After a 90-minute delay, the second Test got underway on an overcast, damp day in Gqeberha with only 5.3 overs possible before rain brought an early lunch.

The morning drizzle had cleared to allow an on-time toss, which Pat Cummins won and inserted South Africa, but returned to delay the start. When play did get underway, the home side's openers, Aiden Markram and debutant Marques Ackerman, did not have too many alarms despite being faced with a well-grassed surface and gloomy skies.

Markram put away two boundaries through the off side with handsome drives against Mitchell Starc while Ackerman, having sweated on zero for 14 deliveries, opened his Test account with a thickish edge which just beat gully to allow the single. It is the first time in his first-class career that Ackerman has opened the batting.

Both Starc and Hazlewood did not appear comfortable with their take-off areas, with the duo calling for sawdust early on, while Starc went around the wicket to Markram in just the third over with not much swing on offer.

Australia had earlier made the significant decision to leave out Nathan Lyon in favour of Scott Boland as part of an all-pace attack. It was the first time since 2013 that Lyon had not featured in a red-ball Test when he had been available. Australia's spin for the match will be in the hands of their various part-timers; Matt Renshaw, Travis Head, Beau Webster and Marnus Labuschagne.

South Africa, meanwhile, welcomed back Kagiso Rabada who replaced Keshav Maharaj in a re-balanced attack. Alongside Ackerman, Matthew Breetzke also came into the batting order.