Rain spoiled the opening day in Gqeberha, with Australia only able to bowl 12.2 overs after winning the toss.
But it was still enough for Scott Boland to cause some havoc and remind everyone how unlucky he is not to be a walk-up starter!
KEEP
Hello dad!
It took Proteas debutant Marques Ackermann 15 balls to get off the mark in Test cricket, and he timed it perfectly as rain then stopped play.
He then got another perfect moment as he walked off, as his young son got the chance to wave down at him from the stands as he and Aiden Markram came off the ground.
Rain delays suck for everyone, but at least this one came with a nice moment.
Scott Boland
The Aussie seamer has to be the unluckiest bowler in the world as he constantly gets stuck behind Australia’s freak quartet of greats.
He got his chance at St George’s Park, and while there was not much action on day one, he made it count.
The tourists made a lacklustre start as they struggled with a slippery bowling crease while the pitch didn’t offer that much despite being quite green.
But as soon as Boland came on, he had it talking, and by his second over, he was on a hattrick.
His first nipped back on Markram to take middle, with some help from an inside edge, while the next nipped away from David Bedingham and took his edge first ball.
The hattrick ball also caught an edge, Proteas skipper Temba Bavuma fortunate it thudded into his pad instead of finding a fielder.
He now has 84 Test wickets at 18.20.
BENCH
Lunch and Tea
On any day affected by rain, the traditional breaks should be done away with.
After the first rain delay, the revised conditions had the sides playing for 90 minutes and then going off for a 40-minute lunch break.
The rain didn’t wait 90 minutes to come back, but it’s idiotic that if it hadn’t returned, the game would have been stopped anyway.
Test cricket needs to be more flexible, especially given there was a decent smattering of fans at the ground on Sunday.
They can take extended drinks breaks if any significant period of play is possible.
CUT
No hessian covers
Steve Smith revealed before play the curator had told him he doesn’t use hessian covers on the morning of play, even when the rain set in.
He likes some moisture in the pitch.
That’s fine, but the big covers always leak, so surely you want the backup underneath to stop wet patches?
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