Usman Khawaja will open the batting with Cameron Bancroft in Australia’s warm-up match against South Africa A, starting at Willowmore Park in Benoni on Thursday.

The Aussies named a strong side despite being without David Warner, who stayed behind to lead the side in their Trans-Tasman T20 Series final against New Zealand on Wednesday.

The three-day game will be Australia’s only practice game before facing South Africa in four Tests, starting in Durban on 1 March.

SA A will be captained by the Dolphins’ Khaya Zondo, while Theunis de Bruyn and Duanne Olivier, who both have Test experience, will also be in the team.

Pieter Malan and Shaun von Berg have been rewarded for their recent form in the Sunfoil Series.

Australia: Usman Khawaja, Cameron Bancroft, Peter Handscomb, Steve Smith (captain), Shaun Marsh. Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.

South Africa A squad: Khaya Zondo (Dolphins, captain), Theunis de Bruyn (Knights), Zubayr Hamza (Cape Cobras), Beuran Hendricks (Highveld Lions), Pieter Malan (Cape Cobras), Wiaan Mulder (Highveld Lions), Senuran Muthusamy (Dolphins), Duanne Olivier (Knights), Rudi Second (Knights), Malusi Siboto (Titans), Shaun von Berg (Titans).

Photo: Julian Smith/Backpagepix