Stung by two humiliating defeats in Perth and Hobart, the hosts have made six changes for the day-night third Test
in a bid to stop the rot and fight off South Africa’s quest to become the first touring team to sweep a series in Australia

Crisis-torn Australia will attempt to prevent rampant South Africa from an unprecedented series clean sweep in the day-night third Test in Adelaide, starting tomorrow, after a team shake-up of historic proportions.
 Stung by two humiliating defeats in Perth and Hobart, the Aussies have made six changes in a bid to stop the rot and fight off the Proteas’ quest to become the first touring team to sweep a series in Australia.
 It is a seismic selection switch in the wake of last week’s sudden resignation of chairman of selectors Rod Marsh and intensifying pressure on the game’s top officials and coach Darren Lehmann.
 Not since only two players from the fifth Test against England in August 1977 made it into the team for the first Test against India three months later, after World Series Cricket rebelled against the establishment, has there been such a clean-out of the Australian side.
 The last time there were as many as five changes mid-season — which is likely given either pacemen Jackson Bird or Chadd Sayers is likely to be 12th man in Adelaide — was in the 1977-78 series against India after an innings defeat in Sydney.
 Selectors, with Trevor Hohns taking over from Marsh as interim chairman, named three young batsmen — English-born Matt Renshaw, Peter Handscomb and Nic Maddinson — to make their debuts and recalled Sayers, Bird and wicketkeeper Matthew Wade.
 It was a decisive and drastic intervention by the under-fire selection panel in the wake of Australia’s fifth straight heavy Test defeat, including the 3-0 series drubbing in Sri Lanka last August.
 “I’m not for one minute going to suggest an immediate turnaround,” Hohns said. “Patience will be required but we are obviously hopeful that these players can gel together and ultimately stop the downward losing momentum we are currently experiencing.
 “It’s no secret that our Test team has not functioned or performed to the level we expect. We accept that a lot of the criticism that has come our way has been warranted, however, I ask that everybody take a deep breath and get behind these blokes in what is going to be a very testing time for them.”
 The reinforcements will be aiming to bolster Australia’s insipid batting, which was routed for 85 by South Africa in Hobart after suffering a humiliating 10 for 86 collapse in the first innings at Perth.
 Lehmann said it was important he and fellow coaches instil confidence and positivity in the new-look squad. “I’ve never seen a side so hurt after Hobart, an Australian side. We’ve got to pick them up, get them positive,” he said.
 South Africa have problems of their own with skipper Faf du Plessis found guilty of an ICC charge of ball tampering in the Hobart Test. Du Plessis, who was fined 50% of his match fee in 2013 for ball tampering in the second Test against Pakistan, was fined 100% of his Hobart match fee but was cleared to play in this week’s third Test.
 Heightening tensions ahead of the game, South African security staff shoved an Australian television reporter up against a glass door as he attempted to interview du Plessis at Adelaide airport on Monday, with the team accusing the media of “harassment”.
 Australia’s pugnacious opener David Warner wasted little time fanning the flames. “I just know from an Australian cricket perspective we hold our heads high and I’d be very disappointed if one of our team members did that and how they’re reacting,” he said of the airport clash.
 Warner, having just turned 30, is suddenly the oldest and most experienced player in the team with 56 Tests and one of only three specialist batsmen retained from the Hobart debacle. He will team up with a third opening partner in three matches in debutant Matt Renshaw, a Yorkshire-born, New Zealand-raised 20-year-old who has been fast-tracked into the side after 12 first-class matches.
 Victoria batsman Peter Handscomb and New South Wales left-hander Nic Maddinson are the other uncapped batsmen, with the abrasive Matthew Wade dislodging Peter Nevill behind the stumps. In-form South Australia fast bowler Chadd Sayers could be a fourth debutant if he is preferred to Jackson Bird to replace the discarded Joe Mennie.
 Worried about the pink ball wearing too quickly, ground staff prepared a grassy pitch last year and Australia closed out a bowler-dominated victory in three days.
 The pink ball is still expected to hoop around during the evening sessions but curator Damian Hough has promised a fairer pitch for the batsmen after a number complained last year.
 Despite all this, the South Africans, with their pace trio Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada and Kyle Abbott dominating the Australian batting, will fancy their chances bowling with the pink ball in swinging conditions under lights at Adelaide Oval.
 It will be only the second day-night Test in Australia after the home side thrillingly beat New Zealand by three wickets on only the third day in Adelaide last year.

Teams (from)
Australia: David Warner, Matt Renshaw, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith (capt), Peter Handscomb, Nic Maddinson, Matthew Wade, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Jackson Bird, Chadd Sayers
South Africa: 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

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