The key facts

  • Gerald Coetzee will replace the injured Anrich Nortje in South Africa's line-up for the third Test against Australia at Newlands
  • Australia will announce its team only on match day and is awaiting a decision on Steve Smith, who is recovering from a neck injury
  • South Africa captain Temba Bavuma called Coetzee the 'closest thing to a like-for-like replacement' for Nortje

Coetzee to replace Nortje in the decisive match

Fast bowler Gerald Coetzee will replace his injured compatriot Anrich Nortje in the South Africa squad for the decisive third Test against Australia, which begins on Tuesday at Newlands, the AFP agency reported, citing the pre-match press conference of the South African captain Temba Bavuma.

The 'enforcer' in the attack

At a press conference on Monday, South Africa captain Temba Bavuma called Coetzee the 'closest thing to a like-for-like replacement' for Nortje. Like Nortje, Coetzee can bowl at speeds of up to 150 km/h, and, like Nortje, he has missed long stretches due to injuries caused by those high speeds. Nortje played in the first two Tests after a three-year break but was ruled out of the third match with a groin injury. Coetzee last played for the Test side two years ago, though last month he featured in two of the three one-day internationals between South Africa and Australia.

Balance of the attack and Australia's changes

Bavuma stressed that it was about the 'balance of the attack': in his words, Coetzee and the medium-paced Wiaan Mulder add different strengths to the pairing of Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen. 'Gerald brings extra pace. You need someone in the enforcer role who can take a wicket when the pitch is flat,' the captain said. Mulder made important breakthroughs in the second Test, which South Africa won by an innings and 31 runs, bowling with tight control.

Questions over Steve Smith

Australia will delay naming its XI until the morning of the match, but is expected to make changes to the batting line-up. Opener Nic Maddinson has been dropped after three failures in four innings. Matt Renshaw, named player of the match in Australia's 214-run win in the first Test, will return to his usual opening position after batting at number five in the first two Tests. Australia captain Pat Cummins said Cameron Green will return to the middle order after recovering from an abdominal injury, and Steve Smith will be given 'every chance' to recover from the neck injury that hampered him in the second Test in Gqeberha. On Sunday Smith only did light throwing, and his participation depended on how he felt on Tuesday after a more thorough assessment on Monday. 'Hopefully it all goes well and he'll be out there,' Cummins said.

Why it matters

The decisive third Test will determine the outcome of the entire series, so the replacement of one of the leading fast bowlers and the uncertainty over key batter Smith directly affect both teams' chances. For fans, the practical takeaway is that Australia's line-up will only be known on the morning of the match, and Smith's participation will remain in doubt until the last moment.