Careers on the line for Australia in deciding South Africa Test?

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Australia are about to play a Test match in Cape Town for the first time since the ball-tampering scandal back in 2018 that paused a number of their cricketers' careers.

Should they lose to South Africa this week in the series decider, live on Sky Sports Cricket, a number of careers could be ended.

Having been humbled by an innings and 31 runs in Gqeberha last time out, a game in which they were torpedoed for 99 in the first innings, the Baggy Greens need a response.

If that does not come, the reaction from the Australian media could be more abrasive than the piece of sandpaper Cameron Bancroft aimed to conceal down his trousers eight years ago.

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In 2018 footage emerged of Australia opener Cameron Bancroft using a foreign object to alter the condition of the ball against South Africa

The batting has been creaking for a while.

In the 4-1 Ashes thrashing of England last winter, it was held together by Travis Head, Steve Smith and Alex Carey as others toiled, while in South Africa so far the tourists have managed only three individual fifty-plus scores - one for Head and two for Matt Renshaw.

Without Head in Durban, things would have been even grislier. His second-innings 121 was 81 more runs than the next highest score by an Aussie in the game.

Even the great Smith - who received a ban for the role he played as skipper in 'Sandpapergate' in 2018, along with Bancroft and David Warner - has stuttered: three innings' in the 20s and a knock of three.

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Steve Smith was dismissed by Marco Jansen in the first Test at Durban after being rapped on the gloves

He was hampered by a neck problem in Gqeberha and faces a late fitness Test ahead of the winner-takes-all Cape Town finale.

If he fails that, it could aid Marnus Labuschagne's hopes of staying in the side.

Labuschagne and selector Bailey under big pressure?

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting had branded Labuschagne's spot as "untenable" after a lean return at home to Bangladesh left him without a Test century in 43 innings, stretching back to the 2023 Ashes in England. That has now extended to 47 innings.

Labuschagne has had no trouble starting in South Africa, the country of his birth - reaching the 30s in three of his four outings. But he has not kicked on.

Image: Australia's Marnus Labuschagne has not scored a Test century in over three years

Pinned lbw. Sliced loosely to cover. Brilliantly caught by Simon Harmer at gully. And then a criminal dismissal as he inexplicably holed out to long-on in the second innings of the second Test, a game Australia were trying to save.

If he misses out this week, it could be curtains. If he plays and fails, it could be a similar story. If Australia fail as a team, perhaps pressure will mount on head selector George Bailey?

Former skipper Steve Waugh said before the Ashes that Bailey has previously shown a lack of "appetite" to make the big calls, while the selection of the now-jettisoned Nic Maddinson for the South Africa tour was panned at the time by Matthew Hayden.

Maddinson ditching after recall highlights Australia's issues

Maddinson, 34, had not played a first-class game since March 2025 due to a testicular cancer diagnosis and averaged 6.75 from his first three Tests back in 2016.

Hayden accused selectors of "disrespecting first-class cricket" and "promoting the greatest pile of mediocrity that we've seen in a generation of cricket."

Image: The selection of Nic Maddinson was criticised and the 34-year old has now been dropped from the Australia squad after failing to score big runs in South Africa

Maddinson has not been as good as mediocre in this series, with his average a paltry 14 after amassing only 56 runs from four knocks - 48 of which came in one innings to punctuate a 33-ball duck, a four-ball duck and a 10-ball eight.

He has since been released from the squad, with Renshaw poised to open alongside Head in Cape Town.

Considering what he went through health-wise, people were rooting for Maddinson to perform but he hasn't. It raises the question over whether a younger player should have been given a go instead.

Ollie Davies, Sam Konstas and Campbell Kellaway were options. Nathan McSweeney, too.

The problem Australia have is that unlike in previous eras when they had players averaging north of 40 and banging out domestic runs - often in English county cricket as well as at home - waiting in the wings, they don't now.

All of the prospects mentioned above average mid-30s or lower in first-class cricket.

Will Bavuma extend excellent record as captain?

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South Africa captain Temba Bavuma scored a superb 179 from 334 balls in the second Test

South Africa, by contrast, have a pretty much guaranteed source of runs in captain Temba Bavuma, whose brilliant 179 from 334 balls in Gqeberha means he is averaging 49.95 across his last 28 Tests.

His nuggety ton last time out was scored after he came in at 12-2.

He was at the other end as the Proteas slumped to 110-6 before pushing them to 425-9 and was ultimately left to celebrate a 12th win in 14 Tests as skipper.

This feels like a great chance to make that 13 from 15 unless Australia are able to pull something out of the bag in Cape Town.

Unlike in 2018, something within the rules this time.

Watch the series-deciding third Test between South Africa and Australia, in Cape Town. live on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event from 7.30am on Tuesday (8am first ball). Not got Sky? Latest Sky Sports deals or stream with no contract through NOW.