00:00Let's go.
00:37Great news coming from Quebec, the second test match between South Africa and Australia,
00:43just about set to get underway.
00:46We've had a lengthy delay because of the rain here at St. George's Park.
00:51We did have the toss a bit earlier on, and it was Australia that won the toss
00:55and said they would have a bowl first, which wasn't too surprising from a point of view of the conditions
01:03and the amount of rain we've had.
01:06Don't know too much about what the surface may offer, but we do now know the revised sessions.
01:1212 o'clock start, half past one will be lunchtime, and then we move on to the second session,
01:17which will be a full two hours, and eventually on to tea at ten past four,
01:21while we then have a shortened final session.
01:25Obviously, with the weather around, it means we'll just have 75 overs today.
01:30Hopefully, we can get as many of those in as possible.
01:35Special, special time, of course, for the crowd that's come in for Australia,
01:42but also some of the changes for South Africa brings about some milestones.
01:51to the side for his debut test match.
01:55Matthew Bretzky will be playing his third, and Kakiso Rabada is back,
01:59playing his 74th test match for South Africa.
02:04No doubt, a big welcome back to him for the Pro tiers.
02:09Australia, they've made one change themselves.
02:11Scott Boland is in. Watch out for him.
02:15Now he's in for Nathan Lyon.
02:18And Kai Antini, Mr.
02:22congratulating the Pro tiers, having a chat with him as well.
02:25Great to see Kakiso Rabada back.
02:27So that's one of the major changes for South Africa to welcome him back,
02:31but also changes in the batting.
02:33Marcus Ackerman set to open the batting for South Africa,
02:37while Ryan Rickleton takes up the gloves and moves down the order,
02:40and Matthew Bretzky will play his third test match.
02:43He's played a couple so far, one in Bangladesh and one in Zimbabwe,
02:46but it's his first on South African soil.
02:53For Australia, and of course, we've already spoken a lot
02:57about their bowling line-up and how good they are.
03:00They showed in Durban how strong that bowling line-up is.
03:03And now, in some ways, you would say they've strengthened that bowling line-up
03:07with the welcoming of Scott Boland.
03:09It does mean, though, that they don't have Nathan Lyon.
03:12So it's a strong seam attack.
03:14And Scott Boland showed what he can do.
03:17He is certainly someone who would enjoy these conditions here, too.
03:22I'm interested to see how the surface plays and what it's got to offer.
03:27Australia winning the toss and choosing to bowl first.
03:31Alongside, I've got Sean Pollock and Vernon Philander.
03:33So much has been spoken about the surface, gentlemen.
03:37What are your thoughts?
03:39Good morning, Natalie.
03:40Good morning, Polly.
03:43Certainly the conditions here at St. George's
03:45stacked in favour of the bowlers this morning,
03:47but over cars is a beautiful grass cover
03:49as we watch an absolute legend ringing the bell
03:54and giving us the go-ahead, Makaya and Tini.
04:03It's runs for South Africa
04:05as Markram gets himself off the mark
04:07with a trademark drive.
04:14That's given the length that he would have wanted.
04:16As soon as he saw that, he's on to the front foot
04:19and eases it beautifully through the offside.
04:27A little confusion in the middle,
04:29but it'll be his first runs in Test cricket.
04:32It took a long time,
04:34but you can't take that away from him now.
04:37A relief for the family as well.
04:39They're happy that he's got off the mark.
04:40He almost looked at Adam Markram,
04:42he said, do you not understand?
04:43This is my first Test run, run!
04:46Adam Markram was kind of having a look at him,
04:47saying, well, maybe, maybe not.
04:49He was like, no, no, it's definitely...
04:52He'll be feeling a lot better,
04:54especially at the fact that they're just about to go off
04:56because the rain's increased.
04:57But he's off the mark and he can head to the dress room
04:59as an official Test run getter.
05:04Oh, it'll be frustrating for the crowd and all involved.
05:07They had a long, long wait before we eventually got on.
05:11And there's family, his wife in the background.
05:14She just looks a little bit more relaxed now.
05:16She was a bit nervous earlier.
05:17His kid was born just a couple of years ago
05:19before one of the SA20 competitions that we had,
05:22before he played with the Pretoria Capitals.
05:29You'll feel a little bit more relaxed too.
05:34Have a little way for Dad.
05:39Lovely, absolutely wonderful.
05:41A moment to savor, you're never going to forget it.
05:46Great for the family.
05:51Debutts can be tough.
05:52And I don't know, gentlemen,
05:54that they come much tougher than this one.
05:56Your team's 1-0 down
05:57and you're up against a world-class bowling line-up.
06:02Look on his face here.
06:03Yes, Aiden, please.
06:05Run through and then the relief.
06:07I'm off the mark in my first Test match.
06:10And much appreciated by the team
06:12in the dress room as well.
06:18It's dangerous to show
06:20the youngster where Dad is
06:22because next minute is,
06:23well, I want to go see Dad.
06:24Well, you can't see him
06:25until the close of play, unfortunately.
07:20Welcome back here to
07:21Quebec. You can see the revised times.
07:23Good news, it's not sun shining
07:26but there is no rain.
07:27So a revised session, still 72 overs to be bowled.
07:30Fingers crossed for that.
07:32Sanabriga, they lost the toss.
07:33Pat Cummins decided to bowl.
07:35Pitch wasn't doing a great deal early.
07:37Markham looked comfortable.
07:38A couple of confident cover drives and Ackman
07:40brought up his first test run beside me,
07:43Kaya Zondo and Pomi Mbangwa.
07:46Good start for the home side, Kaya.
07:53Certainly a good start.
07:55They didn't lose any wickets.
07:58That's exactly what they wanted in that short stint.
08:00Tristan Stubbs out there to support his team.
08:07And not much bounce to carry at all.
08:13Yeah, a bit of a warm-up ball there, Howie,
08:17but it's on the money.
08:18It's straight on to the mark that he wants to be at.
08:24First time we've seen the ball beat the bat all day
08:27and it's the second delivery from bowl and nibbles away.
08:31Yeah, really good adjustment.
08:33That first ball that didn't carry to the keeper
08:36did nibble away.
08:41Moves it away, big flashing drive.
08:45Four balls, beaten about twice.
08:48That forward movement that he does is part of his game.
08:51It's what he does usually in first-class cricket
08:54and whenever he bats and he's an attacking batter.
08:59Straight through him, bowling, jags it back.
09:02His first wicket in South Africa and it's the massive wicket of Aidan Marker
09:07and bowling into the attack, breaking through.
09:10It's a huge wicket.
09:13The adjustment is to get the ball further up
09:16and to entice the in-form batter to play a drive.
09:21But he does get it to nibble.
09:24It goes off the inside edge, I think.
09:27You have a look at this.
09:28Off the seam, comes back in
09:30and clips the inside edge as it collects the middle stump too.
09:39That's what he does, Boland, when he's on a roll.
09:42He just rolls and rolls.
09:45First ball.
09:46I said he takes wickets in clumps.
09:48Bettingham departs and Boland is on a hat-trick.
09:53Scotty Boland, my goodness.
09:56Oh, that is beautiful.
10:00One in, castled.
10:03Another one away and it chips the outside edge.
10:07And nestles into the hands.
10:10Look at that.
10:13Lovely.
10:14Into the gloves of Kerry.
10:16And there's the movement right there.
10:19The decision, do you play, do you not?
10:22With the one before you having just disturbs the stumps,
10:25you think you should.
10:29Thick edge, runs away, Bovuma.
10:33Played the drive, not with any confidence.
10:36Runs.
10:37Fortunate for the South African captain.
10:40But runs that he'll take.
10:47There's no doubt that Boland has a kind of magic about him.
10:51He's automatic and robotic in his accuracy,
10:55but he has a magic in picking out wickets.
10:58People want to feel the ball on the back.
11:01The umpire's having a look.
11:03I can't believe they're going to come off for bad light here.
11:08Whoa.
11:10I can only assume there's drizzle because that can't be light.
11:14In fact, now we can actually see some drizzle.
11:17Simon Kadic is alongside me pointing at it.
11:19You can see it against the dark green of the stand.
11:22But I think South Africa will be very pleased with that.
11:26And I think they've just got to be tighter and smarter
11:29and a little more urgent in their play.
11:32At the moment, it's as if they're letting the game overwhelm them.
11:40Ground staff very quick to get that plastic sheet out there.
11:43But even this sprinkling of rain will help a little.
11:47And I mean help the bowler
11:48because rain never came to help the batsmen, at least.
11:52Not often.
11:54Yeah.
11:54We also heard from Steve Smith talking about
11:57his surprise that a hessian doesn't go underneath.
11:59And the reason why is you get some moisture trapped under there
12:01for a period of time.
12:02It all causes the pitch just to sweat a little touch
12:04and that moisture sticks around for as long as the covers are on.
12:09And when you put it off, it's still a tiny bit moist.
12:11It's not rolled when the covers come off.
12:14And that causes a few issues.
12:15Maybe it gets the ball just to nip around a touch off the seam,
12:19particularly when it's a new pronounced seam.
12:23This is infuriating for South Africa.
12:25To have lost the toss, which is the same for whichever side loses the toss,
12:31to then have this on-off cricket, it's very difficult to get settled.
12:36And you never know where you are with it.
12:38You know, we've actually had hints of sunshine.
12:41We've had this heavy drizzle.
12:43We've had a very low sort of blanket cloud that's grey.
12:47And, oh, that's difficult to bat.
12:50You almost think the game is better off waiting
12:51until the next day in some ways, you know.
12:53You're welcome.
12:56I'm sure.
12:57I'm sure.
13:00I'm sure.
