South Africa Challenge a Tough Test for Australia

Perth: Australia is pinning its hopes on comeback man Mitchell Starc and familiar home pitches as it looks to halt a losing streak when its three-Test series against South Africa starts at the WACA Ground in Perth on Thursday.

Starc will wear a knee pad to protect deep cuts on his left leg and his condition will be closely monitored by medical staff after he collided with training equipment in September, needing 30 stitches.

He has been rushed back into action after Australia was whitewashed 3-0 in Sri Lanka in July-August to lose its top Test ranking, and went on to lose 5-0 in a One-Day International series in South Africa.

Steve Smith, the Australia captain, announced the playing XI on Wednesday, confirming that Peter Siddle and Usman Khawaja would be returning to the side. Siddle struggled with a back injury for most of the year -- his last Test was in February 2016 against New Zealand -- but proved his fitness in Victoria's Sheffield Shield game against Tasmania last week, taking 3 for 43.

Khawaja, dropped after a loss of form in Sri Lanka, replaces Moises Henriques from the team that lost the final Test in Sri Lanka, while Siddle comes in place of Jon Holland.

While South Africa is missing AB de Villiers, the captain, with an elbow injury, it has won its last two Test series in Australia, putting the home side under added pressure ahead of the series opener in Perth.

Teams:

Australia XI: David Warner, Shaun Marsh, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith (capt), Adam Voges, Mitchell Marsh, Peter Nevill (wk), Mitchell Starc, Peter Siddle, John Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon.

South Africa (from): Faf du Plessis (capt), Kyle Abbott, Morne Morkel, Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Stephen Cook, JP Duminy, Dean Elgar, Quinton de Kock (wk), Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada, Rilee Rossouw, Dale Steyn.

Stats and trivia
Dale Steyn needs six wickets to go past Shaun Pollock -- all-time leading Test wicket taker.
Australia have won only five of their 10 most recent Tests at the WACA
South Africa have never lost a Test in Perth

Umpires and referee
Ground Umpires - Aleem Dar (Pakistan) and Nigel Llong (England)
TV umpire - Richard Kettleborough (England)
Referee - Andy Pycroft (Zimbabwe)
Reserve umpire - Sam Nogajski

Match facts
November 3-7, 2016
Start time 1030 local (0230 GMT)

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