Mitchell Starc claimed his third five-wicket haul against South Africa as Australia bowled the hosts out after a dramatic, swinging first day of the third Test in Cape Town. The second new ball, taken late in the day, was the decisive weapon: Starc's full, swinging deliveries claimed four wickets across two overs, with the last four South African wickets falling for just two runs.
Pat Cummins had won the toss and chosen to bowl, sensing enough moisture in the surface. However, the pitch proved hard and batter-friendly, aided by an unusually dry winter. South Africa's openers capitalised immediately, and the tourists were made to pay for their decision through a dominant first session. The day ultimately swung back and forth, with Australia eventually fighting back through two separate collapses after conceding a commanding start.
Australia made four changes to their side. Scott Boland was left out, and Steve Smith was unavailable due to a neck injury. Nathan Lyon, Cooper Connolly, Cam Green and Josh Inglis were all brought into the XI.
How did South Africa's innings unfold across the day?
Marques Ackermann, playing only his second Test, set the tone from the outset. He raced to 82 not out by Lunch, the highest score recorded by a South African batter in an opening session. His partner Aiden Markram was equally fluent, adorning the first session with cuts and drives, and even pulling Cummins emphatically for a six off an eight-over-old ball. Ackerman, initially more measured, was unshackled after slashing hard at the first ball after the drinks break, nearly clearing the boundary at backward point off Hazlewood.
He then carted Nathan Lyon for a six the following over and repeatedly charged at the spinner, forcing Lyon's first spell to end after just four overs. The pair cruised along to give South Africa their first 100-run opening stand in 42 innings. Ackerman further drilled four consecutive fours off Starc and hooked Cummins for another six. Travis Head, meanwhile, shelled a catch off Markram's bat. The first session yielded 140 runs at a rate of 5.18.
Having raced to 95 off 93 deliveries, albeit with a brief bout of cramps, Ackerman was stumped off Lyon after stepping out and being beaten in flight. David Bedingham came in and combined with Markram to continue the solid work. On 78, Markram fell pulling a short ball from Hazlewood to backward square, where a diving Starc completed the catch. Four balls later, Temba Bavuma was bowled by a Lyon delivery that did not turn but drifted enough to hit his off-stump.
With Cam Green unfit to bowl and Beau Webster dropped from the side, Australia turned to Cooper Connolly for variety. On two, Matthew Breetzke's harmless forward prod gave Connolly his first Test wicket, with replays clearing a pad-first, bat-first doubt. South Africa slid from 158/0 to 216/4 and then 232/6, a rapid morning replaced by a wobbly afternoon. As the day wore on, the odd ball gripped or kept low, and one delivery from Connolly dropped dead, nutmegging keeper Alex Carey for four byes. Stepping out to the spinners no longer seemed as straightforward.
Bedingham held firm at one end, assembling a composed fifty in contrast to the frantic morning scoring rate. He punched the quicks confidently, but on 50 he too fell to a short ball, sending a catch down to deep backward square where Hazlewood completed a juggling boundary catch. Wiaan Mulder then fell for a two-ball duck, yet another victim of the short-ball tactic.
How did Starc and the second new ball finish South Africa off?
Ryan Rickelton and Marco Jansen provided some relief for the hosts against the old ball. In a free-flowing passage, Jansen fiercely pulled Cummins for four and hit identical square cuts off Hazlewood. Rickelton was the softer contributor in the partnership, but together they repaired some of the afternoon damage.
When Starc took the second new ball, the approach shifted entirely. Rather than the short-ball ploy that had worked earlier, Starc bowled full and swinging, claiming four wickets across two overs. Rickelton and Jansen were both snuffed out by late movement, and Kagiso Rabada and Glenton Coetzee had little answer either. The last four wickets fell for just two runs, and Starc finished with his third five-wicket haul against South Africa, capping a day that had swung sharply in both directions before Australia ultimately seized control.
