Australia’s pace spearhead Scott Boland ripped through South Africa’s top order on the rain‑delayed second day of the second Test in Gqeberha on Monday, leaving the hosts precariously at 97 for 5. The wickets fell after a sluggish start to the match, with only about 30 overs bowled on the day. Boland’s four for 31 gave Australia a commanding position as the series stands at 1‑0.
South Africa’s innings began poorly on day one, with Boland dismissing Aiden Markram for 11 and then David Bedingham for a duck in consecutive deliveries, ending the session at 20‑2 from 12.2 overs. The following day, after two sessions were washed out and play started six hours late, the visitors resumed at 20‑2 before Boland claimed debutant Marques Ackerman, caught behind by Alex Carey for six runs.
Mitchell Starc added to the pressure, removing Matthew Breetzke to make it 40‑4, while the partnership between captain Temba Bavuma, unbeaten on 41, and Ryan Rickelton, who had made 31, added a vital 52 runs. Rickelton, who was dropped on 26 by Marnus Labuschagne, later fell to Boland, with Matt Renshaw completing a low slip catch. Boland’s figures of four for 31 from 14 overs were his best against South Africa.
Boland explained his approach, stating, "My game-plan is pretty simple, I'm just trying to put the pressure on the batter as much as I can," underscoring the relentless pace strategy employed by Australia after replacing off‑spinner Nathan Lyon with a four‑man fast attack. At 38, he became the oldest specialist quick to represent Australia since Ray Lindwall in 1960, a milestone highlighted by officials.
Australia entered the Gqeberha encounter with a 1‑0 lead after a dominant 214‑run victory in Durban, where Matt Renshaw’s 190 earned him Player of the Match and Josh Hazlewood recorded a career‑best 6‑49. South Africa, the reigning world Test champions after their 2025 triumph over Australia, have struggled to find rhythm, with only 97 runs for five wickets in the current innings.
Josh Hazlewood missed day two due to illness, leaving the Australian attack reliant on Boland and Starc. South Africa’s squad saw the possible inclusion of fast bowler Kagiso Rabada, who had sat out the first Test, while Ryan Breetzke, on his third Test and first first‑class game since February, continued to seek form. The limited 30 overs bowled on the rain‑affected day underscored the challenging conditions.
Day three is set to begin on Tuesday, 20 October, with play scheduled from 9 am local time. The second Test runs until 22 October, and the series will move to Cape Town for the final match from 27 to 31 October, where both sides will look to either extend the lead or level the series. South Africa will aim to rebuild their innings, while Australia hopes to consolidate its series advantage.
