Probable teams

Dean Elgar, Aiden Markram, Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers, Faf du Plessis (capt), Quinton de Kock, Theunis de Bruyn/Wiaan Mulder, Vernon Philander, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Morné Morkel

David Warner, Cameron Bancroft, Usman Khawaja, Steven Smith (capt), Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood

shoe-in as the seventh batsman should the Proteas choose to take the latter route.

De Bruyn imposed himself on the Australian bowling in the first innings of last week’s threeday game without going big.

However, he is the specialist reserve batsman while Temba Bavuma continues to recover from a finger injury.

Smith also knows Morkel may have a point to prove with nothing to lose, but he also feels his team has prepared sufficiently for their old rival.

Australia also have a proud record to defend in SA, having not lost a series here since the 1969-70 four-Test series won by Ali Bacher’s then Bok team.

“I have no doubt that he’s been a terrific performer for the Proteas for a long time. They’ll want to do everything they can to send him out on a winning note. It’s up to us to try and stop that. He’s a terrific bowler and he’s had a fabulous career. After this series, I wish him all the best,” Smith said of Morkel.

“We know what we’re up against and its going to be about executing our skills. If we do that well, hopefully we’ll have the success we want to have in this series,” he said.