Cameron Green has sat out Australia’s main red-ball warm-up in South Africa with an abdominal strain, while former Proteas captain Neil Brand peeled off 152 for a Cricket South Africa Invitational XI on day one in Potchefstroom.
The hosts reached 7-318 at stumps on Saturday in the two-day match, which does not have first-class status, after Australia bowled first by agreement. The first Test starts at Kingsmead in Durban on Friday, 9 October (6:30pm AEDT).
Green in considerable doubt for Durban
Green did not take the field, and cricket.com.au‘s Louis Cameron reported the all-rounder is “in considerable doubt for the first Test” after straining his abdomen. Fox Sports also listed Green as in doubt.
Opener Matthew Renshaw also missed the field and faced throwdowns in the nets instead. Fox Sports reported he is expected to be fine to open the batting in Durban after being struck during the ODI series.
Back-up wicketkeeper Sam Harper, a late call-up to the Test squad as cover for the injured Josh Inglis, ran drinks after flying in from the Australia A series in India.
Brand cashes in
Brand, 30, captained an understrength South Africa Test side in New Zealand in 2024. He faced 174 balls and hit 16 fours and five sixes, according to Fox Sports, including 48 runs from 17 balls late in the day as Beau Webster copped the brunt.
Steve Smith dropped him at mid-wicket on 66, the only chance he offered, before Travis Head held a catch at deep square leg off Webster with the last ball of the day.
“There’s a lot of heroes in that team there for me, so it’s nice to play against them,” Brand said, per cricket.com.au.
Pat Cummins used 11 bowlers and sent down eight overs himself for 1-31. Nathan Lyon took 1-31 from 14 overs and Matthew Kuhnemann 1-46 from 12, as Australia weigh up playing both spinners on a Kingsmead pitch tipped to turn.
Australia’s top order gets its chance to bat when the match resumes on Sunday, local time.
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