Australia release Nic Maddinson and reshape their top order for the Newlands decider

Australia have released Nic Maddinson and Sam Harper on the eve of the series decider at Newlands, with Matt Renshaw in line to reclaim the opening slot and Steven Smith facing a fitness test on a troublesome neck

Selectors confirmed on Monday that Maddinson, recalled after almost a decade away from Test cricket, will fly home to play Sheffield Shield rather than take his place in the third Test, which begins in Cape Town on Tuesday with the series level at 1-1.

Harper had been Alex Carey's wicketkeeping understudy while Josh Inglis recovered from a broken finger. Inglis and Cameron Green are both fit again, leaving Australia with more batters than places and a top order to rearrange for the decider.

Smith was due to face faster bowling at the match-eve training session after a neck problem restricted him to about 20 minutes of gentle throwdowns on Sunday.

Maddinson sent home after four innings

Maddinson, 34, made 0, 48, 0 and 8 in the four innings he played after the recall, and only the second-innings 48 in Durban resembled the player selectors had gambled on.

"Performance wise, would you like more runs? Yes, so that's OK," chief selector George Bailey said, adding that the pick had allowed Australia to set the batting order up as they intended. "I think we saw a glimpse of that in the second innings in Durban."

Bailey said the message to Maddinson was that his tour had not been a holding move. "With him going home, we wanted to be clear to him he wasn't a stop-gap," he said, indicating that the batter remains in contention for the home summer against New Zealand and the tour of India.

Maddinson is due to play for New South Wales against Tasmania in Hobart, Harper for Victoria against Queensland at the Gabba.

Renshaw back to the top of the order

Renshaw is expected to open, the role he was picked for in August, after filling in at No. 5 in Durban while Green recovered from an abdominal strain sustained in an ODI in Potchefstroom.

He made 190 and 81 in that match, the innings that set up Australia's 214-run win. Green, fit to bat but not to bowl, is expected to take the No. 5 spot back.

Smith's neck and the No. 3 question

"He's got a bit of a neck issue going on at the moment," coach Andrew McDonald said of Smith, who was hampered by the problem through the second Test. "We're confident he will be available."

Smith has not passed 30 in four innings on the tour, and the uncertainty over him has complicated the decision on Marnus Labuschagne, who has scored 37, 37, 14 and 39 in the series and has not made a Test century since the 2023 Ashes.

"We're seeing some good things, yes. Is there a block at the moment around 30s? Yes," Bailey said. "So it's a decision around what does it look like he gets through there?"

Inglis is the alternative at first drop if Labuschagne is left out, with the XI to be named at the toss.

Five bowlers for four places

All five frontline bowlers are available after Josh Hazlewood recovered from a stomach bug, leaving one of him, Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland and Nathan Lyon to miss out. Boland was Australia's most impressive seamer in Gqeberha, while a drier surface strengthens the case for Lyon in a holding role.

Captain Pat Cummins summed up the selection after the second Test as fitting "five match-winners into four slots".

Since 2020, fast bowlers have taken 84 wickets in Tests at Newlands against nine for spinners.

South Africa settled bar Nortje

Anrich Nortje has been ruled out of the rest of the series after a groin injury ended his second Test following 3.3 overs, and his absence is the only confirmed change to Temba Bavuma's 16-man squad. Gerald Coetzee, Dane Paterson and Corbin Bosch are the candidates to replace him.

Keshav Maharaj, left out in Gqeberha, remains on the bench after Marco Jansen made 85, took five wickets and claimed the final wicket of a win by an innings and 31 runs that levelled the series.

Australia have won 10 of their 14 Tests at Newlands, but South Africa have taken three of the last four meetings at the ground.

Australia will name their side at the toss at Newlands on Tuesday, with the first ball due at 10.30am local time.

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