England captain Joe Root won the toss and opted bat to first on day one of the fourth and final Test against the Proteas at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on Friday.
The hosts named debutant Beuran Hendricks, batsman Temba Bavuma and all-rounder Dwaine Pretorius in the XI. Batsman Zubayr Hamza and spinner Keshav Maharaj were omitted.
The hosts are also without fast bowler Kagiso Rabada for this fixture. He was banned by the International Cricket Council after an overzealous celebration of Root’s dismissal during last week’s third Test at St George’s Park in Port Elizabeth.
England replaced spinner Dom Bess with seamer Chris Woakes, after rain had delayed the start by more than three hours.
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This is Bavuma’s first match of the series. He was sidelined by injury for the series opener in Centurion and returned to fitness for the second Test in Cape Town, but was not selected. He also was not picked for the third Test at St George’s Park.
In the interim, he scored a first-class career-best 180 for the Lions in the 4-Day Domestic Series against the Dolphins at the City Oval in Pietermaritzburg.
This Test is all-rounder Vernon Philander’s last. He will retire from international cricket next week in favour of a Kolpak contract with Somerset in English county cricket later this year.
England lead the series two-one. They lost in Centurion before winning in Cape Town and Port Elizabeth.
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South Africa: Dean Elgar, Pieter Malan, Rassie van der Dussen, Faf du Plessis (captain), Quinton de Kock (wicketkeeper), Temba Bavuma, Dwaine Pretorius, Vernon Philander, Anrich Nortje, Dane Paterson, Beuran Hendricks.
England: Zak Crawley, Dominic Sibley, Joe Denly, Joe Root (captain), Ben Stokes, Ollie Pope, Jos Buttler (wicketkeeper), Sam Curran, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood, Stuart Broad.
Photo: Gallo Images
