SA make three changes and Australia pick Boland ahead of Lyon

Debutant Marques Ackerman, shared a smile and waved at his young son after scoring his first Test run at St George’s Park on Sunday, where only 27 minutes of play possible because of rain.

An early lunch was taken, with the Proteas, who were put into bat by Pat Cummins, under dark Gqeberha skies, on 11/0, with Ackerman on that memorable single and Aiden Markram, not out on 10.

The second Test, started at noon, two hours later than scheduled because of the weather, and created tricky conditions for the new South African opening pair. However Mitchell Starc, struggled with his rhythm and offered Markram two opportunities to drive, which the Proteas opener took, much to the delight of a small St George’s Park crowd.

Starc allowed Markram to leave the ball often and was constantly fiddling with the landing area on the crease, clearly unhappy about sliding on the surface. It was a similar story for his new ball partner Josh Hazlewood, although he bowled more accurately at Ackerman, who scored his sole run off the 15th ball he faced.

The tourists will most likely turn to Scott Boland sooner rather than later should play resume on Sunday. He was the only change from the team that won the first Test by 214 runs, taking the place of spinner Nathan Lyon.

Australia are anticipating a shortened match because of the weather, on a pitch with heavy grassy cover, which would be perfect for a seamer bowler like Boland, whose nagging accuracy has become a trademark over the course of his 19-match Test career in which he’s taken 82 wickets.

The Proteas made three changes to the team from Durban, with Ackerman slotting in at the top of the order for his debut, while Matthew Breetzke, is playing his third Test, as a replacement for Tristan Stubbs, who was dropped.

Ryan Rickelton will keep instead of Kyle Verreynne, while the biggest surprise was the retention of Simon Harmer ahead of Keshav Maharaj as the frontline spinner, with Kagiso Rabada, now recovered from his hamstring injury, playing his first Test since October last year in Rawalpindi

Although conditions on Sunday certainly weren’t favorable towards spin, if the ‘Windy City’ lives up to his reputation and the sun does come out from day three onwards - as has been forecast - there may be a role for the off-spinner. SA is looking to combat the five left-hand batters in the Australian line-up.

It is nevertheless surprising that the Proteas have dropped Maharaj, who has taken 220 Test wickets and has long been the frontline spinner. The last time he was excluded from the starting line-up - when not injured - was the Boxing Day Test against Pakistan in 2024, when SA played an all-pace attack.

Teams

SA - Aiden Markram, Marques Ackerman, David Bedingham, Temba Bavuma (capt), Matthew Breetzke, Ryan Rickleton, Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Simon Harmer, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje

Australia - Nic Maddinson, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Matt Renshaw, Beau Webster, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins (capt), Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Scott Boland