Boland blitz leaves South Africa 20/2 as rain rules opening day at St George's Park
Rain wins the day, Boland wins the moments that mattered
Rain was the definitive winner on the opening day of the second Test between South Africa and Australia at St George's Park in Gqeberha, but whenever the covers came off, Scott Boland supplied the fireworks. South Africa were inserted and limped to 20/2 from just 12.2 overs, with Boland the frightener-in-chief, finishing with figures of 3-2-5-2.
Earlier reporting on Sunday (2026-10-18) had Australia win the toss and elect to field, with Kagiso Rabada returning for South Africa and Scott Boland brought in for Nathan Lyon. The Cricbuzz account of the day confirms the insertion and the pace-heavy selections, and adds the detail of a debutant opener and a rain-sodden scene.
Two spinners stood down as pace leads the way
It started as a tale of two spurned spinners. Nathan Lyon has been dropped from Test XIs before — at the start of the 2013 Ashes when Ashton Agar was preferred, and in Australia's last two day-night Tests when they went all pace — but not for 13 years, except when injured, has he been left out of a red-ball Test. Australia put their faith in pace again for the second Test at St George's Park, a decision no doubt dictated by the weather.
Keshav Maharaj has also been stood down to accommodate an extra quick, though that had happened before against Pakistan in Centurion in December 2024. This time was different: Simon Harmer is also in South Africa's squad, yet until the toss it was taken as read that Maharaj was the first-choice spinner. As it stands, Harmer is the only specialist slow bowler in the match.
Toss, insertion and the downpour
Temba Bavuma and Pat Cummins tossed on schedule, and South Africa were inserted. Rain descended even before the captains had left the field to hang up their blazers, and the start of play was held up by two hours. When cricket was finally seen, the first day was limited to 12.2 overs. Monday's forecast was dire — an 80% chance of rain, most of it in the morning — but the skies were expected to clear from Tuesday. "Does anyone remember how to win a three-day game?"
Ackerman's testing debut
There was little doubt about South Africa's first-choice opener. Aiden Markram granted Mitchell Starc an audience that lasted an over and yielded no runs, while debutant Marques Ackerman handled Josh Hazlewood the same way. Markram then drove surely and crisply, sending the ball scything through the wet covers for four, and repeated the dose in Starc's next over. All the while Ackerman hadn't moved from nought, discovering how difficult Test cricket is after facing 12 balls. He finally squirted Hazlewood through the cordon for a single — the 395th man not to be dismissed for a duck on debut, at least not on Sunday.
Boland's blitz between the raindrops
When play resumed after a 43-minute interruption, Australia limited the damage from the first dozen deliveries to two singles. Then came Scott Boland. The rest were sniping thunderbolts from his whipping arm, and the 13th delivery proved unlucky for Markram — it zagged towards him, took the inside edge and rattled the stumps deathly.
David Bedingham arrived, took guard, tapped his bat, and edged an away swinger to Alex Carey. One seamed in, one seamed away; both took wickets. At the non-striker's end, what must Ackerman have been thinking?
Bavuma survives, South Africa 20/2
To Bavuma fell the responsibility of denying Boland a hat-trick. He did, but only just — another inswinger was on its way to trapping South Africa's captain bang in front when he managed to lay a sliver of bat on the damned thing. Ackerman had garnered four more runs when the rain drove the players from the field for the last time, with Bavuma also on four. South Africa closed at 20/2, and Boland, the frightener-in-chief, had earned his 3-2-5-2.
Drought-stricken Eastern Cape welcomes the rain
Cricket will have to forgive the locals for wanting as much rain as possible to fall on Monday. The Eastern Cape has been in various stages of drought since 2015, and the province deserved the rain every bit as much as Boland deserved his figures.