Australian fast bowler Scott Boland has strengthened his case for a Test recall with an impressive net session ahead of the second Test against South Africa in Gqeberha. Meanwhile, the hosts are hopeful of welcoming back pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada, who missed the series opener with a hamstring injury.
Australia hold a 1-0 lead in the series after their 214-run victory in Durban. South Africa have made changes to their squad, dropping Tristan Stubbs and wicketkeeper-batter Kyle Verreynne. The hosts must also address their batting approach and finalise their lineup amid concerns over the weather forecast.
Scott Boland Pushes for Australia Test Recall
Scott Boland impressed during a centre-wicket session at St George’s Park, repeatedly testing Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis and Cooper Connolly. The fast bowler exploited the seam movement and troubled the batters with deliveries that found the edges and hit the stumps.
The Gqeberha surface traditionally offers less bounce than Kingsmead, which could suit Boland’s accurate, stump-to-stump bowling. With Josh Hazlewood having bowled extensively in Durban, the selectors could consider rotating the pace attack and selecting Boland for the playing XI.
Pat Cummins focused on tactical discussions during the session, while Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon did not bowl after their efforts in the first Test. Most of the Australian squad spent the morning playing golf at Humewood Golf Links.
Steve Smith also completed a net session but appeared unimpressed with the practice pitches. Cameron Green, meanwhile, was limited to an exploratory hit against throwdowns. Assistant coach Matthew Wade confirmed that Green would be eligible only for the third Test.
Kagiso Rabada Nears Return as South Africa Weigh Selection Changes
South Africa could receive a major boost if Kagiso Rabada passes his fitness test before Sunday. The team must also assess whether he can handle the demands of a full Test match, including long spells and recovery between bowling efforts.
The hosts have already dropped Tristan Stubbs and Kyle Verreynne following their poor showing in Durban. Ryan Rickelton will take over the wicketkeeping duties, while Matthew Breetzke has joined the 17-man squad after scoring a century in white-ball cricket against Australia.
South Africa Head coach Shukri Conrad said Breetzke’s recent form and character had strengthened his selection case.
“That his ODI form is as hot as it is gave him an inside lane and, more importantly, the attitude and the character Matt has will go a long way,” Conrad said.
“With ‘Ricks’ taking the gloves, there are decisions to be made whether he does move down the order or he can continue opening the batting. We’ll have a look at what the conditions are like – the weather forecast isn’t great for day one. So [there’s] a few things to consider before we look at that final 11. We’ve had an opportunity to lick our wounds and make sure we turn the ship in the right direction now.”
Shukri Conrad Urges South Africa to Show Batting Resilience
Shukri Conrad urged South Africa’s batters to show greater mental resilience after their collapse in Durban. He said several dismissals stemmed from poor decision-making under pressure and called on the lineup to adopt a more determined approach to building long innings.
“If we’re brutally honest, a lot of our dismissals sat in the mental corner. Is that an easier fix than technical and tactical? Probably not. So we need to see our guys pull up fresh enough. Aiden [Markram] showed us in the second innings that there’s nothing fancy about Test match cricket. That single-bloody-mindedness, where I’ve got to bat for a day and a half now, irrespective of what it looks like – some of our batters can take a leaf from his book.”
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