Australia’s fast bowlers capitalised on the abrasive surface in Durban to achieve reverse swing, setting a promising tone for the second Test. Josh Hazlewood highlighted the importance of this technique, which propelled Australia to a series lead.
Back home, Australia’s grassy pitches often overshadow reverse swing, not prominently featured in recent years. However, the 2022 series in Pakistan saw Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins excel, securing a victory in Lahore thanks to the precise reverse swing.
During the warm-up match in Potchefstroom, Australia’s bowlers attempted reverse swing but didn’t find great success. However, the conditions at Kingsmead were favourable for the tactic, enabling Hazlewood to record career statistics of 6 for 49 with the help of the new ball.
Hazlewood said, “It’s probably with Australia [pitches] being the green seamers, it just doesn’t get talked about at all. The ball still looks new late in the innings if it gets that far. So it’s more, if you go back to SCG years ago, we definitely got reversed there every year.”
Gqeberha could see reverse swing make another appearance, especially with South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada likely returning. Nevertheless, rain forecasts might affect its impact, although the pitch was already dehydrated three days before the match.
“The conditions sort of dictate it,” Hazlewood remarked. “If the wicket is hard, firm, deteriorating, and there’s not seam movement, you’re probably going to get that reverse swing just due to the basic conditions of the ground, the square and the wicket.”
Hazlewood, who has tallied two six-wicket hauls in three Tests since his Ashes absence, reported feeling fit and ready despite his recent workload. His stint in Durban marked his first full Test match since 2023, excluding a rain-truncated India Test.
“I’d rather it be over in two days,” he quipped about typical Australian pitches and the balance shift towards batters. However, he reiterated, “You probably want the ball a bit harder and a little bit of reverse swing rather than a lot of reverse swing with the ball soft. It’s much easier to navigate as a batsman. You still want that carry with a harder ball. Just a hint of reverse swing I think is the key.”
Australia has depth in pace with Scott Boland and Michael Neser on standby. Boland impressed in the nets, offering reassurance in case weather conditions necessitate his inclusion as a fourth bowler or in the event of a bowling line-up change.
“He barely bowls poorly,” Hazlewood noted. “Every net the boys come in, it’s like, geez, Scotty again. I think he’ll play a part in this series [and] I think he’ll play a part in the next 12, 18 months. [He’s a] class act, his record ridiculous.”
The presence of capable backup allows for flexibility and eases decision-making regarding player rotations, ensuring robust team dynamics moving forward.
