Boland could be blown in by wintry weather

The answers to Australia's latest Scott Boland-provoked selection quandary lie in the remnants of Gqeberha's winter weather, essentially rendering irrelevant the Windy City's standing as spin's most bountiful Test haven beyond the subcontinent.

Not for the first time in recent Tests has Boland come into calculations, even with his Big Three pace counterparts all recovering well from their Durban demolition job. Once again, it is Nathan Lyon's spot seemingly on the line, with thunderstorms and heavy winds forecast for the first two days of the second Test.

As selectors George Bailey and Andrew McDonald, and even the St George's Park curator, all carefully scrutinised the pitch on Saturday, Boland went through his typical pre-match visualisation routine on an adjacent centre-wicket strip.

Before trotting off to the nets for a bat, the 37-year-old shadow-bowled while looking at the good length he hammers with such regularity that Australia are considering disrupting an attack that knocked the World Test champions over twice for under 300 on a true surface at Kingsmead in the series opener.

"Every Test match we're trying to work out how we can fit Scotty Boland in there somehow," Pat Cummins told reporters, adding that Lyon and Michael Neser were also in those conversations. "When you've got someone like Scotty … you leave some training sessions shaking your head (thinking) how that bloke isn't in your first XI."

Bar Cameron Green (abdominal strain), every Australian squad member looks likely to be available for selection, with Josh Inglis' long batting stint in the nets on match eve suggesting he is in the mix despite his broken finger being protected by a splint.

Inglis could conceivably come into play as a specialist batting No.7, a role he performed during last summer’s Ashes, if Beau Webster was deemed surplus to requirements in an all-seam attack. Cummins had a light bowl to follow Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood in proving he had pulled up well from a heavy workload in Durban.

The squeeze means Lyon's worth could again be under the microscope having been left out for recent matches in Jamaica and Brisbane, while also having momentarily been on the chopping block in Mackay. This time, inclement weather threatens the type of late-game pitch wear that might typically assist the champion off-spinner.

Australia’s now familiar flirtation with four quicks comes despite recent history showing Gqeberha is the most spin-friendly venue outside Asia over the past decade.

But the success of slow bowlers in the seven Tests played at the Eastern Cape ground (spinners have averaged 26.80, the lowest of any non-subcontinental venue to host more than two Tests in the past 10 years) may be one of several superfluous data points for Pat Cummins and co.

The reverse swing both teams enjoyed in 2018 during the rivals' last meeting in the city then known as Port Elizabeth may also be more difficult to find. 

Test cricket has never been played here this early in the South African season. In first-class matches played at the venue between September and November, spinners have averaged a less impressive 32.05 (compared to seamers' 26.94).

Boland had been one of several seamers (returning Proteas star Kagiso Rabada was another) to demonstrate the considerable bounce on offer metres away from the Test wicket on a parallel training surface used by both sides over the past three days.

"It's really hard here to judge the data because it's a different time of year," said Cummins. "A lot of the Test matches are played later in the summer. We're going to have a good look (at the pitch). We'd like to see it again tomorrow with the weather around.

"The boys said (the practice pitch) was a bit bouncy the last few days. To be honest, in Durban, it probably was similar as well on the side pitches.

"It normally spins here. Bounce is normally decent, but it can be a little bit slower. But again, a lot of these Tests are a couple of years apart and they're in February, March, January – so it's hard to know.

"The other big factor here is it looks like there could be some windy days. What does that mean for rain as well? Is it going to hang around? Is it going to be long (breaks)? So I don't know – maybe (I will) try and pick off the groundsman and see if anyone wants to offer me some ideas."

Even the curator in question, Adrian Carter, who has more than 30 years' experience working at the venue, looked to be searching for inspiration underfoot as he sat down on the surface he has prepared. He gazed upon it for several minutes not long before rain covers were laid down.

But what's going on above the cut stuff is as likely to influence the Boland versus Lyon conversation, with 6mm of rain forecast for Sunday and wind gusts tipped to top 70kph on Monday.

"There's not much you can do about it, and it's not really going to change too much tactically what we'll do," said Cummins. "I quite like that challenge of playing what's in front of you, all the different tempos and things that present to you throughout the five days. I've always enjoyed that as a bowler and captain."

Qantas tour of South Africa 2026

All matches to be broadcast exclusively in Australia on Kayo and Fox Cricket

First Test: Australia won by 214 runs

Second Test: October 18-22, St George's Park, Gqeberha, 7pm AEDT (10am local)

Third Test: October 27-31, Newlands, Cape Town, 7:30pm AEDT (10:30am local)

South Africa squad for second Test: Temba Bavuma (c), Marques Ackerman, David Bedingham, Matthew Breetzke, Corbin Bosch, Gerald Coetzee, Simon Harmer, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Anrich Nortje, Dane Paterson, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Kyle Verreynne.

Australia Test squad: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Cameron Green, Sam Harper, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (second Test onwards), Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nic Maddinson, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster