Steve Smith Ruled Out of Cape Town Decider With Neck Injury

Australia's Steve Smith has been ruled out of the third and final Test against South Africa at Newlands in Cape Town after a neck injury that troubled him during the second Test flared up again on the morning of the match, with captain Pat Cummins confirming at the toss that Smith tried a morning hit but was not happy with how his neck felt.

Australia won the toss and chose to bowl first in the series decider, which is level at 1-1 after Australia won the first Test by 214 runs in Durban and South Africa hit back with an innings-and-31-run win in the second Test in Gqeberha.

Australia made four changes: Josh Inglis, Cameron Green, Cooper Connolly and Nathan Lyon came in, with Smith, Nic Maddinson, Scott Boland and Beau Webster making way.

Green is set to bat at number four in Smith's place, Inglis at five, and Matt Renshaw moves up to open with Travis Head, while South Africa made one change of their own, with Gerald Coetzee returning to Test cricket for the first time in nearly two years in place of the injured Anrich Nortje.