South Africa vs Australia 2nd Test Day 1 LIVE Score Updates

8.48 am GMT - Good news! The rain has relented, and it has gotten slightly brighter as well. Only the square was covered, so the outfield will need time to get ready, and the water that has collected on the covers must be cleared before they can be removed. We are hearing that there will be an inspection at 9.15 am GMT.

8.36 am GMT - Nothing new to report from Gqeberha. It's still raining very heavily and the forecast too, isn't looking promising for the rest of the day. For now, we keep waiting. Fingers crossed.

Aiden Markram has a chat with Natalie Germanos - Markram says the preparations have been good coming into this match. Shares that they have had a couple of productive sessions as well. He also feels that the extra day has made a big difference for the South Africa camp. The preparation, he says, has gone really well. Details that the weather has been wonderful in the build-up, though it does not look all that great at the moment. On how the surface might behave, he notes that it is something the side will have to assess in the moment, getting a feel for it in the first few overs and shaping their plans from there. He does not want the team walking in with preconceived ideas. Also says that there is a general understanding of how the wicket plays in Port Elizabeth, which stays at the back of the mind, but with the weather around and a really warm build-up, making those calls is tricky. Ultimately, he says, it will all be decided out in the middle. Aiden Markram feels that, from a batting point of view, it is important to give the batters the freedom to express themselves and back their natural game without the fear of failure. Bowling-wise, he believes the same spirit of clarity and intent should carry through the attack, with the bowlers backed to stay disciplined and keep hitting the hard lengths and hunt wickets.

8.10 am GMT - Unfortunately, the rain has picked up in intensity, and it is all looking gloomy at the moment. On the grass banks, given the rain forecast, all those who came prepared with their tents are putting them to good use. As we wait for the situation to improve at St George’s Park, you can switch tabs and follow the action from the Tri-Series opener in Rawalpindi, where Pakistan and Sri Lanka are locking horns.

In conversation with Steve Smith - Mark Howard caught up with the Aussie stalwart a little while ago. Smith reckons there could be plenty in the surface early on, with a bit of grass and moisture making life tricky for the batters. He was surprised to learn that the groundsman prefers to leave some moisture in the pitch early on and that hessian covers, which help protect the surface, are used only for ODIs. He also feels the grass is standing up more than it was a couple of days ago, which could make the opening exchanges challenging for the batters. Having never played here at this time of the year, Smith points out that the square is usually much drier in February and March, offering more assistance to spin. With more rain forecast and potentially less foot traffic on the pitch, he expects spin to play a smaller role than it traditionally does at St George’s Park.

7.58 am GMT - The drizzle continues steadily at St George’s Park, and every extra minute of waiting will add to the nerves for debutant Marques Ackerman. A middle-order batter by trade, Ackerman now has the responsibility of opening the innings, and he could hardly have asked for a more testing introduction against Australia’s four-pronged pace attack.

7.40 am GMT - Oh, no! The drizzle has returned, and the covers are back on. It is going to be one of those stop-start days, which makes the job harder as a batting side. As bowlers, you do get some rest between the breaks, but rhythm can be hard to find. The drizzle is not heavy, but with no wind to blow it away, the rain could be here to stay.

Australia (Playing XI) - Nic Maddinson, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Matt Renshaw, Alex Carey (WK), Beau Webster, Pat Cummins (C), Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Scott Boland (In for Nathan Lyon).

South Africa (Playing XI) - Aiden Markram, Marques Ackerman (On Test debut) (In for Tristan Stubbs), David Bedingham, Temba Bavuma (C), Matthew Breetzke (In for Kyle Verreynne), Ryan Rickelton (WK), Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Simon Harmer, Anrich Nortje, and Kagiso Rabada (In for Keshav Maharaj).

The captain of South Africa - Temba Bavuma admits they were undecided on what to do, but the decision has now been taken out of their hands. With the surface looking quite moist, he expects a tough morning and says his side will have to fight it out. Informs that Marques Ackerman will make his debut and will open with Aiden Markram. Kagiso Rabada and Matthew Breetzke also come into the side. Bavuma also explains that they have gone in with just one spinner, Simon Harmer, as they do not expect the conditions to offer much assistance to the spinners. Mentions that every game is important, but this one carries a little more weight as they look to keep the series alive.

The captain of Australia - Pat Cummins says there's a little bit of cloud cover and the pitch looks pretty good. Informs that they have got one change in the side, with Nathan Lyon making way for Scott Boland. On being asked about the reason for that change, Cummins puts it down to the conditions favouring the seamers a bit more. Calls Boland a genuine wicket-taker as well. Also says that when there is anything in the wicket, he (Boland) gets the ball to talk. Mentions that they had a great win last week, but still stresses a couple of areas to improve on. Ends by saying that winning the series on foreign soil is never easy but mentions that they are in a great position, being 1-0 up in the series. States that they will give their best shot to win this one.

TOSS - Temba Bavuma and Pat Cummins have made their way out to the middle. Cummins calls 'Heads' and the coin lands in his favour. Australia opt to BOWL first.

PITCH REPORT - Mark Nicholas mentions that it is perfectly dry and the play will start on time, which is good news. Observes that it is a bit patchy, with streaks of green, grey, and brown shades on it and asks for Vernon's opinion. Vernon Philander calls it an interesting-looking surface, highlighting that there was 9 mm of grass before it was shaved off a bit. He expects a little moisture to linger early on, though he cautions that the track should play on the slower side. Even so, he notes that the strip looks barren in places, and the spiky grass underneath is standing up, which should make the ball react quicker off the surface. Says any bowler will want to hit those spikes as early as possible. Says all eyes will be on the toss and he also leans towards bowling first and packing an extra seamer. Mark Nicholas wonders whether Australia might swap Nathan Lyon for Scott Boland, and Philander says he would be tempted, especially with some weather around that could shorten the days ahead. Still, Philander expects the pitch to behave slowly on days one and two. Mark Nicholas says that he would drop one spinner without a second thought and is even tempted to leave both out. With weather around likely to shorten the days, he feels seam is the most effective method of operation on this surface. Philander adds that rubbing the surface reveals plenty of roots underneath, and that is where the seam movement will come from. Stresses on winning the toss and bowling first.

Looking up - Mark Nicholas gives us the lowdown on the conditions. The covers have been on and off, but at the moment they have been peeled off, and the sunshine is trying to peek through. The South Africans have been out on the park already, with some kicking a ball around while Ryan Rickelton is getting in some wicketkeeping practice. The strip is being rolled, and it has a greenish, damp look. According to Mark, the outfield does not seem to be an issue, and he is optimistic of a start on time if the rain stays away. Well, not far from him, Scott Boland has marked his run-up, so he could be in. The toss is not far away, so we should find out soon enough.

Selection calls and comebacks - The defeat in Durban was a first for Temba Bavuma as Test captain, in his 13th game in charge, and having been dismissed for single-digit scores in both innings there, he will be keen to lead from the front. All eyes will also be on the much-awaited return of Kagiso Rabada, who has been out with a hamstring injury and returns to competitive cricket for the first time since May. With rain forecast for the first couple of days, there could be a temptation for Australia to go in with four pacers and possibly include Scott Boland.

Bring the noise, Gqeberha - Durban was a little underwhelming when it came to crowd attendance, but Gqeberha is known for bringing plenty of energy to the stands. We have seen that during the SA20, with the St George’s Brass Band adding to the atmosphere and becoming a big part of the experience. Hopefully, we will see a livelier crowd for the second Test.

Welcome to the Friendly City - Moving along the coast from Durban, we are now in Gqeberha, in the Eastern Cape, the land of Nelson Mandela, for the second Test. The city was known as Port Elizabeth until it was renamed Gqeberha in 2021, but even five years on, the name can still be a bit of a tongue-twister. It starts with a click of the tongue, followed by 'beh-kha'. Give it a go, because after overnight rain and a wet start to the day, you might have all the time you need to master it.

... MATCH DAY ...

Time for Round 2 - Round 1 went Australia’s way, and apart from a few punches here and there, South Africa did not play like the side that won the WTC title last year. Matt Renshaw’s 190 rescued the Aussies from 124 for 6 in the first innings, and Josh Hazlewood’s six wickets finished the job, with the 214-run margin saying plenty about how one-sided it became. History at St George’s - If all of this sounds familiar, there is a reason. Back in 2018, Australia also took the opener in Durban, only for things to unravel quite spectacularly, with South Africa levelling the series right here at St George’s Park. The hosts, licking their wounds, will be hoping to prove that Durban was an off week and not a sign of things to come, while the tourists will want to make sure history does not repeat itself. The venue gives Australia reason to be wary, too. St George’s Park has been their least favourite of the three grounds on this tour, and South Africa have won the last two Tests here, against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Proteas shuffle the deck - The defeat in Durban has led to personnel changes in the Proteas’ squad, with Tristan Stubbs facing the axe. The confirmation that Ryan Rickelton will take over the wicketkeeping duties also indicates that Kyle Verreynne won’t feature in Gqeberha, which could mean another change in the batting department, with Matthew Breetzke and Marques Ackerman in contention. Breetzke has played only two Tests so far and has not played first-class cricket lately, but the think tank is banking on him to translate his white-ball form to the Test arena. Ackerman is in line for a Test debut, and he comes in with plenty of first-class experience and an average of 48.66. Rabada returns - On the pace bowling front, there is a major boost for the Proteas with the return of Kagiso Rabada. He was close to featuring in Durban, but the think tank erred on the side of caution as he was coming off a hamstring injury, and he has not played competitive cricket since May. Conditions are unlikely to call for two specialist spin options, so Simon Harmer will likely have to make way for him. Back in 2018, Rabada produced figures of 5/96 and 6/54 on this very ground, and he will be eager to produce another match-winning display. Labuschagne under pressure - Australia’s top four managed just 194 runs across both innings in Durban, out of their combined tally of 704. With Rabada back for South Africa, they have a stern challenge awaiting them. The pressure is also growing on Marnus Labuschagne, who has now gone 11 innings without a half-century, and it has been more than three years since his last Test hundred. Reinforcements on the horizon - Cameron Green is still on the road to recovery from an abdominal strain and could be ready just in time for the third Test. Josh Inglis, who fractured a finger during the ODI leg of the tour, has rejoined the touring squad, but Australia might not want to disrupt the winning combination. Form (Last 5 Tests, recent first) - SA - LWWWL | AUS - WWLWL. What to expect? Spinners have thrived at St George’s Park in recent Tests. In 2022, Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer took all 10 Bangladesh wickets in the fourth innings, and in 2024 Maharaj and Sri Lanka’s Prabath Jayasuriya both took five-wicket hauls. The caveat is that the 2022 Test was played in April and the 2024 one in December, when the summer heat had baked the surface. This Test is the earliest ever played at the ground, so no one can be sure how the pitch will behave. Rain is expected to be around for the first couple of days of the Test, and that will mean the pacers could have plenty to work with. Known as the Friendly City, will Gqeberha be kind to the visitors this time around, or will it once more be the place where South Africa strike back? We shall find out together.