Scott Boland struck twice in the space of two balls on a severely rain-shortened first day of the second Test against South Africa at St George’s Park on Sunday, giving Australia the early advantage in Gqeberha.
South Africa, sent in to bat after Australia won the toss, were 20 for two when play was called off, with only 12.2 overs possible across two short passages of play. The Scott Boland strikes were the story of the day: the seamer dismissed Aiden Markram and David Bedingham, South Africa’s most successful batters in their defeat in the first Test in Durban, in successive deliveries.
Coming on as first change, Boland needed only ten deliveries to make his mark. He bowled Markram for 11 with a ball that nipped in off the pitch, crashing into the opener’s middle stump via an inside edge. His next ball seamed away beautifully, tempting Bedingham into a nick that wicketkeeper Alex Carey pouched comfortably, sending the number three back for a golden duck.
Scott Boland Strikes After Rain Delay
The Scott Boland strikes came after a frustrating day for players and spectators alike. Rain began falling ten minutes after the toss and delayed the start by two hours. Markram struck two boundaries off Mitchell Starc before play was halted with South Africa on 11 without loss after 5.3 overs, and an early lunch was taken.
Boland was introduced immediately after the players returned in the afternoon and found a challenging length from the outset. On a green-tinged pitch under heavily overcast skies, the accurate seamer extracted precisely the movement the conditions promised, and South Africa’s top order had no answer.
Debutant Marques Ackerman, opening in a first-class game for the first time at the age of 30, was five not out alongside captain Temba Bavuma on four when rain returned some 40 minutes after lunch and refused to abate. Stumps were eventually called an hour and 45 minutes before the scheduled close, with barely an hour’s play possible all day.
Scott Boland Strikes Reward Selectors’ Bold Call
The Scott Boland strikes vindicated Australia’s bold selection. Boland was the only change to the side that won the first Test in Durban by 214 runs, replacing off-spinner Nathan Lyon as Australia opted for an all-seam attack on the green surface. It was his first Test appearance in South Africa.
The 36-year-old was making only his 20th Test appearance, having had to wait his turn behind Australia’s celebrated pace trio of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood since his sensational debut, when he took six for seven against England in Melbourne in December 2021. “Scotty Boland has been incredible whenever he’s played Test cricket,” Cummins said after winning the toss. “When there’s anything in the wicket, he gets a lot of seam movement, super accurate… he’s the whole package.”
His figures of two for five from 3.2 overs told their own story, with two maidens into the bargain, as Australia’s seamers shared the spoils on a day made for swing and seam. The Scott Boland strikes also highlighted why the veteran remains such a trusted option whenever conditions offer assistance. His nagging accuracy and late movement make him a nightmare on seaming tracks, and South Africa’s batters discovered that truth within minutes of his introduction.
What the Scott Boland Strikes Mean for the Test
South Africa, meanwhile, made three changes, bringing in Ackerman, Matthew Breetzke and the returning Kagiso Rabada, who has not played since the Indian Premier League in May after hurting his hamstring in off-season training. Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne and Keshav Maharaj made way.
With so much time already lost to the weather, the Scott Boland strikes have given Australia a precious foothold in a match that may yet be shaped as much by the skies as by the cricket. If the forecast improves, the tourists will fancy their chances of pressing home an advantage carved out in barely an hour of play.