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Hazlewood says Boland will have his turn as South Africa back Rickelton with the gloves
Australia's Durban match-winner expects Scott Boland to play a part in the series, while South Africa's fielding coach Kruger van Wyk called Ryan Rickelton 'a first-choice keeper' before Sunday's second Test in Gqeberha.
Key points
- Josh Hazlewood said Scott Boland "will play a part in this series" after sitting out in Durban.
- Kruger van Wyk called Ryan Rickelton "a first-choice keeper".
- Australia lead the three-Test series 1-0 after winning by 214 runs in Durban.
Josh Hazlewood, whose six wickets settled the first Test in Durban, believes Scott Boland will get his chance before the series is over, with the second Test starting in Gqeberha on Sunday.
Boland, who averages 18.58 in Test cricket, sat out in Durban, where Australia picked Nathan Lyon alongside Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Hazlewood. “He’ll play a part in this series,” Hazlewood said, calling his fellow seamer “a class act”.
Australia won by 214 runs, with Hazlewood taking 6 for 49 as South Africa were bowled out for 206 in their second innings, and they can wrap up the three-match series at St George’s Park before it moves to Cape Town. Hazlewood said what helps him most in these conditions is a little reverse swing with a fairly hard ball, rather than heavy reverse swing.
South Africa’s keeper question
South Africa, needing a win to stay in the series, have handed the gloves to Ryan Rickelton, who made 0 and 2 with the bat in Durban. Fielding coach Kruger van Wyk, a former New Zealand wicketkeeper, said the extra job should sharpen him rather than weigh him down.
Van Wyk said Rickelton had kept his kit ready from white-ball cricket so was not starting from scratch, and had kept to high-quality spin before, including Rashid Khan. Van Wyk called him “a first-choice keeper” and said the role should help Rickelton’s focus and his leadership in the field.