it. Speed and aggression are Rabada’s forte, but it is the control and subtle variation in his bowling that make him world class. If there is any pace and bounce in the pitch, he will be very tough to face early on.

Australia vs. South Africa betting predictions

The Aussies were no good in the UAE, but the Proteas didn’t look much better in their midweek tour game. With questions over both batting lineups, it may come down to which bowling attack does the business. The likes of Cummins and Hazlewood don’t have much cricket under their belts, so South Africa might be the play at decent value.

South Africa to win – $2.22 at Sportsbet

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