South Africa’s speedster Marco Jansen stood up when it mattered the most and picked up 3 wickets, while Wiaan Mulder and the returning Anrich Nortje picked up 2 wickets apiece as South Africa kept Australia under pressure throughout the day. But Australia dug deep and fought hard initially through Marnus Labuschagne and Steven Smith and then from Matthew Renshaw and captain Pat Cummins as the Test match ended relatively in the balance with South Africa marginally ahead after a truncated first day.
Marnus Labuschagne & Steve Smith stabilise Australia after the loss of both the openers
Winning the toss and deciding to bat first, Nic Maddinson and Travis Head came out to open the batting for Australia while Marco Jansen had the new ball in hand for South Africa. Jansen gifted away 4 leg byes as a bonus to the batting side. Wiaan Mulder shared the new ball from the other end as Head was on the move as he flicked the ball off the pads to the deep fine leg fence for a boundary. Jansen continued and delivered a maiden over.
Mulder continued and could have gotten rid of Nic Maddinson as a huge LBW appeal was turned down. The Proteas opted against the DRS, and replays later showed three reds as Maddinson and Australia had a reprieve. Jansen continued and bowled a quiet over. Mulder continued and bowled a tight over as well. Jansen continued and overstepped but kept things under control.
Mulder continued as Head flicked it away through square leg for a boundary. Mulder then drew first blood for South Africa as he removed Head for 9 off 19 balls with 2 fours to his name as he was caught down the leg side thanks to great use of DRS. The on-field umpire gave it NOT OUT, but it was challenged, and replays showed a spike when the ball hit the bat. Marnus Labuschagne came out to bat next and got off the mark straightaway. Jansen continued as Marnus survived an LBW scare as the umpire gave it NOT OUT and the review was burnt by South Africa with the ball going down the leg side.
Mulder continued as Marnus flicked the ball past short midwicket for a boundary. Jansen continued and overstepped yet again. Jansen then got his first scalp as he removed Maddinson for a 33-ball duck as he played away from the body and chopped it back onto the stumps. Talisman Steve Smith came out to bat next. He got off the mark soon. Anrich Nortje came into the attack for the first time today. He bowled a probing first over. Australia were 28/2 in 12 overs when we paused for the Drinks Break in the morning session.
Marco Jansen continued after the break as Marnus pressed forward and hit it down the ground through long-off for a boundary. Marnus then pushed at the ball and got the thick outside edge past the gully and third slip for a boundary. Nortje continued and bowled a maiden. Jansen continued and bowled a tight over. Nortje bowled another riveting maiden over.
Keshav Maharaj came into the attack as spin was introduced into the proceedings for the first time today. Maharaj bowled a decent first over. Nortje continued and kept things under control. Maharaj continued, and Smith took the charge against him as he stepped down the track to get to the pitch of the ball and launched it down the ground over long-on for the maximum. The 50 came up for Australia in 18.3 overs. Smith went big again as he got underneath it and lofted it over long-off for the maximum.
Nortje continued as Marnus stayed inside the line and tickled it past fine leg for a boundary as runs started to flow all of a sudden. Marnus flicked it away through backward square leg for a boundary. Maharaj continued as Marnus went for an expansive drive away from the body and got the outside edge between first slip and short third man for a boundary. Mulder returned to the attack. He overstepped but bowled a decent over. The 50-run stand came up between the duo of Smith and Marnus.
Maharaj continued and bowled a better over. Mulder continued and bowled a tight over. Maharaj continued and bowled a decent over. Wiaan Mulder came to bowl the final over before Lunch. On the last ball of the over and at the stroke of Lunch, Marnus was trapped LBW for 37 off 58 balls with 6 fours to his name to Mulder. The batter reviewed and the impact was umpire’s call and wickets were hitting the stumps. The review was retained as Marnus had to depart. Smith remained unbeaten on 25 off 50 balls as Australia went to Lunch on Day 1 at 84/3 in 26 overs.
South Africa chip away at the wickets to keep Australia on the back foot in the afternoon session
Matthew Renshaw was the new batter joining Steve Smith for Australia while Marco Jansen had the ball in hand for South Africa. Jansen took three balls to strike after Lunch as he removed the big fish Smith for 25 off 53 balls with 2 sixes to his name. Keeper-batter Alex Carey came out to bat next as Jansen completed a wicket-maiden over. Mulder had the ball in hand from the other end. He bowled a decent over. Jansen continued and gifted 4 leg byes to the batting side. Mulder continued and bowled a decent over as well.
Jansen continued and bowled another probing over. Mulder delivered a probing maiden over. Renshaw survived a little scare as South Africa burnt a review for caught behind as the ball hit the arm and not the gloves. South Africa were down to one review. Jansen delivered another maiden over. Nortje returned to the attack as Carey drove it left of extra covers for a triple as Bavuma cut the ball off. Jansen continued as the 100 came up for Australia in 34.2 overs.
Carey then drove the ball down the ground to long-on for a boundary. Nortje continued and bowled a decent over. Simon Harmer came into the attack for the first time next. Renshaw welcomed him as he got down on one knee and swept it past deep fine leg for a boundary. Nortje continued and bowled another good over. Australia were 115/4 in 38 overs when we paused for the Drinks Break in the afternoon session.
Harmer continued after the break and bowled a decent over. Nortje conceded a wide but kept the scoring under control. Harmer continued and bowled another tight over. Nortje continued and got his reward as he dismissed Carey for 14 off 44 balls with one four to his name, with an outside edge through to Markram in the slip cordon.
Beau Webster came out to bat next and got a ball on the pads, which Webster flicked away to deep midwicket for a boundary. Nortje hit back immediately as he dismissed Webster for 4 off 2 balls with a boundary to his name thanks to DRS, as the on-field call was reversed as there was a spike with the ball next to the bat.
Captain Pat Cummins came out to bat next. Harmer continued and bowled a tight over. Nortje continued and bowled another probing over. Harmer bowled a decent over. Marco Jansen returned to the attack. He bowled a decent over. Harmer continued and bowled a decent over. Jansen continued and kept asking the questions of the batters. Harmer bowled a maiden over. Jansen continued as Renshaw broke the shackles as the full toss on the pads was flicked away to the deep backward square leg fence.
Harmer continued and bowled a decent over. Maharaj came back into the attack and bowled a decent over. Harmer continued to bowl the last over before Tea. Harmer bowled it short and outside the off-stump, which Cummins read and punched past backward point for a boundary. Australia reached 149/6 in 53 overs with Renshaw unbeaten on 32 off 85 balls alongside Cummins who was unbeaten on 9 off 28 balls. The players walked off the field at Tea on Day 1 at Durban.
Matthew Renshaw & Pat Cummins lead Australia’s fightback before bad light halts play in the final session
Matthew Renshaw and captain Pat Cummins came back to resume proceedings for Australia while Wiaan Mulder had the ball in hand for South Africa. Mulder bowled a maiden to start the proceedings after tea. Simon Harmer had the ball in hand from the other end as the 150 came up for Australia in 54.1 overs. Mulder continued as Cummins saw the width and opened the bat face to slice it past the gully fielder for a boundary. Harmer continued and bowled a decent over.
Mulder continued as Renshaw flicked the ball past midwicket for a triple. Harmer bowled another good over. Mulder continued and bowled a maiden. Harmer continued as Cummins drove the ball past cover region for a boundary. Nortje came back into the attack next as Renshaw got onto the front foot and whipped it to deep backward square leg for a boundary. The 50-run stand came up between Renshaw and Cummins.
Harmer continued as Cummins got the outside edge, batting on 23* to Verreynne, who put down a tough chance. Nortje continued as Cummins got on top of the bounce and sliced it past the gully fielder for a boundary. Cummins was in the zone as he got the ball on the pads and helped it on its way past deep fine leg for a boundary. Maharaj came back into the attack and bowled a miserly over.
Nortje continued and bowled two dot balls to start the 66th over before bad light halted play with Renshaw unbeaten on 46 off 115 balls alongside Cummins unbeaten on 33 off 72 balls. Australia were 187/6 in 65.2 overs as bad light followed by threat of rain has called a close of play on Day 1. 19 extras given by the bowling side.
South Africa had an excellent day with the ball in hand but might have let the game slip a bit towards the end. Marco Jansen was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3/35 in 16 overs. Wiaan Mulder chipped in with 2/31 in 15 overs. Anrich Nortje finished with 2/40 in 13.2 overs. Keshav Maharaj finished with 0/33 in 7 overs. Simon Harmer finished with 0/34 in 14 overs.
What Lies Ahead on Day 2
For starters, we have rain predicted on Day 2 i.e., Saturday. Let’s hope the weather relents, and we get a good day’s play in Durban. Australia will aim to get past 250 while South Africa will look to restrict them to as low a score as possible. The game, we can say, is evenly poised as we enter the second day of this blockbuster Test match. Let’s see what Day 2 has in store for us.
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