Last Updated on 1 day ago by Charbel Coorey
According to reports, St. George’s Park head groundsman Adrian Carter is set to leave 6-8mm of grass on the pitch for the second Test. On a ground where spin often plays a role, there may be limited opportunities for the likes of Nathan Lyon and Keshav Maharaj to get into the game.
Along with pitch, there is rain forecast on the first two days. The weather is expected to be fine for the final three days, but mild conditions – with top temperatures in the low 20s – means the surface is unlikely to break up at the backend of the match.
Should South Africa and Australia go without a specialist spinner in Gqeberha?
In theory, playing a Test in Gqeberha without a specialist spinner is a risk. Spinners make up four of the top 10 wicket-takers on this ground in the last decade, with Maharaj top of the list with 33 wickets at 23.88.
In fact, offspinners (a tick under 26) and left-arm orthodox (a tick under 27) have the best bowling averages of any bowling type at St George’s Park since 2016.
David Bedingham says the pitch has been tricky to bat on in recent years, with conditions favouring spin.
“Personally, I haven’t played too much (here), but from speaking to everyone, it’s usually quite slow and low,” Bedingham said, as quoted by CODE Sports.
“But also in first-class cricket, I reckon for the last three or four years, it’s been the toughest place to play. So I don’t know what the pitch guy (groundsman) will do… but hopefully it’s a good pitch, and hopefully there’s a Proteas win on hopefully day four or five.”
So both camps have tricky decisions to make. The Port Elizabeth surface usually dries out as the match goes on, but will the weather conditions allow for that in an early-season Test? The pitch looked similar on day one in South Africa’s last Test here against Sri Lanka in 2024, before drying out to suit Maharaj, who took 5/76 in the fourth innings. But, that Test was played in warmer conditions in December.
Australia have the excellent Scott Boland waiting in the wings, who would relish an opportunity to bowl on a grassy pitch even if it’s not as pacy as other grounds. The only avenue into the XI, if every bowler is fit, is in place of Lyon.
South Africa also have options, namely Dane Paterson, Corbin Bosch and Gerald Coetzee. Paterson has had success on this ground, taking eight wickets in two Tests at an average of 20.75.
Pace bowlers had the better of proceedings at Durban on a pitch that had less grass. Also, conditions were warm and sunny throughout the Test, but the quicks – especially Josh Hazlewood – were still able to have the most success.
There is the option of playing a spinner in case the surface offers assistance late in the Test. It is probably the sensible decision. Both Lyon and Maharaj are skilled, experience and can make use of whatever help there is. It will be fascinating to see which way both teams go.
