Nathan Lyon has been left out of Australia’s side for the second Test against South Africa at St George’s Park in Gqeberha, with Scott Boland brought in after Pat Cummins won the toss and chose to bowl.
Boland’s inclusion is the only change to the XI that beat South Africa by 214 runs in Durban, giving Australia an all-pace attack of Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Boland on a damp pitch with plenty of grass on it, the ABC reported. Australia lead the three-Test series 1-0.
“Partly conditions,” Cummins said of the change at the toss. “Scotty Boland has been incredible whenever he’s played Test cricket. Feels like it’s aligned this week.”
Cummins said there was “a little bit of cloud about, a bit of weather” when explaining his decision to bowl. Light drizzle brought the covers back on shortly after the toss, ESPNcricinfo reported, with rain forecast for the first two days of the Test, according to Fox Sports.
Lyon misses out
It is not the first time in the past 12 months Australia have gone without Lyon, after leaving him out in the West Indies and for the second Ashes Test at the Gabba, Fox Sports reported. After the Gabba omission, Lyon described his mood as “absolutely filthy” in a TV interview, according to TimesLive. Australia also considered an all-pace attack before the second Test against Bangladesh in Mackay, but stuck with the off-spinner, according to AAP.
Read more: Australia Beat South Africa by 214 Runs as Hazlewood Takes 6-49
On Saturday, Cummins said the final XI would not be decided until the toss, once Australia had assessed the pitch and the weather. “We love playing with Nath,” he said, as reported by Fox Sports.
Rabada back for South Africa
South Africa made three changes, with Kagiso Rabada returning from the hamstring strain that kept him out of Durban. Marques Ackerman makes his Test debut as Aiden Markram’s opening partner and Matthew Breetzke comes in at No.5, while Kyle Verreynne, Keshav Maharaj and Tristan Stubbs miss out.
Read more: Rabada Out of South Africa First Test XI as Australia Wait on Connolly
Ryan Rickelton takes the gloves, and Simon Harmer was preferred to Maharaj as the only specialist spinner, alongside Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Marco Jansen and Wiaan Mulder.
“It’s probably going to be tough here in the morning,” South Africa captain Temba Bavuma said at the toss. “Overhead conditions, looks quite moist, the wicket, so we’ll have to fight it out in the first session and set it up for the guys to come in later.”
Rabada has 58 Test wickets at 21.39 against Australia and took 11 wickets the last time Australia played a Test at St George’s Park in 2018, cricket.com.au reported. It is his first competitive match since the IPL in May.
What’s at stake
South Africa, the reigning World Test champions, need to avoid defeat to keep the series alive after Durban handed them their first loss under Bavuma’s captaincy. Ackerman, 30, arrives in form after scoring 256 against Bangladesh A in August, according to ESPNcricinfo.
The third Test starts at Newlands in Cape Town on 27 October (7:30pm AEDT), cricket.com.au said.
More News
