On another rain-curtailed day at St. George’s Park, it was Scott Boland who shone through with a total of 4 wickets, including 3 on Day 2, while Mitchell Starc chipped in with one wicket. Australia, who did not have the services of Josh Hazlewood due to illness, kept chipping away at the wickets in the only session possible on the day to stay on top and have the Proteas reeling at 97/5 in 43 overs.
For the hosts, South Africa, captain Temba Bavuma is holding fort for them with a gritty 41*, but he needs support from the other end. Rain won the day as a whole, as the heavy rain and wet outfield disrupted play for hours before we got a good amount of action in the last session, where 30.4 overs were bowled. We are hoping for better weather from Day 3 onwards.
Scott Boland adds to his tally while captain Temba Bavuma shows resistance in an absorbing final session
After rain and a wet outfield disrupted play for a long period of time, play finally got underway in the final session of play with captain Temba Bavuma and Marques Ackerman coming out to resume the proceedings for South Africa while Scott Boland had to complete his over from last night. Bavuma showed his class as he check-drove the ball through covers for a boundary. Captain Pat Cummins had the ball in hand from the other end. He bowled a probing over.
Scott Boland continued and struck for Australia yet again as he removed Ackerman for 6 off 38 balls with the outside edge through to the keeper, as Carey did the rest. Matthew Breetzke came out to bat next. Boland ended a successful wicket maiden over. Cummins continued and bowled a decent over. Boland bowled a tight over as well. Cummins kept on questioning the batters in his spell.
Boland continued as Bavuma check-drove the ball with a straight bat past the bowler down the ground for a boundary. Cummins continued and bowled a tight over. Boland continued and bowled another probing over. Mitchell Starc came into the attack for the first time on Day 2. He struck straightaway as he got the ball in the right area, and Breetzke pushed at the ball away from the body to get the outside edge through to Carey, who did the rest.
Keeper-batter Ryan Rickelton came out to bat next. Boland continued and bowled a tidy over. Starc continued as Bavuma was on the front foot, lunging and driving it through cover point for a boundary. Boland continued and bowled another maiden. Starc continued as Bavuma got on top of the bounce and punched it between backward point and gully for a boundary. The 50 came up for South Africa in 25.1 overs.
Beau Webster came into the attack for the first time in this innings and started with a maiden over. South Africa were 52/4 in 27 overs when we paused for a quick Drinks Break. Starc continued after the break and bowled a tight over. Webster continued and bowled another probing maiden over. Pat Cummins returned to the bowling attack as Rickelton welcomed him back with a front-foot drive past mid-on for a boundary. Rickelton was on a roll as he got to the pitch of the ball and drove it past Head at mid-off for a boundary.
South Africa were 62/4 in 30 overs. Webster continued as the keeper came up to the stumps. Webster bowled another maiden. Cummins continued and bowled another tight over. Webster bowled another miserly over. Cummins bowled another probing over. Boland returned to the attack as Rickelton welcomed him with a boundary by hanging back and cutting it past backward point for a boundary.
Cummins continued as Bavuma took on his opposite number, as the short ball angled in at the body from outside the off-stump was pulled up and over long leg for a 79m six to the fence. He had no intention of keeping it down and used the pace of his opposite number by helping it on its way for the maximum. Boland continued as Rickelton looked to push it away from the body and played with soft hands as the edge caught the outside edge past gully fielder Webster for a streaky boundary.
Cummins continued as Rickelton batted on 26*, and the score at 86/4 in the 38th over was dropped at leg slip by Marnus Labuschagne. The keeper-batter survived a scare. Rickelton stood tall and punched it past backward point for a boundary to add salt to the wounds as the 50-run stand came up between Bavuma and Rickelton. Starc came back into the attack and delivered a maiden over.
Boland changed ends as Rickelton fell for 31 off 51 balls with 5 fours to his name as the edge was found towards the slip cordon, where Carey did not go for it as Matthew Renshaw at first slip dived to his right and plucked the ball out of thin air to take a one-handed stunner. Wiaan Mulder came out to bat next as Boland ended another wicket maiden over. Starc continued and bowled a decent over.
Boland bowled another probing over. Mitchell Starc came up to bowl the final over of the day and bowled a miserly last over to end the day. Bavuma was unbeaten on 41 off 108 balls with 5 fours and one six to his name, alongside Mulder, who was unbeaten on 2 off 15 balls. 2 extras were given by the Aussies so far as South Africa finished the day at a precarious 97/5 in 43 overs.
From Australia’s point of view, Scott Boland has been the star with figures of 4/31 in 14 overs. Mitchell Starc chipped in with 1/27 in 10 overs. Pat Cummins, the captain, finished with 0/33 in 10 overs. Josh Hazlewood did not take the field on Day 2 due to illness and finished with 0/3 in 5 overs. Beau Webster finished with 0/1 in 4 overs. Australia have their noses in front after the first two rain-curtailed days of this second Test match.
What Lies Ahead on Day 3
For starters, from Day 3 onwards, the forecast is set to turn a lot better. So, we hope we get a proper day’s play in rather than limited overs of play in the first two days. So far, 43 overs have been bowled across the two days. Assuming the weather is fine, Australia will aim to take the remaining 5 wickets for as low a score as possible, while the Proteas must apply themselves and give captain Bavuma support to take them to a decent score. Bavuma is looking good, but he needs support from the other end.
Let’s see what Day 3, i.e. the moving day, has in store for us. The Test match has not moved at all and needs speeding up in the remaining days for a result, weather permitting. Let’s see how the match pans out from here.
Also Read:Â SA vs AUS: Scott Boland Wrecks South Africa On Day 1