Boland strikes twice for Australia in rain-hit South Africa Test

GQEBERHA: Australia’s Scott Boland took two wickets in two balls on a severely rain-shortened first day of the second Test against South Africa at St George’s Park on Sunday.

South Africa, sent in to bat, were 20 for two when play was called off after two short periods of play during which only 12.2 overs were bowled.

But it was enough for Boland to strike two crucial blows. He dismissed Aiden Markram and David Bedingham - South Africa’s most successful batsmen in their defeat in the first Test in Durban.

Coming on as first change, Boland bowled Markram for 11 with his tenth delivery, a ball which nipped in off the pitch to crash into Markram’s middle stump off an inside edge. Then he produced a ball which seamed away to have Bedingham caught behind first ball.

Boland was making only his 20th appearance in Australia’s 50th Test since making a sensational debut when he took six for seven against England in Melbourne in December 2021.

He has had to wait his turn behind Australia’s world-class pace trio of skipper Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood. He got his chance on Sunday, replacing off-spinner Nathan Lyon when Australia decided to field an all-seam attack on a green-tinged pitch in heavily overcast conditions.

“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, and then even if it does flatten out, he brings control, experience. He’s the whole package.”

Rain started falling ten minutes after the toss and delayed the start by two hours. Markram hit two boundaries off Starc before play was halted with South Africa on 11 for no wicket after 5.3 overs.

Boland was brought into the attack after the players returned in the afternoon and immediately struck a challenging length.

New cap Marques Ackerman was unbeaten on five and captain Temba Bavuma was on four when rain brought what proved to be the final stoppage of the day.

Boland for Lyon was the only change from the Australian team that won the first Test by 214 runs.

South Africa made three changes, with fast bowler Kagiso Rabada returning after recovering from a hamstring injury. He replaced left-arm spin bowler Keshav Maharaj.

Ackerman and fellow batsman Matthew Breetzke replaced Tristan Stubbs and Kyle Verreynne with Ryan Rickelton taking over from Verreynne as wicketkeeper.