The Proteas will take strike first in their one-off ODI against Ireland at Willowmore Park.

Summer seems to have taken an early bow and a bright cloudless summer sky awaits the eager fans as the Proteas kick off their ODI season with what is expected to be a routine victory ahead of the five-match series against Australia.

All three new caps have been included in the starting line-up with Temba Bavuma set to open the batting. Dwaine Pretorius and Andile Phehlukwayo will hope to make an immediate impact with their all-round abilities, in the hope of an extended run against the Aussies.

The last time the sides faced each other was in the World Cup last year, which saw the Proteas become the first side to post 400-plus in successive games, before trouncing the Irish by 201 runs. Ireland, known for their giant-killing capabilities, will hope to unsettle the South Africans, and will need their regular county players Paul Sterling and Tim Murtagh to have a say.

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SOUTH AFRICA: Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock, Faf du Plessis (c), JP Duminy, David Miller, Farhaan Behardien, Dwaine Pretorius, Andile Phehlukwayo, Wayne Parnell, Kagiso Rabada, Aaron Phangiso

IRELAND: Gary Wilson, Sean Terry, William Porterfield, Stuart Poynter, John Anderson, Paul Sterling, Niall O’Brien, Tim Murtagh, George Dockrell, Craig Young, Peter Chase

Photo: Lee Warren/Gallo Images