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Allrounder Harmanpreet Kaur has been named captain of the India women’s T20 team and will lead the side in the home series against West Indies and the Asia Cup T20 tournament in Thailand next month. Mithali Raj, meanwhile, will continue to lead the side in the home ODIs against West Indies, which starts on November 10, and will play as a batsman in the Asia Cup and the T20s.Harmanpreet has captained India in three ODIs and six T20Is. Her previous stint in charge of a full series was at home against Bangladesh women in 2012-13 after Raj was rested. Harmanpreet’s last appearance as captain in a T20I was in March 2014, when she stood in for Raj in the third match of the side’s tour to Bangladesh, prior to the Women’s World T20.Allrounder Mona Meshram, legspinner Devika Vaidya and left-arm spinner Ekta Bisht were recalled to the squad for the West Indies ODIs, which also includes uncapped seamer Sukanya Parida. While Meshram last played for India in April 2013, Vaidya is uncapped in ODIs, having played one T20I for the side in November 2014. Bisht had missed the home ODIs against Sri Lanka earlier this year.The T20 squad for the West Indies matches and the Asia Cup includes uncapped seamers Sabbhineni Meghana and Mansi Joshi, and wicketkeeper-batsman Nuzhat Parween, along with Preeti Bose, who played her sole ODI in February 2016 against Sri Lanka women. The only change in the two T20 teams is the inclusion of wicketkeeper Sushma Verma for the Asia Cup at the expense of offspinner Deepti Sharma.The ODI series against West Indies will be played between November 10 and 16, followed by the T20I series from November 18. The three ODIs will be counted for points in the ICC Women’s Championship and are the last matches for the teams in the tournament. West Indies, currently placed third, will look to confirm their automatic qualification for the 2017 Women’s World Cup with a finish in the top four, while India, currently sixth, are likely to finish in the bottom half of the table.The six-team Asia Cup will be played from November 27 to December 5, and will feature Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Thailand and Nepal.India squad for WI ODIs: Mithali Raj (capt), Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, Thirush Kamini, Mona Meshram, Veda Krishnamurthy, Devika Vaidya, Sushma Verma (wk), Jhulan Goswami, Shikha Pandey, Sukanya Parida, Poonam Yadav, Ekta Bisht, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Deepti SharmaSquad for WI T20Is: Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Smriti Mandhana, Mithali Raj, Sabbhineni Meghana, Vellaswamy Vanitha, Anuja Patil, Deepti Sharma, Nuzhat Parween (wk), Ekta Bisht, Poonam Yadav, Preeti Bose, Veda Krishnamurthy, Jhulan Goswami, Shikha Pandey, Mansi JoshiSquad for Asia Cup: Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Smriti Mandhana, Mithali Raj, Sabbhineni Meghana, Vellaswamy Vanitha, Anuja Patil, Veda Krishnamurthy, Sushma Verma (wk), Nuzhat Parween, Poonam Yadav, Ekta Bisht, Preeti Bose, Jhulan Goswami, Shikha Pandey, Mansi Joshi

The Wanderers pitch has by no means given an all-clear even though the Test is set to continue after the umpires took the teams off 19 minutes before stumps on day three. The umpires will remain on alert for any other behaviour they might consider dangerous to the safety of the players.The pitch has had extravagant bounce and seam movement throughout, but on day three the umpires were worried about players’ safety. After meetings between the match officials and the captains, and possibly consultation with the ICC, the match referee decided to continue play on day four. ESPNcricinfo understands this was more deferring the decision to the next morning so they could sleep over the decision, understand the ramifications of it, including other sanctions and the fact that India had already courageously fought their way with the bat on this pitch, and hope the pitch settles down on day four. Despite all these considerations, the match referee will not compromise the safety of the players. If it continues to behave dangerously, the match could still be called off.The officials could afford to buy the overnight time because they were losing only 19 minutes. There’s no telling how it might have panned out if a batsman had been hit on the head at, say half past three and not 11 minutes before 5pm. The delivery that led to the suspension of play was a short-pitched delivery from Jasprit Bumrah, which hit Dean Elgar on the helmet, but the umpires had been concerned all day with balls rearing off a length and hitting the batsmen in the ribs, gloves, and thighs.The first time the match officials spoke to the teams about the state of the pitch was during the tea break on day three. According to India’s manager Sunil Subramaniam, the umpires’ concern was that the new ball could behave dangerously. While India’s second innings lasted only one ball with the second new ball, Elgar was hit four times in 8.3 overs of bowling with the new ball in South Africa’s innings.In the captain’s meeting with the match referee, India – in a great position to win the Test and after having braved this difficult pitch – made it clear there was no way they wanted the match to stop. The South Africa manager said they told the match referee they were not going to comment whether the pitch was safe or not, but they were happy to play if the officials deemed the pitch to be safe. The eventual decision still rests with the match referee. There is provision in the law that they could attempt to repair the pitch, if possible, to see if the match can continue, but it can’t be done if it disadvantages one of the teams, which in this case will be India’s fate. So that route is unlikely to be taken.The pitch has come in for harsh criticism from experts and former cricketers covering this series, with Michael Holding calling it a “s**t pitch”, one he would rate 2 on 100.

Big Picture

Neither of these teams hit their straps during the T20 tri-series, clinching a win apiece, with New Zealand edging into the final then underwhelming with the bat. But this series is a meeting between two confident 50-over outfits. England have had a week to dust themselves down from the T20 setbacks – which has included a couple of days off – and readjust their sights back to the format which is becoming their calling card, while New Zealand have eight victories on the bounce this season.Whenever these sides meet the conversation quickly turns to England’s humiliation at the 2015 World Cup – particularly the shredding in Wellington – and the conversation that ensued between Eoin Morgan and Brendon McCullum, which persuaded the England captain there was only one way to go in 50-over cricket. There was no saving that tournament, but since then England have blazed a trail. It’s a narrative that is likely to be revisited over the next couple of weeks.Thoughts are now turning towards the next World Cup, starting in 15 months in England. There is still time for some tinkering if it’s required, but teams will want to start having a firm idea of the 15 they will use at the tournament. Both teams are probably not far from that position already.There is one notable addition to the England squad from last month with the return of Ben Stokes. Away from the debate about whether he should be on the tour or not, who makes way for his return will be one of the intriguing aspects of the series.West Indies and Pakistan were disappointing opposition earlier in New Zealand’s season, while Australia hit a post-Ashes wall (and picked the wrong side) against England last month. This series promises a more compelling tussle.Ben Stokes bowls in the nets•Getty Images

Form guide

(last five completed matches, most recent first)
New Zealand WWWWW
England WLWWW

In the spotlight

Apart from Ben Stokes, okay? Jason Roy started the one-day series in Australia with a bang, his 180 in Melbourne setting a new record for England, but since then his top score has been 49 including three single-figure scores in the T20 tri-series. Yes, mixing formats when looking at statistics is not really the done thing, but it’s all a little hit-or-miss for Roy at the moment. He appears safe despite Stokes’ return and the top-order rejig required, but a significant score early in the series wouldn’t go amiss.This is an important series for Tom Latham who has yet to nail down the wicketkeeper-batsman role, a position New Zealand are struggling to fill in both white-ball formats since the retirement of Luke Ronchi. This season his top score is 37 in seven ODI innings – off the back of a very productive series in India – but he has been given the backing of selector Gavin Larsen (his wicketkeeping has been tidy) and this New Zealand set-up likes to give players an extended run. Still, they won’t want uncertainty over a key position leading into the World Cup.

Team news

Quick bowler Lockie Ferguson has been released from the squad to play in Saturday’s Ford Trophy final for Auckland. Mitchell Santner (knee) and Todd Astle (side) have carried recent injuries with Astle’s still providing the more pressing concern. If he isn’t fit then Ish Sodhi would slot into the side.New Zealand 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Colin Munro, 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Tom Latham (wk), 6 Henry Nicholls, 7 Colin de Grandhomme, 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Todd Astle, 10 Tim Southee, 11 Trent BoultBarring a late reaction to his workload, Stokes will return. That means a batsman making way, as England revert to six main bowlers, with Alex Hales seemingly the most vulnerable. Tom Curran and David Willey are likely to contest the final pace-bowling slot with Craig Overton having to wait for his chance.England 1 Jason Roy, 2 Jonny Bairstow, 3 Joe Root, 4 Eoin Morgan (capt), 5 Ben Stokes, 6 Jos Buttler (wk), 7 Moeen Ali, 8 Chris Woakes, 9 Adil Rashid, 10 Tom Curran, 11 Mark Wood

Pitch and conditions

It will be a used surface and is expected to get slower as the match progresses. Seddon Park is a venue where spin can come to the fore, although that can be countered by evening dew making the toss a tricky decision. Last year, Martin Guptill plundered 180 off 138 balls to chase down 280 against South Africa with five overs to spare. The forecast for the afternoon and evening is good.

Stats and trivia

• England have won eight of their last nine bilateral ODI series
• Ross Taylor needs 37 runs to reach 7000 in ODIs; Kane Williamson needs 23 to reach 5000 – if he does it in this match the New Zealand captain will be joint fourth-fastest to 5000 runs equal with Brian Lara
• England have lost both their ODIs at this venue: a 10-wicket trouncing in 2008 and a much tighter three-wicket loss in 2013.

Quotes

“They went a long stretch of winning one-day international cricket so they are a strong side particularly at home and we are going to have reproduce similar performances or better than we produced in Australia to win the series.”
“I think we park the T20 for now and focus on a lot of the good one-day cricket we’ve been playing. The plans are fairly different so it’s important we go back to that. We know it’s a tough challenge in England.”

The South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA) have confirmed that 10 out of 17 players contracted to the Cobras franchise seek the removal of coach Paul Adams and will ask the Council for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) to intervene. The dispute resolution body cannot make a binding order but will seek to mediate between the parties.The players’ grievances, which were formally recorded in May this year, have been specified for the first time in a SACA release but none of the players have been named. The players claim to have experienced a “a fundamental loss of confidence in the coach’s ability to lead the coaching of the team,” and “his inability to create an effective team culture, poor communication and man management skills, lack of tactical and technical knowledge and disorganisation in running proper practice and training sessions” as the reason for them seeking his removal.The players claim this has been the case since Adams took over four years ago, even though he has won five trophies in four seasons with the franchise. “According to the players the coach’s shortcomings back then were compensated for by the role played by senior players at the time and the situation has got progressively worse,” Tony Irish, SACA CEO said.In December last year, a player survey revealed the breakdown of the relationship but the players said the issues went unaddressed. Adams underwent a leadership course over the winter in an effort to improve his coaching skills. When the players learned of the Western Cape Cricket Board’s (WCC) intention to renew Adams’ contract in May, 10 players raised formal grievances while others supported the action. “We also know that players outside of the 10 sympathise with the grievance although have not put their names to it,” Irish said.An internal process was put in place to deal with the situation which culminated in the appointment of Paddy Upton as a mediator. Upton interviewed players and compiled a report which, in Irish’s words, “made a clear recommendation to the parties that the coach should stand down from the team, and be re-deployed in a different capacity if possible.” The Cobras chose not to implement that because they found material deficiencies in Upton’s report: he did not interview all their contracted players. SACA and the players reject this as a valid reason for ignoring Upton’s assessment.”We and the players concerned strongly disagree with this suggestion of the report’s deficiency. Upton was brought in to get an understanding of the grievance and to assist in resolving it, and he was specifically empowered to use whatever approach he deemed appropriate in doing so. He looked at the documentation, including the surveys, interviewed the individuals he considered relevant and produced a thorough report with a clear recommendation to the parties,” Irish said.The players remain firm in their demand that Upton’s suggestion is upheld and Adams stands down. The CCMA will take at least a month to complete proceedings and until then, it will be business as usual at the Cobras with Adams in charge. The squad has been in training and will kick off their season next Wednesday with a first-class fixture against Lions in Johannesburg.”The players care about the Cobras team and its ability to perform going forward. They are however extremely frustrated by the way their very legitimate concerns, which were clearly evident over nine months ago, have been dealt with and the length of time it has taken. They want the franchise to address the issue further,” Irish said.

ScorecardHamidullah Qadri. Remember the name•DerbyshireCCC

Derbyshire’s Hamidullah Qadri made history on the opening day of the Specsavers County Championship clash with Glamorgan.Qadri, 16, became the first player born in the year 2000 to play in county cricket as Derbyshire were bowled out for 288 in the Division Two day-night fixture.No 11 Qadri came out to bat under the lights and survived being bowled off a no ball as he made an unbeaten 11, aiding a Derbyshire recovery that saw 131 runs added for the last three wickets.Derbyshire lost their first wicket in the fourth over when Luis Reece was lbw to Timm van der Gugten but Wayne Madsen (70) and Billy Godleman (34) added 98 for the second wicket.Van der Gugten broke the partnership when Madsen (70) edged one to the wicketkeeper and Godleman followed when a rare attempt at an expansive shot resulted in another catch for Chris Cooke behind the stumps.Marchant de Lange had Gary Wilson caught behind before Graham Wagg claimed two wickets in successive overs when Alex Hughes was lbw and Jeevan Mendis was caught low down at second slip by Nick Selman.With the penultimate ball before the second break, Derbyshire lost their seventh wicket when Tom Taylor became Van der Gugten’s third victim and Cooke’s fourth when he was caught behind.Derbyshire recovered in the evening session, with Daryn Smit and Tom Milnes adding 66 for the eighth wicket before Smit picked out gully off De Lange.Milnes reached his half-century before edging behind to Cooke off Michael Hogan, who ended the innings by having Tony Palladino caught at mid-off, but Derbyshire would have been pleased by their recovery.

The absence of Rising Pune Supergiant, the runner-up in the last IPL, has given rise to an interesting challenge for the tournament organsiers, who have not yet announced the final schedule for the 2018 edition. The IPL has only said that the tournament will commence on April 7 in Mumbai, which will also host the final on May 27.Usually, the eliminator and the second qualifier are held at the home venue of the runner-up in the previous season. By that token, Pune should be the automatic choice. However, ESPNcricinfo understands that some of the other state associations are lobbying to host those two play-off matches. Lucknow and Kolkata are two venues that have been pushed as potential favourites to replace Pune.In a move to eliminate rival states from staking claim, the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) president Abhay Apte sent an e-mail to the IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla on Monday, requesting that the eliminator and the second qualifier be staged in Pune as per norm.In the two-page letter, Apte noted the MCA request was only valid because the IPL had been following an “unwritten rule” of allotting the tournament opener, the Qualifier 1 and the final to the home venue of the defending champions. “For past several years we are observing a practice, which has become an unwritten rule of playing the first (tournament opener), and Qualifier 1 as well as the final match at the venue of last year’s champions and playing the Eliminator and Qualifier 2 matches at the venue of the runners up team,” Apte said in the e-mail. “Pune IPL team (Supergiant) was the runner-up during the last year’s IPL and of course the home venue was Pune. As such, the venue of the last year’s runners-up of IPL team i.e. MCA’s Gahunje, Pune should be the logical choice to stage the Eliminator and Qualifier 2 matches.”Apte pointed out that “history” could not be changed just because the Supergiant team no longer exists.Pune is also the second choice home venue for the Rajasthan Royals, who are awaiting a final verdict from the Rajasthan High Court on whether matches can be staged at the Sawai Mansingh stadium in Jaipur.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details3:42

Watch – Highlights of Karachi tripping up Islamabad

In a nutshell
For a team that won the title last year by playing their best cricket when it really mattered, this was the meekest of surrenders in the biggest of games. Islamabad United whimpered out of the tournament, failing in a chase of 127 and handing the record for the lowest total successfully defended at the PSL to Karachi Kings.Misbah-ul-Haq’s men put in a lion-hearted bowling performance, but were rather timid with the bat. On a slow and low pitch where strokeplay wasn’t entirely easy, they lost two early wickets and slipped into their shell. The attempts to consolidate in the middle overs was unconvincing, the response to unerringly accurate bowling from spinners Imad Wasim and Usama Mir was ugly, and the chastening defeat to end the defending champions’ campaign was inevitable.To think they had begun the match with back-to-back maidens. Mohammad Sami and Mohammad Irfan bowled to their strengths early on, keeping the length short and beating the batsmen for pace and bounce. No Karachi player could muster any sort of meaningful contribution. Left-arm quick Rumman Raees took three wickets in a sensational 19th over as Karachi collapsed from 122 for 5 to 126 all out.Where the game was won
Although he walked out to bat in the third over of the chase, Misbah, arguably, was in his comfort zone. He has restored calm in far more frenzied situations before. After all, the target in front of him wasn’t huge and the required-rate was barely even threatening. But, just as Islamabad began looking comfortable, Imad bowled Misbah with a special little slider and there was no looking back. Eight out of 10 Islamabad batsmen fell for single digits as the Karachi spinners Imad and Mir – with combined figures of 6 for 42 in eight overs – defied the dew in SharjahThe men that won it
When he was dismissed for 14 in the first innings, Imad had a run-in with Raees, unhappy at what he thought was unnecessary provocation from the bowler. Clearly, he needed to vent and did so against the Islamabad batting line-up, his trademark wicket-to-wicket sliders besting the defences of Misbah, Shane Watson and Nicholas Pooran and fetching him the Man-of-the-Match award.Sweet revengeKarachi’s 126 was the lowest total defended in two seasons of the PSL. They will find that particularly gratifying considering the part they had played in setting up the previous record – failing to chase 133 against Islamabad in 2016.The margin of victory – 44 – was also the largest – in terms of runs – at his year’s tournament. Meanwhile, Islamabad’s unravelling put the seal on only the second time a team has been bowled out under 100 in the PSL. The other instance took place last month when Lahore Qalandars were bundled out for 59 by Peshawar Zalmi.Moment of the matchKumar Sangakkara already has a shot at being remembered for taking the catch of the PSL when he leapt high to his right to dismiss Cameron Delport in Karachi’s match against Lahore last week. On Wednesday, he may well have bettered that effort.With Mohammad Amir bowling over the wicket, and Smith getting a thick outside edge, the only chance of a wicket seemed to rested with Chris Gayle at first slip. But he was backing away from the ball. He was forced to because Sangakkara had launched himself to his right, showing off reflexes not seen often among 39-year olds – and pulled off a one-handed screamer.It was a catch that stuck – at the very end of his webbing too – but Sangakkara deserved extra credit for having the presence of mind to bring his left hand over to steady the ball that was in his right before he hit the ground. The fact that it didn’t pop out was testament to the Karachi captain’s quick thinking under high pressure. Smith, Islamabad’s most prolific batsman in 2017, was gone for 8. Not long after, his team, too, succumbed.Where they stand
Islamabad find themselves out of the PSL. Karachi go through to the second eliminator, to face Peshawar for the right to compete in the final against Quetta Gladiators in Lahore on March 5.

ScorecardFile photo: Tom Curran delivered a matchwinning final over•Getty Images

Tom Curran kept his head in the final over to carry Surrey to a sensational two-run victory in the opening NatWest T20 Blast game of the season at Chelmsford.With Essex requiring 10 off the last six balls, and six wickets in hand, Curran claimed the key wickets of Ravi Bopara and Ashar Zaidi to claim a memorable victory.Bopara’s dismissal off the second ball of the over ended a 46-ball 75, with five sixes, that looked to have put Essex in the driving seat.Earlier Dominic Sibley thumped four sixes in a swashbuckling 61 that enabled Surrey to post a challenging total of 188 after being put in to bat.However, it had looked as though sixes from successive deliveries bowled by Jade Dernbach in the penultimate over by Bopara – one straight, the other over long leg – meant Essex needed less than two runs a ball from the final over.The first ball went for two, but Tom Curran found the extra pace to beat Bopara from the next. With five required off two balls, Curran added the scalp of Ashar Zaidi, bowled to a full-length ball. The boundary required from the final ball as beyond James Foster.Essex had reached 25 in the third over when Varun Chopra left alone a delivery from Tom Curran that pitched outside off-stump and hit middle and leg.

‘Sibley unbelievable’ – Curran

Tom Curran, Surrey: “That knock from Dom was unbelievable. He’s come in not having played a lot of T20 cricket and he’s made a great stake for a permanent place in the T20 side. I thought he batted beautifully.”

Dan Lawrence, who had hit Sam Curran straight for six, followed soon after when he swished inelegantly at the younger Curran and was caught behind for 13.Tom Westley and Ravi Bopara put on 45 for the third wicket in six overs. But Westley was undone by Scott Borthwick’s first ball, which spun in and bowled him for 23. He had earlier edged Ravi Rampaul for six backward of square and then carted Dominic Sibley over cow corner for a second.Bopara hit Jade Dernbach for a straight six, pulled Rampaul for a second and hooked Borthwick for No3 as Essex accelerated. Rampaul went for 16 from one over, Borthwick for 14 the next as Bopara and ten Doeschate made hay.Bopara scrambled a single into the offside to reach a 43-ball fifty, but the partnership was broken by Sam Curran who trapped ten Doeschate lbw on the front foot. Essex still needed 52 from 26 balls, and 25 from the last two overs.Surrey lost Jason Roy to the fourth ball of the game, lbw to one from Mohammad Amir that swung late, and wickets followed in quick succession throughout, bar a sixth-wicket stand of 55 between Dominic Sibley and Sam Curran.Replacing Amir, two of Paul Walter’s first four deliveries were wayward and signalled as wides, but his third legitimate ball arrowed past Mark Stoneman’s bat and took out middle and leg stumps.Finch had already laid into Jamie Porter with a four through midwicket and a six over long leg off successive balls, and was similarly severe on Ashar Zaidi with a four chipped to deep extra cover followed by another six into the second tier of the stand at long leg.But Zaidi had the last word in his first over, tempting Rory Burns into a reverse sweep and bowling him.Finch reached his fifty from 23 balls with his third six, slogged-pulling Zaidi high over midwicket. But four balls later, in trying to work Bopara down to third man, the Australian top-edged behind for 56.Bopara had a second wicket in his third over when Ollie Pope pulled him to the midwicket boundary where Amir leapt to catch. Surrey had lost half their batting for 86 inside 11 overs.The fifty partnership for the sixth wicket came off 28 balls, before Curran on 25 gave himself room against Walter and lost his leg stump. Sibley lost the other Curran, Tom, to an inswinger from ten Doeschate’s first ball.Sibley reached a valiant half-century from 35 balls with his fourth six, but departed for 61 when he was run out off the last ball. Borthwick had his stumps shattered from a free-hit off Walter, but James Foster had a stump out of the ground before Sibley made his ground.

Big Picture

Bangladesh’s tour is one match away from derailing. After losing by big margins in the Tests, they were expected to be more competitive in the 50-over format. But South Africa strolled to the biggest 10-wicket win in the series opener.Bangladesh haven’t been undone by pace and bounce or fire and fury, but by themselves and a South African side that has stuck to simple game plans. Therefore, it isn’t impossible to find a way out of this mess.In the Tests, Bangladesh didn’t help their cause by bowling first on batsmen-friendly surfaces. In the first ODI in Kimberley, their bowling let them down. Not only did they fail to take a wicket, they also couldn’t apply the slightest hint of pressure on Hashim Amla and Quinton de Kock. With an inexperienced seam-bowling group that isn’t getting the kind of assistance they would’ve liked, discipline should be their best option.Bangladesh’s batting is getting better and Mushfiqur Rahim’s hundred in Kimberley provided a much-needed highlight, but they can’t rely on him alone.For South Africa, things have come too easy, perhaps why it’s also difficult to judge their performances. They’d like to be pushed ahead of challenging assignments against India and Australia. New coach Ottis Gibson couldn’t have asked for a gentler landing. He may as well enjoy it while it lasts.

Form guide

South Africa: WLLWL (completed matches, most recent first)
Bangladesh: LLWLW

In the spotlight

Tamim wary of injured thigh

Even while he prepares to play on Wednesday, Tamim Iqbal is aware that his left thigh is vulnerable: another strain to the muscle could rule him out for at least two months, he said on Tuesday.
“If my fitness test goes well today, I don’t see why I can’t play tomorrow,” Tamim said. “[But] injuries need time. This is not my last match, nor is it Bangladesh’s last tour. If I get injured again [in the same spot], then I will be out for two months which I hope the team management doesn’t want and neither do I.”
He did not play the Kimberley ODI because the physio, Thihan Chandramohan, had advanced him not to, Tamim said. “I was excited to play the last but since there was pain, I took the expert’s advice. I have probably had three batting sessions in the last 15 days, which is not ideal. I am trying to get prepared mentally. But I think I am ready for it, depending on my fitness test.”

AB de Villiers was not needed with the bat and had a barely-there showing in the field on his international return after five months. He’ll be itching to get involved. More pressingly, observers will be anxious to see the effects of him giving up captaincy.Bangladesh’s bowling has been underwhelming all tour, but they can salvage something still. Success in South Africa could do wonders for someone like young Taskin Ahmed . He’s delivered in the past, against India, England and Sri Lanka. Now, it’s just a question of finding the right lengths and bringing in some consistency.

Team news

South Africa could delay experimenting, considering the series hasn’t been won yet. That means allrounder Wiaan Mulder, who was withdrawn from a first-class game to replace the injured Wayne Parnell, Temba Bavuma and Farhaan Behardien may all have to wait their turn. South Africa: 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Hashim Amla, 3 Faf du Plessis (capt) 4 AB de Villiers, 5 JP Duminy, 6 David Miller, 7 Andile Phehlukwayo, 8 Dane Paterson, 9 Dwaine Pretorius, 10 Kagiso Rabada, 11 Imran TahirBangladesh are hoping Tamim Iqbal, who couldn’t recover in time for the series opener due to a muscle strain, is fit and available. He could displace Imrul Kayes at the top of the order. However, Imrul may yet be needed if Mushfiqur Rahim, who tweaked a hamstring while scoring his hundred on Sunday, is rested. Shafiul Islam will join the side as cover for Mustafizur Rahman whose twisted ankle is likely to keep him out.Bangladesh: 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Liton Das (wk), 3 Shakib al Hasan, 4 Mushfiqur Rahim/Imrul Kayes, 5 Mahmudullah, 6 Sabbir Rahman, 7 Nasir Hossain, 8 Mashrafe Mortaza, 9 Mohammad Saifuddin, 10 Rubel Hossain, 11 Taskin Ahmed

Pitch and conditions

With only 10 ODIs played at this venue, it is one of the lesser-known grounds for teams touring South Africa. The surface tends to play slowly and occasionally takes turn. But, like Kimberley, it should hold no demons.Boland Park, the designated home venue for Stellenbosch Kings in The T20 Global League franchise, was revamped in anticipation of the now-postponed tournament. Though the new lights won’t be put to use just yet, the new stands are expected to be packed. After a drizzly build-up, match day should be fine and clear.Stats and Trivia:

• South Africa could go ahead of India on the ODI rankings with a 2-0 series lead.
• Boland Park has not hosted an ODI in more than four years. New Zealand was the last oveseas side to play here, in January 2013.
• The average score batting first is 258. Only two teams have scored more than 300 here: India and South Africa against Kenya and Sri Lanka respectively.

Quotes

“The bowlers haven’t fulfilled expectations on this tour but it doesn’t mean they can’t do it tomorrow.”
Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal