Alex Malcolm - ESPN Cricinfo (20.10.2026)

Mark Duffield (0:00)

Welcome back to the ESPN WA studio out here at Optus Stadium, Tuesday morning in Perth. Big second hour on the show coming up for you. We're gonna start with talking to one of my favorite colleagues from the old days, covering the footy beat around Perth, the AFL scene. He was also a very fine first grade cricketer. He is now ESPN's Cricinfo's cricket analyst, and he joins us on the line now, Alex Malcolm. Alex, welcome.

Alex Malcolm (0:30)

Good day, Duff. Nice to talk to you.

Mark Duffield (0:32)

Mate, are you still belting bowling attacks around the park, or are you just watching the game and writing about it now?

Alex Malcolm (0:39)

Long time retired, mate.

When I left Perth, which was 10 years ago, yeah, that was the last time I played. So my last game was March of 2017 We've actually got a 10 year reunion. We won a Premiership at Suvi that year. So it's coming up. We're trying to organize that, but that was my last game of cricket. So a nice way to finish, but you haven't missed it at all.

Mark Duffield (0:57)

Well, my advice is don't do the Christmas party thing where you have too many beers and then get out and think you can still play.

That's never ends well. The Aussies have the South Africans five for 97 after two days rain affected in the second test. What have you made of it so far?

Alex Malcolm (1:17)

Yeah, the weather has been the winner so far. And then second is Scott Boland. Yeah, it's been an awkward couple of days. Not a lot of play. If you think about it, we've only had 43 overs. So basically a session and a half of cricket, which is going to make it difficult to try and produce a result. The weather is supposed to be a little bit better the last three days.

But in reality, there's probably only about 280 overs left of the match to try and manufacture a result. And the best avenue for Australia is to knock over South Africa's tail quickly, which is going to be challenging because they battle the way to 10 with harm at 10 and he batted quite well in Durban.

So trying to knock them over very cheaply this morning, so this evening, our time, under 150 and then trying to pile up over 300, which on this surface looks like it's going to be difficult. South Africa coach Hukri Konrad said last night, they expect the surface to harden up because it's been wet and soft and green, as your listeners would have seen if they tuned into the game. But it's likely to leave some indentations and divots in it, which will make batting quite difficult when the pitch gets harder and firmer over the next few days. And obviously, Rabada back, he's flying. Jantz is going to be a challenge and Norkia ball beautifully in Durban as well. And then Molder is going to be awkward, particularly given the way that Bolland is bold, he's a bit skittier, can keep the stumps in place. So big challenge for the Australians to try and get a score. But we'll see, the game could move really quickly, but they're in a good position at the moment.

Mark Duffield (2:45)

Scottie Bolland, let's talk about him.

This is his 20th test match, he's now got 86 wickets with the four so far in this innings. I've said a couple of times over the last couple of days, I can't remember a player who's been better performed and still not been able to nail down a permanent spot in Australian test team.

Alex Malcolm (3:07)

Yeah, that's a fairly accurate description.

It's just a quirk of coming in behind a generational trio.

In Cummins, Stark and Hazelwood, and in particular, he's never going to really, or he did replace Stark once, and that was in the first Test of the Ashes in 2023, which is quite unique, but it didn't happen again. The way the Australians like to set up the combination of the attack, having the two right armors and the one left armor, and Stark's unique in terms of his pace and his angle. And then you've got the bounce and consistency of Hazelwood and then the strike weapon in Cummins, who's really good on flat pitches. They kind of complement each other really well, those three. And it's difficult for Boland to replace either the captain or Hazelwood, who's got 300 tests, will get to 25 When he's fit and firing, he's arguably one of their best as well. And he proved that in Durban, taking his career best figures of 6 for 49 in the fourth innings there. So, yeah, it's difficult for him to get an opportunity. And anytime he does, it's usually when one of the other guys is injured, as he did in the Ashes last year, or when conditions allow them to play four. So he's done that. They did this in the West Indies in a pink ball game last year where these four played together. And then they've done it again here with conditions demanding that, you know, basically spin is not going to be a factor, especially early in the test match. And given we're not going to have like a day five style wicket, it's proven to be a right call. So, yeah, just difficult for Boland to get a chance. But every time he does, he performs so brilliantly. It's an amazing record. 80 or test wickets at 18 And he's irrepressible. And he just looks a nightmare to face. You talk to the guys who do face him in domestic, or face him in the nets, they just say he's the worst. Just inside edges, inside thigh pads, always challenging off stump, and then he can nibble it away too. It's just brutal for a right-hander. And then when he comes around, we get the left-hander similar results as well. So yeah, he's just a genius.