Australia head into their Second Test cricket match against South Africa at Hobart, Australia, beginning Saturday needing a break in the weather and a turn in their fortunes if they are to rescue this series.Before this week, the last time Australia had lost an opening Test of the summer on home soil captain Steve Smith hadn't been born, but that defeat at the WACA has the home side and their captain under considerable pressure.Markets have South Africa at $1.50 to win their third consecutive series, according to website AustralianGambling, with an Australian revival priced at $7 and a drawn series at $3.75.The reason that market is so lopsided against the Aussies is that the second Test is literally under a cloud, with constant rain expected to ruin the first two days of play.A wet weekend in Hobart will hopefully clear for at least three days of cricket, but oddsmakers understandably are skeptical of there being a result.They have the draw priced at $1.61, despite the fact it has been 15 years, and seven Tests, since we last had a Test without a result at the Bellerive Oval.Australia have only ever lost once there, to New Zealand in 2011, but it is a ground where the team who has batted first has won eight of 12 Test matches, so the toss could be important.South Africa are $4.75 outsiders to win this one, having never played at Hobart before. They will certainly find it a different challenge to the WACA, which offered familiar conditions for both their batsmen and bowlers as well as sizable South African crowd support.Dale Steyn is out for up to six months with a shoulder injury, and Morne Morkel, Kyle Abbott and Dwaine Pretorius will fight it out for his spot in the XI.Australia, who are $4.20 to win this Test, will have to make at least two changes with Peter Siddle (back) and Shaun Marsh (finger) both ruled out. Joe Mennie will make his Test debut. He is the 11th paceman to debut for Australia in the past five years and will be hoping for a better return than his recent ODI debut in South Africa, where he conceded a record-breaking zero for 82.Joe Burns and Callum Ferguson are battling for Marsh's spot at the top of the order, with Burns seemingly having the edge.Whoever gets the nod will have to give plenty of support to David Warner, who looks in good form. He should have had a century in the first inning in Perth and was run out in spectacular fashion in the second. He averages 81.75 in Hobart, while the pressure is on Smith, who failed twice in Perth and made just 10 when last playing there last year.
Click here to read full news..
