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South Africa wary of Rabada's workload

Australia tour of South Africa 2016-17, Cricket

With the one-day series against Australia decided, South Africa are likely to rest Kagiso Rabada in an effort to manage the 21-year old fast bowler's workload.

Since the beginning of 2016, no frontline paceman has played as many matches as Rabada's 27 although his actual number of overs is lower than some of his contemporaries, such as Chris Woakes, Trent Boult and Josh Hazlewood, who have played more Test cricket in the period.

Following the current series, South Africa travel to Australia for three Tests before returning home for a full visit by Sri Lanka which is followed by a tour of New Zealand.

Rabada, who also had a brief spell with Kent during the English county season, will be expected to play a key role throughout that period and Russell Domingo, South Africa's coach, is wary of not pushing him too hard. Dale Steyn, who conceded the most expensive figures by a South Africa bowler in ODIs during the high-scoring Durban encounter, may also be given a breather.

"We need to consider the two fast bowlers, Dale and KG [Rabada], they have played all three games and Kagiso in particular has played a lot of cricket over the last year so it might be an opportunity to give him a break because there is a lot of cricket to come in the next couple of months," Domingo said.

South Africa will be without their hero from Durban, David Miller, for the final two matches of the series due to the groin injury he picked up during his unbeaten century. The fact the injury has curtailed his participation adds further kudos to his display at Kingsmead where he hauled South Africa to the second-highest successful ODI chase with an unbroken stand of 107 alongside Andile Phehlukwayo.

The performances of Phehlukwayo, who also claimed 4 for 44 in the opening match of the series, has been one of the pleasing aspects of the series for Domingo as South Africa try to bolster their all-round options.

"Allrounders are massively important to have and something we possibly haven't had for the last two or three years," he said. "There are four in the mix at the moment with Wayne Parnell, Chris Morris, Adile and Dwaine Pretorius all there or thereabouts so it's very pleasing to have that depth in our batting line-up. They have earned their spots based on good domestic performances."

Another notable aspect of the series win has been it has come without the injured AB de Villiers while Hashim Amla has only played a bit-part role having been ill for the first match - where Quinton de Kock's 178 led South Africa's canter to a substantial target of 295 - and was controversially omitted in Johannesburg before he returned in Durban with an agenda-setting 45 off 30 balls to launch the chase.

"Hash and AB's records have been unbelievable so to win and chase down scores without those players is very pleasing and showing some of the younger guys are stepping into the breach," Domingo said. "It's always important to have the next tier of players performing well."

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