Source :- THE AGE NEWS
Steve Smith has a chat to the Australian Man (Mark Howard … if you know, you know) on Fox before play.
“It’s overcast at the moment. A few drops of rain … can’t control that. We’re ready to play. A little bit of grass and a bit damp.
“I actually just spoke to the groundsman and asked, ‘Do you use a hessian?’ And he said, ‘No, I do for morning games in one-day cricket, but I actually like to see a bit of moisture in the morning’.
“I was taken aback by that. I don’t think I’ve seen that before. Could be interesting, particularly with the overhead conditions.
“It looks probably a little bit greener than it did a couple of days ago. It could be tricky for the batters early doors.”
The covers are back on. Not ideal. They are covering the whole square. That would mean a delay to the start of play, which was slated for 7pm AEDT.
Meanwhile, aside from the selection of Boland over Lyon, Australia have retained the same batting order from their first Test win in Durban. Nic Maddinson and Travis Head stay at the top. Matt Renshaw remains at No.5 after his brilliant match. Beau Webster retains his place in the side.
Australia XI: Travis Head, Nic Maddinson, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Matthew Renshaw, Alex Carey, Beau Webster, Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland, Josh Hazlewood.
South Africa XI: Aiden Markram, Marques Ackerman, David Bedingham, Temba Bavuma (c), Matthew Breetzke, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Simon Harmer, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje.
Australia have won the toss and will bowl first in the second Test.
Scott Boland has replaced Nathan Lyon for the second Test on a grassy pitch at St George’s Park, the first time the spinner has been dropped when available to play a red ball Test since 2013.
About 10 minutes before the scheduled coin toss, Lyon had a brief chat with selection chair George Bailey and then walked over to give a handshake hug to Boland, who had been warming up with his fellow quick bowlers.
Lyon has been omitted from the team for pink ball matches on a few occasions, most recently during last summer’s Ashes in Brisbane and also on last year’s tour of the West Indies.
But he has always been picked for red ball matches going back to the 2013 Ashes, where he regained his spot from Ashton Agar in Manchester and hung onto it more or less ever since, barring injury.
Australia went with the usual suspects – Cummins, Hazlewood, Starc and Lyon – in the first Test in Durban but that might be about to change given the overcast conditions and a pitch that is likely to favour seamers.
Lyon’s spot in the side is in danger. We’ll know for sure at the toss, which shouldn’t be far away, but Dan thinks Lyon might slide out.
The covers are back off and players are wandering out for a look at the pitch.
It’s now looking notably brighter at St George’s Park and South Africa have begun warming up.
(Here’s a video preview from yesterday).
G’day cricket fans.
Welcome to our live coverage of the second Test in Gqeberha.
It’s Tom Decent here in the Maroubra bureau and we’ve got Dan Brettig on assignment in South Africa as we gear up for what should be a beauty of a Test.
A lot of intrigue in Australia’s XI. Play gets under way at 7pm AEDT, which is a slightly later start than the first Test in Durban.
As always, if you have any questions for myself or Bretto, sing out.
