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The series was press to two matches from the original three by the Champions League Twenty20 and South Africa's want to play T20 internationals in addition to ODIs. Australia have won a majority of the series between the two sides, but South Africa have also landed abundance of blows, not least in 2008 when they became the first team to win a series in Australia since 1993. Australia reacts by winning the return series in 2009, with a formula not different to the one that will be utilized this time.

As in 2009, Australia will enter the series with a less inspiring team on paper but a little more match hardness than their opponents, who have not played a Test since January. The agile captaincy of Australia's new leader Michael Clarke will provide another rich sub-plot. At the top of the order, Phillip Hughes will want to follow his memorable debut in that series, though mindful that South Africa' bowlers now have a far better idea of how to bowl to him.

Shane Watson and Ricky Ponting will also want runs after a quiet series in Sri Lanka, while Shaun Marsh can stamp himself firmly on the No. 3 spot by performing with same assurance to that he showed on the subcontinent. With the ball Ryan Harris and Mitchell Johnson appear an ideal duo for Clarke to attack with, but questions remain over how they will be augmented, with the energy of Peter Siddle challenging against the sly mediums of Trent Copeland. Nathan Lyon has a mid-term mortgage on the spinner's spot, provided he can keep contributing.

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Australia and South Africa have shared a theme of all change since both endured earlier World Cup exits than they had bargained for. It would have been with different captains, different coaches and possibly different approaches to the contest. In each case there is now also an element of the partial transition. Australia is touring with an interim coach, Troy Cooley, while Cricket Australia casts its net widely for a new man to fill the role.

South Africa will be led by a stand-in captain in Hashim Amla while AB de Villiers continues his improvement from a broken finger. A point of contrast between the two sides is the cricket they have played since the World Cup. South Africa have enjoyed an complete break from the game, allowing the new coach Gary Kirsten to settle into his position after leaving India at the conclusion of the World Cup.

Though Australia also had a break after the cup, it was interspersed with a brief visit to Bangladesh where the visitors claimed a 3-0 sweep, then a winning tour of Sri Lanka where both the ODI and Test series were won by Michael Clarke's men. South Africa must find the correct balance under Kirsten and Amla, though in Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Jacques Kallis and Amla himself there is one of the most accomplished senior groups in world cricket.

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Paceman Patrick Cummins has been called up to Australia's Test squad for the tour of South Africa. The 18-year-old Cummins was on Monday named in a 15-man squad for next month's two-Test series. Cummins has played just three first-class matches for New South Wales, taking nine wickets, but has impressed in Australian colours against South Africa in the existing Twenty20 series.

Cummins replaces Victoria quick James Pattinson from the Test squad that just toured Sri Lanka."Patrick is a very exciting prospect and at just 18 years of age is already showing the talent to have a main impact at international level," Australian chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch said in a statement."Patrick would have most likely been on the tour of Sri Lanka if not for injury at the end of last season.

"Now he's back fit and bowling well, we saw this as the right time to bring him into the Test squad for this significant series."Hilditch says flexibility was a key factor in selecting the 15-man squad."We face back-to-back Tests in South Africa ahead of another six Tests in Australia, so managing our fast bowlers through this tough schedule will be extremely important," he said.

Australia squad: Michael Clarke (captain), Shane Watson (vice-captain), Michael Beer, Trent Copeland, Patrick Cummins, Brad Haddin, Ryan Harris, Phil Hughes, Mike Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Ricky Ponting, Peter Siddle

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Australia's month-long tour of South Africa begins with a Twenty20 in Cape Town, a match that will be South Africa's first international in any format since March 25. During that same period, Australia have been to Bangladesh for a one-day series and Sri Lanka for Tests, ODIs and Twenty20s. They haven't been old, though, and by comparison South Africa will have to shed their rust as quickly as possible.

They have a new captain, Hashim Amla, standing in for the injured AB de Villiers, while star players Jacques Kallis and Dale Steyn are being rested. Still, Twenty20 is a format that South Africa have mastered significantly better than their opponents in recent years. Australia is trying to find their best Twenty20 outfit, under the captaincy of Cameron White. One of those is the wicketkeeper Matthew Wade, who has benefited from Brad Haddin's current retirement from the format and Tim Paine's broken finger.

The side is also in a state of flux off the field: Troy Cooley is the acting coach for this trip after Tim Nielsen's resignation following the tour of Sri Lanka, while the selection panel is temporary while replacements are found. Five members of the Twenty20 squad will fly home ahead of the ODIs, so quite how much force the team could carry if they win in the shortest format is questionable. But kicking off the tour with a win would be a sufficient start.

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Hashim Amla will make his first appearance as national team captain, both in T20 and ODIs, when South Africa starts their series against Australia next week. All-rounder Jacques Kallis and pacer Dale Steyn have been left out of the side. Cricket South Africa's national selectors on Monday named the squads for both formats.

"With the ICC World Twenty20 less than a year away, we need to keep a solid core of skill around the side," commented CSA selection convener, Andrew Hudson. He added: "But at the same time, we want to give younger players a run as well and this surely applies in the case of Richard Levi and David Miller." Richard Levi of the Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras is the only new cap while David Miller of the Sunfoil Dolphins and Mark Boucher of the Cobras have been recalled.

ODI squad: Hashim Amla (capt), Johan Botha, Mark Boucher JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Imran Tahir, Jacques Kallis, David Miller, Morne Morkel, Wayne Parnell, Robin Peterson, Graeme Smith, Dale Steyn, Lonwabo Tsotsobe.

T20 squad: Hashim Amla (capt), Johan Botha, JP Duminy, Colin Ingram, Heino Kuhn, Richard Levi, David Miller, Albie Morkel, Morne Morkel, Wayne Parnell, Robin Peterson, Graeme Smith, Rusty Theron, Lonwabo Tsotsobe.

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