Australia hands debut to Edwards and fields in the first ODI against South Africa

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DURBAN, South Africa (AP) — Australian all-rounder Jack Edwards made his ODI debut as captain Mitchell Marsh won the toss and elected to field in the first game of the three-match series against South Africa on Thursday.

Australia is coming into the series on the back of its 3-0 clean sweep in the ODI series in Zimbabwe, but hasn’t won a bilateral series against South Africa since 2014.

The 26-year-old Edwards is a seam bowling allrounder and has played one T20 against Pakistan earlier this year in Lahore.

All-rounder Cameron Green missed the series against Zimbabwe but was included in the playing XI after recovering from shoulder injury.

South Africa is battling with a lengthy injury list with four of its frontline bowlers including Kagiso Rabada and Kwena Maphaka ruled out of the series due to hamstring injuries.

Skipper Temba Bavuma, who would have fielded had he won the toss, said injuries meant that it will be test of “South Africa’s depth” in the bowling department.

Fast bowler Gerald Coetzee is making a comeback to ODIs after more than three years since last playing at the 2023 World Cup with Marco Jansen leading the pace attack.

South Africa also included two specialist spinner Bjorn Fortuin and Keshav Maharaj with the tacky wicket expected to suit slow bowlers later in the game.

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Teams:

South Africa: Quinton de Kock, Tony de Zorzi, Temba Bavuma (captain), Matthew Breetzke, Ryan Rickelton, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Gerald Coetzee, Bjorn Fortuin, Keshav Maharaj.

Australia: Travis Head, 2 Mitchell Marsh (captain), Cooper Connolly, Josh Inglis, 5 Matt Renshaw, Cameron Green, Jack Edwards, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood.

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