Boland answers Gabba challenge: Kasprowicz

Former Australian paceman Michael Kasprowicz says living up to expectations is the hardest thing for a fast bowler at the Gabba, adding that Scott Boland passed that test with flying colours early on the first day of the openingt Test against South Africa.

Proteas captain Dean Elgar joked in his pre-game presser that the Gabba pitch appeared as green as the artificial grass that he was standing on at the time.

It was green on day one too. South Africa were 4-27 at one stage before being dismissed for 152, but Kasprowicz said early on it behaved like “the typical Gabba”.

Kasprowicz, who spent his career bowling on the Gabba with success for Queensland, told AAP that Boland (2-28 off 11 overs) found the early line and length that was required to be successful.

He recalled how he was once asked by Darren Lehmann to speak to the Queensland players about bowling at the Gabba.

“I said that the Gabba is actually the hardest place in Australia for a fast bowler … and then I asked the group why,” he recalled.

“Chris Hartley, being a wicketkeeper even, said correctly that it was because of expectations.

“For a fast bowler you can try too hard, instead of keeping it simple and getting it in the right area.”

Boland kept the ball up on a good length and it did just a bit off the seam. That got rid of opener Sarel Erwee (10) when he drove to gully, and Khaya Zondo for a duck when he was trapped on the crease by a peach that was hitting the top of off-stump.

“Scott Boland has worked it out ideally,” Kasprowicz said.

“The length is all he looks at. He relies on hitting the seam and natural variation. He has been on song straight away.”

Kasprowicz said that the tendency for bowlers at the Gabba was to sometimes “try too hard” and think that to get wickets they need to bowl shorter.

“That’s instead of hitting a great line and great length like Boland just outside off stump to force the batter to make an error.”

While green, the Gabba is also a good cricket wicket as Temba Bavuma and Kyle Verreynne showed when they got value for positive strokes after lunch.

“The Gabba always looks like it is going to have plenty of nasties in it whenever people see a tinge of green but it is actually hard underneath,” Kasprowicz said.

“It is slower on day one, as it traditionally has been, but for mine it is the typical Gabba. Don’t believe the hype as far as the green-top thing goes because it doesn’t do much.”