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With the series delicately poised at one-all, England and South Africa take the centre-stage as they face each other in the third Test, starting this Thursday. While the hosts began their cricketing season with a thumping win at the Centurion, England came back with a stunning performance of their won in the second Test.
Both teams have gotten a fair idea of their one another which adds more spice to this Test match. Although they have momentum on their side, England will be considered slight favourites with Rory Burns and James Anderson's injuries hurting them. With an unassailable lead up for the taking, South Africa will hope for their stars to turn up and deal the killer blow at St. George's Park. Here are a few tips to help you pick your Dream11 team for SA vs ENG.
Squads to choose from:
South Africa:
Faf du Plessis (C), Dean Elgar, Pieter Malan, Zubayr Hamza, Rassie van der Dussen, Quinton de Kock, Andile Phehlukwayo, Vernon Philander, Dwaine Pretorius, Beuran Hendricks, Keshav Maharaj, Anrich Nortje, Dane Paterson, Kagiso Rabada, Keegan Petersen
England:
Joe Root (C), Zak Crawley, Dominic Sibley, Joe Denly, Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer, James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Chris Woakes, Sam Curran, Matthew Parkinson, Craig Overton, Dom Bess, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler, Rory Burns, Ollie Pope, Mark Wood and Jack Leach.
Playing XI Updates
South Africa:
No changes are expected from the South African camp in spite of a disappointing loss in their previous game. Their openers, Elgar and Malan showed a lot of grit and determination in Cape Town which bodes well for them although the form of Zubayr Hamza and Faf du Plessis is a cause for concern. However, Quinton de Kock has starred with the bat with two fifties in the series and has been ably complemented by Rassie van der Dussen as well. Their bowling attack has a lot of experience with Vernon Philander sharing the new ball with Kagiso Rabada. Anrich Nortje has been very impressive in this series and will be one to watch out for in this Test.
Possible XI: Malan, Elgar, Hamza, du Plessis(C), van der Dussen, de Kock (WK), Pretorius, Philander, Rabada, Maharaj and Nortje.
England:
England has had a torrid time in this tour with several players being diagnosed with illness. Although Joe Root is said to be dealing with an illness concern, he should be fit enough for this game. While the batting unit should remain unchanged, Jofra Archer is set to come into the side after missing the previous game.
With James Anderson's injury vacating a spot, Jofra Archer should return to use the new ball alongside Stuart Broad. Sam Curran and Ben Stokes have done well with the ball with Dom Bess holding up one end nicely. Ollie Pope and Jos Buttler are also in decent knick while Dominic Sibley's maiden hundred should give him a lot of confidence heading into this game. With a well-rounded team in their midst, England will surely fancy their chances of a series-defining win.
Possible XI: Sibley, Crawley, Denly, Root(C), Stokes, Buttler (WK), Pope, Curran, Broad, Archer and Bess.
Match Details:
England vs South Africa, 3rd Test
16th January 2020, 1:30 PM IST
St. George's Park, Port Elizabeth
Pitch Report:
A similar pitch to that at the Centurion is expected at this venue with the pacers expected to enjoy the conditions. While the batsmen will also find value for the shots as the game progresses, the bowlers will hold the key. Either side will look to bat first upon winning the toss with spin also expected to play a part in the latter half of the Test.
Dream11 fantasy tips and suggestions:
Wicket-keeper: Quinton de Kock is the preferred wicket-keeper in the fantasy side although Jos Buttler is a viable option as well. de Kock is the highest run-scorer from the South Africans in this series with 199 runs with two fifties to his name. With the South African bowlers inducing edges from the English batsmen on a consistent basis, de Kock should earn vital fantasy points with the gloves as well.
Batsmen: Dominic Sibley and Dean Elgar are great candidates for this game with either of them in good form. While Sibley scored his maiden hundred in the previous Test, Elgar's returns of 88 and 34 hold him in good stead as well. Although Faf du Plessis isn't in the best of forms, his ability to churn out runs is second to none in the South African side. He should prove to be a great pick while Joe Root could also be picked depending on the credits available.
Allrounders: 2019 ICC Player of the Year, Ben Stokes put in a man-of-the-match performance in the previous Test with a fifty and couple of wickets as well to his name. Considering his recent form, one can expect another good performance from the star all-rounder. Along with Stokes, Sam Curran and Dwaine Pretorius are viable picks as well with both of them capable of making a difference with bat and ball. Joe Denly, who has shone in glimpses in the series, is a viable alternative to Sam Curran if one were to prefer a batting all-rounder.
Bowlers: With James Anderson being unavailable for this game, the returning Jofra Archer is a must-have in the side along with South African spearhead, Kagiso Rabada. Rabada is the leading wicket-taker in the series with 12 scalps and should pick at least five wickets in this game. Fellow South African pacer, Anrich Nortje is also in decent form and should complement Rabada with his ability to trouble batsmen with extra bounce and pace. One of Stuart Broad or Dom Bess should suffice as the final bowling option in the fantasy team.
Captain: Quinton de Kock has scored a fifty in both Tests so far and looks to be in fine touch. Another such performance is on the cards from the South African wicket-keeper as he is preferred for the multiplier options along with Ben Stokes. While Rabada is due for a big performance with the ball and can be picked as captain or vice-captain, Dominic Sibley could also fit the bill.
Dream11 Fantasy Teams
Fantasy Suggestion #1: Quinton de Kock, Jos Buttler, Dominic Sibley, Dean Elgar, Faf du Plessis, Ben Stokes, Sam Curran, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje and Jofra Archer. Captain: Ben Stokes, Vice-Captain: Quinton de Kock
Fantasy Suggestion #2: Quinton de Kock, Dominic Sibley, Dean Elgar, Rassie van der Dussen, Ben Stokes, Joe Denly, Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Stuart Broad and Jofra Archer. Captain: Kagiso Rabada, Vice-Captain: Ben Stokes
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