South Africa Eye Series win against Australia

Adelaide: Australia will attempt to prevent the rampant South Africans from claiming an unprecedented series clean sweep at home when their day-night Test at Adelaide begins on Thursday.

The home side heads into the third Test on the back of a 177-run loss in Perth in the first and an innings-and-80-run loss in Hobart, with Australia bundled out for 85 in the first innings.

Thereafter, it made six changes to the side including -- the English-born Matt Renshaw, Peter Handscomb and Nic Maddinson – to make their debuts, in a bid to arrest a sequence of five consecutive defeats in Tests, stretching back to the 3-0 loss in Sri Lanka.

There were also recalls for Chadd Sayers and Jackson Bird, the pacemen, along with Matthew Wade, the wicketkeeper-batsman.

Skipper Steve Smith on Wednesday insisted he was excited rather than daunted as a drastically reshaped Australia look to avoid their first ever home Test series whitewash against rampant South Africa.

Australia's cull after two Test thrashings has extended to five changes to the starting team for the day-night third Test in Adelaide, including three debutants.

Smith is looking for stability and continuity as the new team face the prospect of a rare sixth straight Test defeat, including their 3-0 reverse in Sri Lanka.

South Africa will fancy its chances though, particularly with its pace attack, comprising Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada and Kyle Abbott, more than capable of moving the pink ball around in conducive conditions under lights at the Adelaide Oval.

Although the side was also beaten by 53 runs by a Victorian XI in its 50-over warm-up game with the pink ball, Hashim Amla’s unbeaten 81 in that game was a highlight among the batsmen.

Teams:

Australia (XI): David Warner, Matt Renshaw, Usman Khawaja, Steven Smith (capt), Peter Handscomb, Nic Maddinson, Matthew Wade (wk), Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon and Jackson Bird.

South Africa (from): Stephen Cook, Dean Elgar, Hashim Amla, JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis (capt), Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock, Vernon Philander, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Kyle Abbott, Morne Morkel.

Stats and trivia

• It will be only the second day-night Test in Australia after the home side thrillingly beat New Zealand by three wickets within three days in Adelaide last year.
• This will be the 12th consecutive Test in which Australia have used a different XI from their previous match.
• Last time a team whitewashed Australia in Australia was 1887, when England did it in a two-Test series.

Match facts
24-28 November 2016 (day/night)
Start time 1400 local (0330 GMT)