Richard Mann looks ahead to the series finale between South Africa and Australia and is wishing Morne Morkel a happy retirement.
Recommended bets: South Africa v Australia, fourth Test
1pt Peter Handscomb Top Australian first innings batsman at 7/1
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As the ball-tampering scandal continues to rage on, Australia – minus Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft – must try to re-focus on cricket as they face a rampant South Africa in the series finale in Johannesburg on Friday morning.
The Proteas head into the fourth Test with a 2-1 lead having recovered from their drubbing in Durban to win handsomely in Port Elizabeth and Cape Town and are now 4/9 with Sky Bet to finish the series in style.
Unfortunately, this series will be remembered for all the wrong reasons as the headlines have continued to be made by incidents of poor player behaviour and bad relations between the two sides.
This is a crying shame because some of the cricket on show has been both high-class and enthralling; two fine attacks bowling with pace and no-less skill with only the very best batsmanship able to thrive.
AB de Villiers’ unbeaten hundred in Port Elizabeth was surely one of the most memorable in recent times, an innings of rare genius, and it is hoped that such moments can stand taller and shine brighter than the desperately ugly image of cricket that is currently being portrayed around the world.
Since Durban, South Africa have been the much better team – Kagiso Rabada has been hostile and brilliant, leading a wonderfully-balanced attack that has exposed a brittle Australian batting line up in a way that England weren’t able to do in the Ashes.
Their own batting hasn’t been quite as strong – Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis have both struggled for form - but any line up with de Villiers in there can overcome most issues and the latter has enjoyed fine support from openers Dean Elgar and Aiden Markram.
With Steve Smith not firing and Shaun Marsh continuing to frustrate, the visitors have been unable to post the big scores required.
The opening pair of Warner and Bancroft have, generally, provided solid starts and have both enjoyed fair tours with the bat, the former making two fifties at an average of 36.16 with the latter also making two half-centuries at an average of 37.16.
However, neither has been able to pass three figures and the 96 made by Mitchell Marsh in the first Test remains the highest score by an Australian in the series.
It is hard to crab their bowling attack, which remains one of the best in cricket, but they have yet to find a remedy to de Villiers and spearhead Mitchell Starc continues to leak runs when unable to get the ball moving laterally.
As previously mentioned, Australia will head to Johannesburg with a makeshift batting line up - Matt Renshaw and Joe Burns are expected to open with Peter Handscomb most likely to take the middle-order slot vacated by Smith – and the rookies will have their mettle tested with the likes of Rabada and Vernon Philander smelling blood.
As alluded to here earlier in the week, head-coach Darren Lehmnann remains under extreme pressure, despite being cleared by Cricket Australia of any wrongdoing in the ball-tempering scandal, and he has a monumental job in his hands to lift his side ahead of Friday’s game.
I am expecting South Africa to win again, but the current odds make little appeal, with a more interesting betting proposition coming in the top Australian first innings batsman market.
With the news that Smith and Warner have been banned for 12 months, and Bancroft nine, the returning trio of Renshaw, Burns and Handscomb will rightly see this Test match as a golden opportunity to stake their claims for a long run in the side.
With the selectors, somewhat surprisingly, continuing to ignore the impressive claims of South Australian Callum Ferguson, the aforementioned trio will know that a telling contribution here could give them the opportunity to make an early push to be part of the 2019 Ashes squad in England.
All three will be hungry for runs but the openers are unlikely to enjoy any let up from this South African seam attack, especially against the new ball, and I prefer the chances of Handscomb at 7/1.
A strong player off the back foot, particularly square of the wicket, Handscomb lost his place in the side having struggled in the opening two Tests of the Ashes.
Nevertheless, he began his international career by making a glut of runs and despite his Ashes troubles, still averages an impressive 47.35 in Tests, with two hundreds and four fifties.
Not always the prettiest, Handscomb has built a strong career by being highly effective and tough runs are the only runs South Africa are likely to grant Australia this week.
The final word must to go Morne Morkel who went past 300 Test match wickets in Cape Town - also claiming five dismissals in the second innings - and will play his last game for South Africa on Friday.
While cricket has been seen at its worst in the last week or so, Morkel has always projected quite the opposite image, playing the game hard but always in the right spirit.
A wholehearted fast bowler; quick, tall, hostile and very smart, Morkel is a throwback to great West Indian bowlers of years gone by and has been so much more than an understudy to Dale Steyn.
Despite being a giant of a man and a fearsome proposition for batsmen all round the world, Morkel has always proven to be a gentleman on and off the field.
His warm words for Alistair Cook after enjoying much the better of their battles last summer were measured and modest and despite his achievements, he has remained humble and very proud to pull on the Proteas shirt.
Morne, you will be missed.
Posted at 1330 GMT on 28/03/18.
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