BAD LIGHT STOP PLAY: Australia 187/6 (65.2 overs)
The sun was belting down this morning. But now, at only 3:23pm, the players have been taken off the field due to bad light as the clouds have come across.
Matt Renshaw and Pat Cummins are still at the crease for Australia.
50 Partnership: Australia 182/6
Renshaw and captain Pat Cummins are busy rebuilding Australia’s innings with a 50-run partnership for the seventh wicket.
The weather has also suddenly changed at Kingsmead. After the morning sunshine, the clouds have now come in and it looks a bit gloomy in the final session.
TEA: Australia 149/6 (Renshaw 32*, Cummins 9*, Nortje 2/26, Mulder 2/21, Jansen 2/35)
South Africa’s relentless seam attack blew through Australia’s batting line-up on the opening day of the first Test, claiming all six wickets to leave the visitors reeling at 149/6 at tea at Kingsmead Stadium in Durban.
Having elected to bat first on a surface carrying a distinct green tinge, Australia found no comfort against the Proteas pace trio of Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen and Anrich Nortje, who systematically dismantled the Australian top and middle order.
Mulder set the tone in a lively opening spell, earning his reward when a Proteas review confirmed a faint leg-side edge off Travis Head (9). Jansen doubled the early damage, putting returnee Nic Maddinson out of his misery by removing him for a 33-ball duck to leave Australia at 24/2.
Marnus Labuschagne (37) and Steve Smith briefly mounted a counter-attack to lift the score to 67/2, but Mulder struck a hammer blow on the stroke of lunch, trapping Labuschagne lbw. Mulder seemed to be involved in everything good about the Proteas’ efforts, catching Smith (25) off Jansen’s bowling early in the second session to crush any hopes of a post-lunch recovery.
Then came Nortje’s fiery spell to break the middle order. In a devastating 42nd over, the speedster induced an edge from Alex Carey (14) straight to Aiden Markram at slip. Two balls later, Nortje produced an absolute peach of a delivery to send Beau Webster (4) packing, ending the session with impressive figures of 2/26 from 11 overs and leaving Australia’s top six back in the pavilion.
With the pitch baking under the Durban sun, Temba Bavuma introduced spin for the first time late in the session, bringing Keshav Maharaj on to partner Simon Harmer. Matt Renshaw and skipper Pat Cummins managed to hold firm until the interval, guiding Australia to 149/6 after 53 overs.
However, with South Africa’s seamers doing all the heavy lifting and Australia six wickets down, the visitors face an uphill battle to post a competitive first-innings total in the final session.
By: Rowan Callaghan
WICKET!! Webster c Verreynne b Nortje 4 (124/6)
Beau Webster follows Carey back to the pavilion after facing just two eventful balls from Nortje.
After hitting the first ball for four, Nortje bowls a ball outside the off-stump that holds its line. After initially been given not out, Webster has to go after a successful Proteas review.
WICKET!! Alex Carey c Markram b Nortje 14 (Australia 120/5)
Proteas speedster Anrich Nortje get his reward after a some hostile deliveries at Renshaw and Carey.
Carey plays a short-ball away from his body and edges behind to Aiden Markram at slip.
100 up! (Australia 104/4)
Australia crossed the hundred mark with Matt Renshaw (5*) and Alex Carey (6*) looking to rebuild following the departure of Steve Smith.
Webster and Cummins wait in the wings while the Proteas look to drive home their early advantage as the afternoon rolls in.
WICKET!! Smith c Mulder b Jansen 25 (Australia 84/4)
The Proteas are now on a roll. A wicket with the last ball before lunch, and now Marco Jansen strikes with the first couple of balls after the interval.
And it’s the big one of Steve Smith, who is caught in the gully by that man Mulder, can’t keep him out of the game.
LUNCH: Australia 84/3 (Labuschagne 37, Smith 25*, Mulder 2/17, Jansen 1/15)
After winning the toss and electing to bat, Australia found the going tough against a disciplined Proteas attack in conditions offering enough assistance to keep the fast bowlers interested.
South Africa’s new-ball pair asked plenty of questions, and the pressure eventually told when Wiaan Mulder trapped Travis Head into edging behind before Marco Jansen removed returning opener Nic Maddinson for a painstaking 33-ball duck.
At 24/2, the Proteas were well on top and sensing a larger collapse. Their bowlers were relentless, with Jansen’s bounce and Anrich Nortje’s pace ensuring Australia never settled into a rhythm.
But Australia absorbed the pressure as Steve Smith (25*)and Marnus Labuschagne came to the rescue. The experienced pair weathered the storm, blunting South Africa’s attack with patience and composure while gradually rebuilding the innings as Smith took the attack to left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj with two sixes in one over.
Mulder, however, came roaring back for the Proteas by trapping Labuschagne (37) with the very last ball before the lunch interval to swing the momentum back in the home team’s favour.
The Proteas will feel much better at the break, knowing one more breakthrough before the ball softens could still expose the Australian middle order.
By: Zaahier Adams
6! 6!
Australia realise Keshav Maharaj is the dangerman for the Proteas, and the tourists’ leading batter Steve Smith is taking the attack to the left-arm spinner by striking him for two sixes in one over.
The Aussies are looking to shift gears with Smith and Marnus Labuschagne at the crease.
WICKET! Maddison b Jansen 0 (Australia 24/2)
Nic Maddison’s torturous return to Test cricket finally comes to an end. Marco Jansen rearranges his time and Maddison has to depart for a 33-ball duck!
WICKET! Head c Verreynne b Mulder 9 (Australia 17/1)
The Proteas decide to review this time after the ball brushes past Travis Head down the leg-side. The Aussie opener immediately points to his pocket, but Kyle Verreynne is not fazed, and advises captain Temba Bavuma to ask for the review.
Bavuma obliges, and the TV replays shows the ball has taken an edge through to Verryenne.
The Proteas have struck the first blow, and the Mulder experiment works.
REVIEW MISSED
The Wiaan Mulder experiement almost works out for the Proteas. Maddison is struck on the pads, and Mulder and the Proteas appeal vociferously.
Captain Temba Bavuma asks the men behind the stumps if height is an issue, and declines to ask for a review.
TV replays indicate that the Mulder’s delivery had pitched in line, and was going on to hit the stumps.
Early left off for the Aussies, and opportunity missed for the Proteas.
NEW BALL SURPRISE
Marco Jansen bowls the first ball of the series, and its a freebie down the leg-side for Australia to get underway with four byes as a sprawling Kyle Verreynne could not get a glove on it.
There is some swing away from the left-handed Maddison for Jansen, but its easily managed.
Proteas captain Temba Bavuma said at the toss that Anrich Nortje had been “bowling at the speed of light” in the nets, but instead its Wiaan Mulder that takes the new ball from the Umgeni End.
For a country that has produced some of the most menacing fast bowlers in the world, its a huge surprise to Mulder and his medium-pacers taking the new ball in the first home Test of the summer.
Is KG Rabada’s absence already being felt?
TOSS: Australia win the toss and opt to bat first
Australia skipper Pat Cummins won the toss and elected to bat first under scorching skies in the opening Test of the Test Series against South Africa at Kingsmead Stadium on Friday.
Despite a visible green tinge across the pitch on a hot Durban morning, the visiting side opted to set a first-innings total, taking on South Africa’s bowling unit early on day one.
The clash marks a highly anticipated return to South African soil for Australia, who are looking to avenge their recent defeat in last year’s World Test Championship final. Cummins acknowledged the history between the two sides while confirming a key change in the Australian line-up due to injury.
“They got the better of us a year ago in the Test Championship,” said Cummins at the toss.
“We haven’t been here in South Africa for a while, but we’re pretty excited. Cameron Green is injured so Nic Maddinson comes back in — he’s really settled where his game’s at. There’s been a bit of a lull the last six months and we can’t wait to get started.”
For South Africa, captain Temba Bavuma was comfortable taking the ball first, looking to capitalise on early morning movement generated by the grassy surface before the pitch bakes under the sun.
“Looks a nice wicket, but we’ll try to exploit whatever moisture is there,” Bavuma noted. “I think with our bowling attack, our twin spinners have added an extra dimension to our bowling attack, so if the conditions suit them, they can come into the game.”
With the surface offering early encouragement for the seamers and twin spinners waiting in the wings for the home side, Australia’s openers face a crucial opening session as the first Test of the series gets under way.
South Africa: Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, David Bedingham, Temba Bavuma (c), Tristan Stubbs, Wiaan Mulder, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Marco Jansen, Simon Harmer, Keshav Maharaj, Anrich Nortje.
Australia: Travis Head, Nic Maddinson, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Matt Renshaw, Alex Carey (wk), Beau Webster, Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.
