Rain Halts Play at St George’s Park as Selection
A sense of uncertainty hung over St George’s Park on Sunday as the second Test between South Africa and Australia began under gloomy conditions. The indifference of some local residents toward the match was palpable; one cab driver appeared genuinely surprised that a game was taking place at all. While most spectators wore yellow, a group of local supporters made a pointed statement by wearing T-shirts featuring a crying Steven Smith, with the caption: “We saw you crying on the telly.” Neither, it seemed, did many residents of Gqeberha — the spectators trickling towards the gates were, uniformly, dressed in yellow. Miraculously, it seemed, the scene brightened considerably as those notes hit the clouds.
The weather mirrored the mood, as consistent drizzle turned into steady rain shortly after Australian captain Pat Cummins won the toss and elected to field. This choice was a departure from his previous decision at Kingsmead, where the tourists were ultimately defeated by 214 runs despite a notable six-hour batting performance by Aiden Markram. As officials waited for the rain to subside, the famous St George’s Park brass band eventually began playing about 20 minutes after the scheduled start, accompanied by the sight of groundskeeper Adrian Carter, a veteran of nearly 30 years at the venue, overseeing efforts to clear the covers. And with no wind to speak of it looked like it would hang around as long as the almost six hours Aiden Markram batted for in Durban, the dreariest drizzle strengthened into proper rain. By the time the start was halted in its tracks we knew a few things. Imagine Dennis Lillee and Ian Botham fraternising so flagrantly. Which seems to be beloved and detested in roughly equal parts, sent their first efforts into the soggy air 20 minutes after what should have been the start of the match, the famous St George’s Park brass band. Who has tended this ground’s pitch and outfield for almost 30 years, appeared, then Adrian Carter. Who were cheered onto the field, he was followed by his groundstaff. Gradually, carefully, possibly too slowly, the covers were swept, peeled away and removed.
Amid the atmospheric gloom, a significant selection story emerged: Keshav Maharaj was excluded from the South African XI for the first time in his Test career. Since his November 2016 debut at the spin-averse WACA, Maharaj has been a fixture in the side, appearing in 63 of 78 possible Tests. While he was previously left out for a December 2024 match in Centurion against Pakistan, that instance was considered a tactical choice to field an all-seamer attack rather than a formal dropping. This time, however, Temba Bavuma opted for Simon Harmer instead of Maharaj, a move that signals a notable shift in South African selection philosophy. But maybe most of the good people of GQ know better than to get out of bed too early on a day like this. Unquestionably, South Africa’s first-choice slow bowler; a genuine operator in a cricket culture that, before he arrived, looked on spin as something sinister and suspicious, in that time he has become. Thing is, that doesn’t count as dropped because South Africa decided to go all-seam and Maharaj was the only specialist spinner in the squad.
Statistical comparisons between the two spinners offer conflicting justifications for the change. While Harmer holds a superior Test average at this venue—12.16 compared to Maharaj’s 23.87—his sample size is significantly smaller. Conversely, in first-class cricket at St George’s Park, Maharaj has claimed 55 wickets at an average of 20.25, while Harmer has taken 106 wickets at 24.65, albeit from more than double the number of deliveries. Harmer is well-acquainted with the ground, as it served as his home base for the first 11 seasons of his professional career.
As the ground staff worked to prepare the field, spectators watched highlights of South Africa’s recent World Test Championship final victory over Australia at Lord’s on the stadium screen. History, they tell us, is written by the victors.
The tension of the day was compounded by the local water crisis in the Eastern Cape, where residents are urged to limit consumption to 40 litres per person daily. Although a brief glimpse of sun around midday offered hope for a noon start, the persistent grey skies returned, leaving the match’s progress in doubt as players warmed up. Before the weather fully stalled proceedings, the sight of Cummins borrowing paint and a tape measure from the South African staff to mark his run-up stood out as a remarkably cordial moment in the morning’s preparations. And the city is strewn with posters enforcing the message, people are discouraged from using more than 40 litres of water a day.
