Tony de Zorzi

Tony de Zorzi is a left-handed top-order batter who gives South Africa another composed option at the start of the innings for the ODI series against Australia. The Johannesburg-born batter has established himself in the Proteas’ white-ball setup and has already registered an ODI century, with a career-best 119 in the format. He enters the Australia series in useful touch after consecutive half-centuries against Namibia, scoring 72 and 79 in the first two ODIs. De Zorzi is part of South Africa’s squad for the three-match home series, beginning in Durban on September 24.

De Zorzi’s approach is based on building an innings through controlled strokeplay before increasing the tempo as he becomes established at the crease. His left-handed batting can also provide variety to South Africa’s top order, while his ability to play both pace and spin makes him capable of handling different match situations. His recent scores against Namibia should provide confidence ahead of the much stronger Australian bowling attack, with the three matches also serving as part of South Africa’s preparations for the 2027 ODI World Cup. For fantasy cricket, de Zorzi is an interesting top-order option because his position gives him the opportunity to face plenty of deliveries and accumulate a substantial score if he gets through the opening phase.