Australia reach 187-6 against South Africa on day one of first Test – as it happened

Here is the day one report from Geoff Lemon for the first Test between South Africa and Australia in Durban. If we accept that sporting tenures are results-based, then the Australian selectors George Bailey and Tony Dodemaide should be conferring with the coach Andrew McDonald to submit a mass resignation.

Sadly the Sky broadcast has switched to highlights of the 2025 Champions Trophy semi-final. Sometimes it’s a challenge loving Test cricket. But love it we do. And that was a pretty entertaining day despite cruelly being cut short. You’ve got to say it was South Africa’s day.

Three wickets in the first session and three in the second put them on top as Australia were tilting at 124-4. But Renshaw has been patient, showing some old school grit to reach 46. Cummins was in earlier than he’d have wanted at number eight, but he dug in for 33.

They’ll start tomorrow with Australia on 187-6. Like every first session of the day, in every Test ever played, it’ll be a big one first up. Let’s hope a better crowd pulls in when things get going at 8.30am UK time, 9.30am local in Durban, 6.30pm AEDT. After just 65.2 overs, that’ll do for day one.

Renshaw is not out on 46, Cummins with him on 33. Still South Africa’s day having been ask to bowl. Two-fors for Mulder, Jansen and Nortje. Hopefully some reaction from the players to come. The ground staff are gathering. Look like it’ll be game over folks. No news is not good news.

Looking darker and darker in Durban. I’m going to take a breather. Fingers crossed we’re back soon. Actually fuming. It was always a risk hosting a Test in Durban at this time of the year. But to be frank, even at the height of summer, Kingsmead struggles to get a full crowd and the light fades fast after five anyway.

Its partly why the Boxing Day Test has been moved to Centurion. So why oh why are they starting the most highly anticipated series in recent memory at this ground? Baffling, and frustrating, for anyone who loves the game. I apologise to all my friends and family in Durban, but this just sums it up and is another reason why your city shouldn’t host a Test again.

A vicious Nortje bouncer compels the umpires to take a look at the light meter and they decide it’s too dark. 66 overs into the day and they’re off. 65th over: Australia 187-6 (Renshaw 46, Cummins 33) Maharaj replaces Harmer. Just one single to start the over, a sweep behind sqaure from Renshaw.

Cummins watches out the rest of the set without any trouble. 64th over: Australia 186-6 (Renshaw 45, Cummins 33) Renshaw is seeing it like a beachball. An attempted yorker is well guided into a gap in the covers for one. That brings on Cummins who rides the bounce of Nortje and steers it to the vacant deep third boundary for four.

Northe didn’t like that and responds with a nasty bumper that forces Cummins to duck as the stacked cordon watch on. But the Aussie has some sand and he tickles another four down to fine leg. This is very impressive from the skipper. 63rd over: Australia 177-6 (Renshaw 44, Cummins 25) Renshaw gets a single but Harmer continues round the wicket to Cummins.

I mean, what do I know, but I think he should be bowling from over the wicket to the right hander. Seems a little too comfortable for Cummins from this angle, and he underlines this point with a smeared sweep that’s worth two fine of the sweeper at deep square.

62nd over: Australia 174-6 (Renshaw 43, Cummins 23) Nortje returns. South Africa need to change the course of this innings and they’ve turned to their speed demon. He starts with bouncers that are misdirected and then sprays onto Renshaw’s pads and is duly clipped away for four, wide of the man at a short leg gully.

Renshaw looks in great touch now as he drops and runs to bring up the 50-run stand with a single off the last ball. 61st over: Australia 169-6 (Renshaw 38, Cummins 23) Harmer flights one up and Cummins gets a big stride towards it and caresses a lovely drive through the covers for four.

He can bat, make no mistake. South Africa need to break this partnership worth 45 from 114 balls. 60th over: Australia 165-6 (Renshaw 38, Cummins 19) Mulder nice and tight, but not very threatening. Renshaw lines him up well, even though one leave was perhaps a touch closer to that off stump.

He reaches 100 balls faced. This has been an innings of real quality. Just as I type that, though, he goes for a booming drive at a ball pushed just a touch fuller. Nothing but air though lots of ooooohs from behind the stumps. Proper Test battle. 59th over: Australia 165-6 (Renshaw 38, Cummins 19) This pair have now put on 40 for the seventh wicket and navigated 17 overs.

Harmer can’t get the breakthrough with some looping teasers that Cummins watches carefully. No rash shots from the skipper here. Just one Renshaw single off the set. 58th over: Australia 164-6 (Renshaw 37, Cummins 19) Mulder finds his radar and lands a beauty outside Renshaw’s off stump.

It’s a teasingly full length that brings him forward and only just misses the outside edge. No real movement through the air or off the deck, just good areas. He then over pitches on Renshaw’s pads and the delicious clip is hauled just short of the rope at deep midwicket by Bavuma, keeping it down to three.

57th over: Australia 161-6 (Renshaw 34, Cummins 19) Harmer is round the wicket to the right-handed Cummins. I think that’s the wrong ploy. He’s a little too tight, too close to the pads. There is a short leg and a leg slip, but I’d like to see him try rag one through the gate from outside off.

Cummins goes for a sweep and gets a top edge. It would have been a gimme for the man at 45, but he was moved to leg slip. Bavuma chases the ball and moves cover to 45, but its too late. 56th over: Australia 158-6 (Renshaw 33, Cummins 17) Cummins is in the groove now.

Sure, it’s short and wide from Mulder, but the Aussie skipper is back and across and throwing his hands at it, getting a big piece of the ball to send it screaming to the backward point boundary. The next ball is met with a well struck cut shot as well, but it’s straight to the fielder.

Mulder is a bit all over the place and the lefty and righty are able to pick up three more runs as the ball strays onto their pads. 55th over: Australia 152-6 (Renshaw 32, Cummins 12) Cummins steers Harmer for a couple beyond point to bring up the 150. Having won the toss he’d have wanted a lot more from his batters, but he’s done well here to combine with Renshaw for a partnership of 27 runs from 13 overs.

Definitely helped halt South Africa’s charge towards the Aussie lower order. Cummins will keep the strike with a drive past the bowler for one. 54th over: Australia 149-6 (Renshaw 32, Cummins 9) Mulder round the wicket to Renshaw, looking to hit a fifth stump line and either get it to hold its line or jag in towards the stumps.

Renshaw is watchful, letting it go safely. Both batter and bowler need to show patience. Who will blink first? Neither in this set as Renshaw doesn’t go searching for it and Mulder resists the temptation to search for the miracle ball. Just good, sensible Test cricket to start this final session of the day.

Righto, we’re back. Renshaw holds the balance of this match in his hands. If he can hang about, reach his fifty and go beyond, then Australia might feel justified in batting first. If he goes early in this session, well, all then the opposite of the above. Mulder will kick things off for us.

Will he find that movement through the air with a ball that is 53 overs old? South Africa’s session having picked up three wickets, but the Australians are fighting back. Harmer bowls the last over before they head into the shed for a cuppa. One balls was a yuck drag down that Cummins easily steered to the cover-point fence for four.

Renshaw continued his good work with a dinked single. But the Saffs will be the happier of the two teams having been asked to bowl. 53rd over: Australia 149-6 (Renshaw 32, Cummins 9) 52nd over: Australia 144-6 (Renshaw 31, Cummins 5) Spin from both ends now. What!?

In South Africa on day one? Yes. Maharaj is into the attack, replacing a lacklustre Jansen. Renshaw is reverse sweeping. One is hit particularly well but is stopped by a tumbling Markram at slip. The partnership has now chewed up 10 overs worth 20 runs. Hard graft there, but the two Australians are battling.

John Starbuck has some praise for the Aussie skipper: Pat Cummins is probably a bit high in the order but one feels that, as captain, he’s showing leadership by taking on a more difficult task. Well done, him. I agree. Seven too high for a man averaging in the teens.

But yes, could have easily been blown away by Nortje first up and then the Aussies would be in proper trouble. This rebuild is starting to, er, build. 51st over: Australia 142-6 (Renshaw 30, Cummins 4) Two singles off this Harmer over. Feels like we’re in the breath before the plunge period in this Test as tea approaches.

50th over: Australia 140-6 (Renshaw 29, Cummins 3) Jansen delivers some proper dross on Renshaw’s legs and is rightly swatted down to the wide fine leg fence. Then a scampered single off the next ball for the purists. ‘Good cricket’ is what someone in the crowd would say, if there was anyone there.

Jansen hasn’t looked sharp in this third spell. 49th over: Australia 135-6 (Renshaw 24, Cummins 3) Tidy from Harmer to Cummins. A lone slip and a catcher at an old school silly mid-off. Perhaps he’s a little too straight with those catchers but there is a close-ish midwicket hovering.

Where’s the short leg? There he is, stationed for the last ball of the maiden. 48th over: Australia 135-6 (Renshaw 24, Cummins 3) Cummins is playing Jansen away from his body, backing away down leg. Now he might suggest he’s giving himself room. I reckon he just doesn’t fancy it.

But fair play to him, when Jansen drifts onto his hips he’s tucked down to fine leg for one. Two more singles from that set as the partnership reaches double figures. 47th over: Australia 132-6 (Renshaw 23, Cummins 1) A jaffa from Harmer, one that drifts and spits off a teasingly full length, beats Renshaw’s outside edge.

The last ball is clipped in front of a fini-ish backward square leg, so Renshaw calls Cummins back for a second. No farming the strike. Cummins has a amodest average of 16.32 wit the bat, but you feel he’s better than that. Goes without saying – though I’ll say it anyway – that so much depends on Renshaw here.

If he goes soon, that could prove decisive in the match, in the series, too. Massive partnership, this. 46th over: Australia 130-6 (Renshaw 21, Cummins 1) Nortje takes a breather. Smart from Bavuma. No need to burn all that rocket fuel on day one. So in comes Jansen who has gone at just 1.8 an over while picking up two scalps.

Renshaw scampers a single before Cummins, with four slips in place, gets off strike himself. Renshaw clips well, but the fielding is sharp at midwicket, before riding the bounce and nudging a single to fine leg to keep the strike. 45th over: Australia 127-6 (Renshaw 19, Cummins 0) This is good from Harmer.

The drift and turn away from him means Renshaw needs to hit against the spin if he wants to milk a single. Once he’s beaten on the outside edge. Can Harmer keep him on strike so Cummins faces Nortje. No, Renshaw drops and runs and takes on Bavuma, who does well to fire the ball back to the keeper’s end, but Cummins was quicker and gets in safe.

A direct hit might have been interesting. 44th over: Australia 126-6 (Renshaw 18, Cummins 0) Nortje from round the wicket into Renshaw finds a thick outside edge, but it’s played with very soft hands so lands well short of the cordon. Renshaw then drops and runs.

Not sure his skipper will be pleased with that. He has two balls to navigate here against uber quick bowling. Cummins back away, almost taking out the square leg umpire, but manages to get his bat down in time to keep it out. Even elite cricketers show fear at times!

He backs away again, meeting it with an inside edge that thwacks his pads. But he survives. Gary Naylor writes in: Hi Daniel. I saw the first hour, which was pretty ordinary, Marco Jansen and Wiaan Mulder not finding a consistent line and Maddinson looking unsure as to which end of the bat to hold.

Tuning in later (do people still say that?) it’s been marvellous stuff, Carey and Renshaw fighting hard, but this bowling is superb. Sure there’s a bit in the surface, but lines, lengths and seam position are perfect. as is the hard, professional aura that clings to every Saffer.

Well, as a Saffer myself, I couldn’t agree more with the above. 43rd over: Australia 125-6 (Renshaw 17, Cummins 0) Harmer needs to hold a tight line as Nortje causes chaos at the other end. He does so. Renshaw takes a single off the first ball which gives Harmer five to new man Cummins.

He’s mixing up his pace and the flight, and even the angle as he closes the set by going over the wicket. Cummins keeps him out. Ultra edge spikes and that’s a double for the big quick! Wow, what a comeback! Three years out of the team he has bagged two wickets in three balls to leave Australia reeling.

The ball before was on Webster’s pads and was clipped to the boundary. The second was outside the off stump and slightly shorter. Webster wasn’t in position to play it and the tame prod caught the merest of edges. Verrynne was convinced so Bavuma went upstairs and was vindicated.

42nd over: Australia 124-6 (Renshaw 16, Cummins 0) Has Nortje bagged a second in the over? The South Africans are convinced. The umpire is not so Webster, the new man, holds his breath as Bavuma reviews… Nortje deserves this! Brilliant, brilliant pace bowling.

The classic combo of banging in some bouncers before sending in the fuller one. Carey doesn’t move his feet as he prods at it. Nortje, from over the wicket across the left-hander, moves it just enough at serious pace, and it flies off the edge to Markram who makes a sharp catch look routine at second slip.

41st over: Australia 120-4 (Renshaw 16, Carey 14) Harmer has settled into a nice rhythm here against the lef-handers. There’s a shout for lbw against Renshaw but it was sliding down leg on the angle from round the wicket. He’s targeting the stumps, hoping to get one to rag back to the top of off, but Renshaw is watchful.

Just one run off that over, a driven single down the ground from Carey. 40th over: Australia 119-4 (Renshaw 16, Carey 13) Nortje from round the wicket into the left-hander digs one in and turns Renshaw into an S. File that under R for ripsnorter. The next one is also dug in but this time Renshaw ducks.

What will the follow up be? It’s a gem. Fuller around fourth stump, it just about misses the prodding edge. There’s another nasty bouncer before a wayward one that’s called wide, but that was brilliant fast bowling. 39th over: Australia 118-4 (Renshaw 1pm 6, Carey 13) Harmer brings his length back a touch as he tries to avoid being swept.

Renshaw adds three runs to his tally, first with a two flicked off his legs and then with a single down to deep cover. Thanks Martin. Hi everyone, I’ll be your guide to the close. Is this delicately poised? Like all hours of cricket, this one has the potential to be a big one.

Harmer to continue against the just about settled pair. That’s drinks in the middle session as Australia slowly rebuild after losing Steve Smith from the third ball after lunch. Daniel Gallen is in the hot seat and ready to guide us through the second half of the day.

Thanks a lot for following along so far and enjoy the rest of the day’s play … 38th over: Australia 115-4 (Renshaw 13, Carey 13) Carey swings hard at a fuller ball from Nortje and is fortunate not to have connected. But he makes amends with the next ball to pick up two runs behind point.

Australia might working their way back off the ropes in Durban. But in Queensland their women’s team has sealed a commanding victory in an ODI against Bangladesh. Phoebe Litchfield smashed 77 off 57 deliveries as Australia raced to the 167-run target set by Bangladesh.

37th over: Australia 113-4 (Renshaw 13, Carey 11) Simon Harmer is called into the attack for the first time today. Australia will be happy to have two of their better players against spin now at the crease. Renshaw immediately sweeps a fuller delivery fine and to the rope.

Then has his heart in his mouth as he takes a big stride forward to sweep again. The ball crashes into the front pad and Verreynne leads the appeals. But South Africa are down to their last review and decide not to risk losing it now. 36th over: Australia 107-4 (Renshaw 7, Carey 11) Nortje continues around the wicket.

Carey nudges the ball on the off side and sets off for a quick single. He has to dive to make his ground as the throw narrowly missed the stumps. But he looked home. 35th over: Australia 105-4 (Renshaw 6, Carey 10) Australia bring up their 100 with back-to-back singles to Carey then Renshaw.

But it has cost the tourists four wickets even after winning the toss and electing to bat. Carey picks off Jansen with one of the shots of the day so far as he leans into a straight drive and hammers the ball to the rope. 34th over: Australia 98-4 (Renshaw 5, Carey 4) Nortje takes over from Mulder and starts around the wicket to Carey.

The keeper-batter punches a fuller ball straight down for three. Nortje responds by asking Renshaw a few questions with the ball rising from the back of a length. 33rd over: Australia 95-4 (Renshaw 5, Carey 1) Jansen digs in a shorter ball and Renshaw has to rise up on to his toes to try to keep the ball down.

The batter is forced to find away with his head down as the ball clips something on the way through to the keeper. South Africa appeal and are so confident they ask for a review. But replays show the ball brushed the arm guard and the Proteas have one review left.

Maiden over. 32nd over: Australia 95-4 (Renshaw 5, Carey 1) Mulder comes around the wicket to Carey and somehow the keeper survives. He slashes at a barely wide delivery outside off-stump and the inside edge carries the ball past the leg-stump and just short of leg slip.

A huge let off for Carey and South Africa are tightening the screw. 31st over: Australia 95-4 (Renshaw 5, Carey 1) Renshaw clips two behind square as Jansen gets the ball to rise out of the pitch. Well played from the Australian who is settling well. 30th over: Australia 93-4 (Renshaw 3, Carey 1) Renshaw knuckles down to see off Mulder before taking a leg bye off the thigh pad.

29th over: Australia 92-4 (Renshaw 3, Carey 1) Jansen angles the ball into Carey but it flicks off the thigh pad and races away to the fine leg boundary. The keeper plays with a watchful eye from there as Australia start on the long road to rebuilding their innings… again.

Claire Montgomery has been in touch to ask how to sign up for the Spin. James Wallace penned the latest edition of the free weekly cricket newsletter, where he noted Faf du Plessis said “It doesn’t look like proper cricket” as Canada’s Super60 tournament raised a few eyebrows.

Have you heard about Schrödinger’s six? When a cricket ball has spawned off the edge of the bat and flown all of 35 metres, is that really a six at all? How about when it comes in a hulking yet virtually empty 50,000-seater stadium in Canada, the ball smashed into the empty stands and kerplunking down the vast swathes of unpopulated seats to be retrieved by a clinically unbothered fielder?

Sign up for more of the same from the Spin … 28th over: Australia 88-4 (Renshaw 3, Carey 1) Mulder was the pick of the South Africa bowlers in the first session and gets his chance again with a pair of fresh batters at the crease. The seamer keeps targeting the stumps but Renshaw glances to fine leg for two then adds a single to mid-on.

Carey gets off the mark with one to fine leg. 27th over: Australia 84-4 (Renshaw 0, Carey 0) Marco Jansen gets the crucial wicket of Steve Smith to put South Africa right on top. The tall left-arm quick had the ball rising up into Smith’s ribcage when coming over the wicket and perhaps rattled the batter with a blow to the hand before dismissing him next ball.

Carey comes in at No 6 and Jansen almost has him out first ball. The fuller delivery smacks into Carey’s pad but was tracking down leg and South Africa hardly consider the review. Jansen angles the ball into Smith and a straight bat defence can only find an edge.

Mulder is back in the action as he grasps the simple chance at gully. That’s two wickets in four balls either side of lunch to turn the game on its head. Matt Renshaw is in the middle at Kingsmead Cricket Ground with Steve Smith taking strike and Marco Jansen ready to bowl to over the wicket.

Here we go … There seems to be plenty of interest in Australia’s return to South Africa, at least based on the messages landing in my inbox. I enjoyed this one from Ettiene Terblanche: “I’m in Jhb where it is probably as hot as, but less humid than, Durban. What a pleasure to have Test cricket on in this glorious summer.

Thanks for the coverage … not everyone is allowed to stream telly while they’re working. I’m sad that Kingsmead is relatively poorly attended. Durban has had a rough 24 hours, but I think the future of test cricket is tenuous in RSA. The public needs re-education on the niceties of the longform game.

Libraries and long rooms seem to be suffering similar fates, eh?: On a more positive not for batters, Steve Smith has overtaken Steve Waugh for the third most runs by an Australian in Tests. Smith has amassed 10,945 runs in 126 Tests and would surely love to reach a 38th century on his return to South Africa.

Nic Maddinson looked shaky during his shock Test return as he survived an early shout for lbw when South Africa chose not to call for a review. He was finally dismissed when chopping on when still yet to score after facing 33 deliveries – now Australia’s longest innings for a duck by an opener on record.

The first session of Australia’s first Test in South Africa for eight years might not have had the fireworks of their last tour. But the contest has quietly lived up to the hype. South Africa struck early to dismiss Travis Head for nine and contained the recalled Nic Maddinson to a duck from 33 deliveries.

Marnus Labuschagne (37) and Steve Smith (25 not out) worked hard to rebuild the innings with a 60-run stand before that came to an end as the impressive Wiaan Mulder (17 for 2) struck with the last ball before lunch. South Africa take the session on points – even if I was about to say the opposite before that last wicket flips the script just enough.

Mulder angles the ball into Labuschagne and Australia’s No 3 plays around the ball. The umpire is quick to raise the finger and an unusually reluctant Labuschagne asks for a review. The ball passes painfully close to the inside edge without touching the bat on the way through to the pads.

Replays show the ball strikes the pads barely in line with the stumps as it goes to umpire’s call. And Labuschagne is gone from the last ball before lunch. He was looking good too. 25th over: Australia 84-2 (Labuschagne 37, Smith 25) Labuschagne and Smith keep the strike turning over with five consecutive singles before a dot ball.

The pick of the bunch comes from Labuschagne as he leans back and cuts to the sweeper. Maharaj takes time to reset the field but South Africa will squeeze in one more over before lunch. 24th over: Australia 79-2 (Labuschagne 34, Smith 23) Labuschagne pushes his luck as he leaves a straighter delivery from Mulder.

But he is showing promising signs as he steps across his stumps to clip a fuller ball from off-stump down to fine leg. 23rd over: Australia 78-2 (Labuschagne 33, Smith 23) Smith has taken a liking to Maharaj and eases a fuller delivery to fine leg for two, then punches through cover for a comfortable single.

Labuschagne immediately adds a single through cover and there are few signs of the No 3 getting bogged down as he has so often against top quality bowling in recent years. Guy Hornsby is another signed up member of the Anrich Nortje fan club. I suspect the South African quick has won a few more admirers today.

“It’s a wonderful sight seeing Anrich Nortje running into the crease in whites again, Martin. He’s looked the most controlled of the quick bowlers this morning, and is up and around 150kph too. Well, it’s wonderful if you’re not batting. I dream of Rabada bowling in tandem with him this series.

I hope both their bodies hold together this winter, even if that means they’ll be facing England soon enough.” 22nd over: Australia 74-2 (Labuschagne 32, Smith 20) Mulder replaces Nortje and immediately pitches the ball up more to Smith. The Australia No 4 picks up a single to square leg that also brings up the 50-run partnership with Labuschagne.

21st over: Australia 72-2 (Labuschagne 32, Smith 19) Maharaj bounces back after going for a pair of sixes as he tosses the ball up to Smith and gives up a single to mid-off. Labuschagne is beaten in flight then swings hard at the next delivery. The power in the latter stroke perhaps saves the No 3 as a thick edge sails wide of first slip and just reaches the rope ahead of the fielder.

20th over: Australia 67-2 (Labuschagne 28, Smith 18) Labuschagne helps a straight ball from Nortje on its way with a glance to the fine leg rope. Hit and run from Labuschagne as he whips the ball to Bavuma at mid-wicket then scampers through for a quick single.

The South Africa skipper hits the stumps but Australia’s No 3 was well inside his crease. Labuschagne ends the over with another boundary from a straighter delivery as he clips the ball behind square. 19th over: Australia 57-2 (Labuschagne 25, Smith 17) SIX! Smith steps forward and clobbers Maharaj over long-on.

There was hardly any backlift as that was a show of strength. Smith targets Maharaj again as he waits for the ball to arrive then unleashes a huge hit into the stand beyond long-off. The Australians might target the left-arm spinner with South Africa naming only the three quicks.

18th over: Australia 45-2 (Labuschagne 19, Smith 5) Nortje continues and Labuschagne immediately turns over the strike with a flick off the pads to deep fine leg. Smith digs out a yorker directed at his heels to pick up a single to mid-on. Australia’s runs trickling in better since the drinks break.

17th over: Australia 43-2 (Labuschagne 18, Smith 4) South Africa turn to spin with Keshav Maharaj thrown the ball. Jansen was showing signs of fatigue after eight overs and the hosts have few other options with two specialist spinners in the side. Maharaj gives the ball plenty of flight that allows Smith to take two to deep point and a single behind square.

Labuschagne picks up one when easing the ball to mid-off. 16th over: Australia 39-2 (Labuschagne 17, Smith 1) Nortje avoids the much feared live blogger’s curse with a ripping over. Labuschagne is right in the contest as he exaggerates each leave. But he is forced to defend a short, straighter delivery that somehow completely misses his bat.

Maiden. I have always been a fan of Anrich Nortje and found him to be one of the more pleasant, down to earth cricketers when I met him a few years ago during the T20 World Cup. Can bowl too! As he’s reminding Australia today. Eamonn Maloney has some similar sentiments: “Last I saw Anrich Nortje he looked like white lightening reincarnated, any reason you wouldn’t open with him rather than a 130kph trundler with a shaky top order?

No matter, they’re shaky enough to get themselves out.” 15th over: Australia 39-2 (Labuschagne 17, Smith 1) Jansen keeps targeting the pads even as Australia now have two right-handers at the crease. Labuschagne clips off his pads for a single. 14th over: Australia 38-2 (Labuschagne 16, Smith 1) Nortje has Smith guessing which line he will take as the South African works away outside off-stump.

The ball moves into and further from Smith but survives a quality over from the returning quick. 13th over: Australia 38-2 (Labuschagne 16, Smith 1) Jansen continues after the drinks break and pitches the first ball of the over up at Labuschagne’s toes. The No 3 is fortunate to get a thick edge of his drive to pick up two runs wide of gully.

Labuschagne punishes another fuller delivery with a drive to the rope. But he is all over the crease trying to deal with a straight ball and rides his luck again with another thick edge to the rope wide of slip. A few people are writing in to comment on the crowd – and the unfortunate lack of one – at Kingsmead in Durban.

“I just turned on the TV and Kimgsmead looks empty. It’s so sad! I was in a packed Lord’s last year to see these teams on neutral territory. What’s the deal, is it just too early for the locals? Will it fill up later? Any stats on ticket sales?” Michael Keane ponders.

“Really worrying for test cricket (and life on this planet, and indeed the multiverse, in general) if this is the state of affairs when the top 2 sides go head to Travis Head. Aloo has also spotted the empty seats: “Lovely to have some lush green carpet on a grim day here in England.

Not sure about the pitch, mind. That crowd would be out to shame by Karachi. Disappointing.” Unfortunately it is not unusual for there to be a noticeable lack of people filling the stands in South Africa due to a combination of scheduling and economic factors.

But I’m happy to admit I expected many more people to be watching on as well. 12th over: Australia 28-2 (Labuschagne 6, Smith 1) Anrich Nortje takes the red cherry for the first time in a Test in more than 1,300 days. Pleased to see him pick up where he left off with a bouncer.

Nortje then nudges over 140kmh with the ball nipping around. Smith gets off the strike with a leg-bye off the thigh pad - the top scorer for Australia so far. Nortje strikes Labuschagne in the chest and the Australia No 3 lets out a yelp without showing much more discomfort.

That’s drinks. 11th over: Australia 26-2 (Labuschagne 5, Smith 1) Maddinson chops on and Jansen has his first after troubling the recalled opener throughout his innings. Steve Smith walks to the crease with the ghosts of the 2018 tour perhaps ready to be stirred.

But there is barely a whimper from the limited number of people in the crowd. Jansen brings in a leg slip and his first attempt to lure Smith into a loose shot goes horribly wrong and forces Verreynne into a diving save. But the plan almost comes off as Smith clips off his heels and picks out Bedingham at leg slip.

The South African fumbles. But looked like a bump ball anyway. Maddinson has been so patient as he settles into his first Test innings in a decade. But he finally goes searching for a run to get off the mark as he cuts with an angled bat and plays on to his stumps.

In the end, he faced 33 deliveries without scoring. 10th over: Australia 23-1 (Maddinson 0, Labuschagne 5) Mulder is back on the legside even with a right-hander now at the crease. Labuschagne whips the ball off his pads for a boundary through mid-wicket. Mulder has the ball singing.

But Labuschagne looks comfortable with the tune coming at a touch either side of 130kmh. 9th over: Australia 19-1 (Maddinson 0, Labuschagne 1) Jansen gets the ball to swing off middle and towards Labuschagne’s leg-stump before his front pad gets in the way. The umpire is quick to wave away the appeal but the South Africans convene and call for another review.

Replays show the ball was doing far too much and missing leg-stump. South Africa don’t appear to be overly confident with their review discussions. Labuschagne picks up a leg-bye for Maddinson to face the final ball of the over - the opener leaves it and is still to get off the mark after facing 30 deliveries.

8th over: Australia 18-1 (Maddinson 0, Labuschagne 1) Mulder pitches outside leg to Head and the left-hander clips the ball off his pads to the deep mid-wicket rope. The ball was momentarily in the air, which excited the South Africans, but it was well wide of the fielder at mid-wicket.

Mulder drifts down leg again, Head leans forward and swings away wildly, and Verreynne ensures the decision is sent for a review. Mulder picks up the big wicket of Head then targets Labuschagne’s heels to let Australia’s under-fire No 3 off the mark all too easily.

Mulder drifts down leg again and Head swings away. There is little movement to the eye but keeper Verreynne is confident there is more than just a sound. South Africa are perhaps scarred by missing a wicket on review earlier, and this time the replay shows there was a slight edge on the way through.

7th over: Australia 13-0 (Maddinson 0, Head 5) Jansen tries to tempt Maddinson into a loose shot outside off. But the Australian opener is content to leave anything he isn’t forced to play. Just a no-ball for overstepping in the over. 6th over: Australia 12-0 (Maddinson 0, Head 5) Head remains untroubled and is happy to bide his time as Mulder barely breaches 130kmh.

The South African seamer finds some inswing that allows Head to pick up a leg bye before Maddinson ends the over in much the same way to gully. 5th over: Australia 10-0 (Maddinson 0, Head 5) Head is immediately off strike with another leg bye off the thigh pad.

Jansen is still to tidy up his line to the pair of left-handers. But that brings Maddinson back on strike and the returning opener is looking increasingly unsettled. He has replaced Jake Weatherald at the top of the order, other than for Matt Renshaw’s single Test innings cameo in the position against Bangladesh, and seems to be suffering from much the same issue by falling toward the off-side as he plays each shot.

4th over: Australia 9-0 (Maddinson 0, Head 5) Maddinson survives a huge shout as Mulder gets the ball to swing away from middle stump and towards the leg-side. The ball crashes into the returning opener’s front pad and South Africa briefly think about sending the decision for a review.

There was two sounds.But that was the bat hitting the other pad. And replays show the ball pitched in line with leg stump and would have taken off the bails. The Australian opener gets a second chance. 3rd over: Australia 8-0 (Maddinson 0, Head 4) Maddinson misses an opportunity to get off the mark as Jansen again drifts down the leg-side but the opener fails to connect with a glance.

Jansen works away outside the fifth stump before getting one to nip back in with some nice bounce and striking Maddinson in the midriff. Maddinson is comfortable leaving anything back of a length and well outside off. 2nd over: Australia 8-0 (Maddinson 0, Head 4) Mulder is thrown the new ball ahead of the returning Nortje and comes over the wicket.

Head picks up an easy boundary as the ball shapes down the leg-side and the opener guides it down to the fine leg boundary. Mulder finds a straighter line but there is also a noticeable lack of swing for the right-arm seamer. 1st over: Australia 4-0 (Maddinson 0, Head 0) Jansen is only slightly off target with the first ball of the game as he drifts on to Maddinson’s thigh pad and concedes four leg byes.

Verreynne dives hard to his right but is unable to reach the ball. The towering all-rounder finds his range just back of a length and movement away from the left-handed batter but is unable to lure Maddinson into a loose stroke. Nic Maddinson is at the crease with new opening partner Travis Head at the non-striker’s end.

Marco Jansen has the ball in hand and the first Test between South Africa and Australia is under way in Durban … South Africa and Australia are lined up for the national anthems with first ball just a few minutes away. The sun is belting down in Durban at the moment with the forecast for a high of 27C.

But a hint of cloud is expected to drift across Kingsmead Stadium during the afternoon. Rain was forecast for day two but the latest forecast suggests that has cleared up. Nic Maddinson will open for Australia alongside Travis Head. The senior partner of that duo had some choice words for the former greats who have criticised the current side for a lack of runs in recent times.

I think it’s unfairly judged a fair bit from a group of past players, pretty much, that put the bullet through a lot of players. But that’s what they’re paid to do. Some of them need a job, so they go after us and that’s totally fine. This group is strong enough to deal with those sort of things.

That’s how it is. It’s unfortunate sometimes to have some of that feedback from a generation of players that we have huge respect for, but that’s the caper. South Africa: Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, David Bedingham, Temba Bavuma (capt), Tristan Stubbs, Wiann Mulder, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Marco Jansen, Simon Harmer, Keshav Maharaj, Anrich Nortje.

Bavuma confirmed the XI yesterday and that South Africa will turn to the spin of Maharaj and Harmer. Left-arm quick Jansen and the returning Nortje will be supported by seamer Wiaan Mulder. The South Africa skipper expects there to be plenty for the spinners later in the Test and Maharaj has a strong record at Kingsmead Stadium with 21 wickets at 22.66 in four matches at the venue.

Kagiso Rabada is sidelined for the Proteas by a hamstring injury which has opened the door for Nortje to be picked for his first Test - and first first-class game - in 1,317 days. He last played a red-ball game when lining up for South Africa against West Indies at Centurion in February 2023 and taking a five-for in the first innings.

Lungi Ngidi is the only other South African missing from the XI that defeated Australia in the World Test Championship final last year. South Africa captain Temba Bavuma admits he would have elected to bat if he won the toss and he confirms two spinners are in the XI.

It looks a nice wicket. Weather’s good as well, but with that being said, we’ll have to do the job with the ball. Try to exploit whatever moisture that is there in the wicket. I think obviously with our bowling attack, our twin spinners, they’ve added a bit of extra dimension into our bowling attack.

So if the conditions suit them, which we hope it would, looking at the wicket, they can come into the game. And saying that we do have the strength there in the fast bowlers. Australia: Travis Head, Nic Maddinson, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Matt Renshaw, Beau Webster, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (capt), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.

Maddinson completes what just days ago seemed like one of the more unlikely Test comebacks after overcoming testicular cancer diagnosed not long after the 2024-25 season. The 34-year-old returns after playing all three of his previous Tests in 2016 which included a debut against South Africa at Adelaide Oval.

He will partner Head at the top of the order while Renshaw drops to five in his second Test since rebuilding his career at Sheffield Shield level and working his way through Australia’s white-ball set ups. Labuschagne holds his spot after hitting a century in a warm-up game in Potchefstroom, and with Cameron Green sidelined by an abdominal strain picked up during the ODI series earlier in the tour.

Webster takes Green’s place and will bat in the middle order while offering a blend of medium pace and off-spin. Pat Cummins calls correctly and the team news includes the recall of Nic Maddinson a decade after the last of his three Tests. Nice looking surface.

A little bit of grass there. I suspect like most day one wickets there is going to be a little bit in it. But it looks like a good day. Sun’s out. It’s always great coming up against South Africa, whatever the format. They got the better of us a year ago in the World Test Championship.

We haven’t been here in South Africa for a while, but pretty excited. [Maddinson] has really settled in with where his game’s at. He’s shown good form, feels like he’s well placed. Australia’s bowling attack of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon is expected to be the same as lined up for the tourists in 2018.

The batting, on the other hand, is much harder to nail down – but that hasn’t stopped Geoff Lemon from weighing up the case for and against the main contenders for the final spot or two. Matt Renshaw has done good things against the white ball, but his preparation to be the country’s new opener in Durban has consisted of one innings against Bangladesh in Mackay.

Marnus Labuschagne reassured with a warm-up century, but that game was so relaxed that he might have played in flip-flops. Cameron Green was an issue until two Test innings ago, then having finally produced a performance of note, got injured. That means Beau Webster will be bowling cover, with one of Cooper Connolly or Nic Maddinson to get Green’s job with the bat.

A choice between those two options is truly bizarre. South Africa’s role in the ignominious 2018 series has largely been pushed into the background even as it should have been a celebrated first Test series victory on home soil against Australia since their readmission to international cricket.

Daniel Gallan wonders what the scandal and fallout for Australia meant for the secondary protagonist. For South African cricketers, administrators and supporters, the most surprising aspect of the Sandpaper scandal was not that it happened. After all, the ball had been suspiciously reverse-swinging during the first two Tests of that ill-fated series in 2018.

The atmosphere had turned febrile after a stairwell bust-up between Quinton de Kock and David Warner in Durban and after supporters directed misogynistic abuse at Warner and his family in Gqeberha. Nathan Lyon had promised before the tour to “head-butt the line” of what was acceptable.

Darren Lehmann, then Australia’s coach, came from an old school where bullying was sugar-coated with the phrase “mental disintegration”. No, what surprised South Africans most was the scale of the fallout, and how one tiny piece of sandpaper could cause so much national angst.

Australia’s return to South Africa for a first Test series since 2018 is unlikely to put the ball-tampering scandal to bed. Especially while serious doubts remain over whether the full version of the events in Cape Town has ever been revealed. Geoff Lemon will be covering every day of this series for us.

He is as well placed as anyone to look back at what happened at Newlands eight years ago – and what could come out in the future. The slew of retrospectives has understandably given rise to sandpaper fatigue, audiences tired of hearing about an old story before a new series, while others do historical revisions.

Various pundits have suggested that the bans for the players involved were an overreaction, a position that has merit given the prevalence of ball-tampering in the sport, but ignores the press conference in which Smith and Bancroft foolishly lied to cover theirs up.

Other observers have argued that whatever the details, the story is so old as to be dead. “What’s left to come out after eight years?” asked Starc this week. The answer is everything, because nothing ever really has. Hello and welcome to live coverage of the first day of the first Test between South Africa and Australia in Durban.

This is a heavyweight clash between the top two teams in the current World Test Championship standings, and the two teams that met in the final of the last cycle little more than 15 months ago. The Proteas defeated the defending champions Australia in that WTC decider at Lord’s last year to claim a rare piece of silverware and rid themselves of a choker’s tag.

But the buildup to this series has inevitably looked much further back. More than eight years have passed since Cameron Bancroft reached into his pocket at Newlands, pulled out a piece of sandpaper and exposed the fractures in Australian cricket that had been papered over across decades.

That moment and the cover-up that followed led to the young opener and his more experienced batting partner David Warner, along with captain Steve Smith, being banned from playing cricket for as much as 12 months. The cultural reckoning that swept over the national team lasted much longer.

As Australia returns to South Africa for a first Test since the Proteas won that infamous series 3-1, the tourists’ culture has been transformed under captain Pat Cummins. Smith, Cummins and the other pillars of the bowling attack in Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon are back as Australia seek to finally lay the ghosts of 2018 to rest.

For South Africa, skipper Temba Bavuma, Aiden Markram and Keshav Maharaj return after also playing in the Cape Town clash eight years ago. There is more on the line in the present day than just reopening – and perhaps healing – old wounds with Australia a couple of steps down the path of a 20-Test journey that will also take in a home series against New Zealand and tours of India and England.

A return to a third consecutive WTC final would be a sure sign that stretch has been filled with success as well as going a long way to cementing the legacy of this renewed version of Australia under Cummins’ leadership. South Africa have built on their triumph in the last WTC cycle with a 2-0 series victory in Zimbabwe, a 1-1 draw in Pakistan and then a historic two-Test series sweep in India last year.

But this is the Proteas’ first red-ball international in more than 10 months and their first Test on home soil since January 2025. The two teams started sounding each other out with three ODIs last month. But this long awaited and highly anticipated Test series is undeniably the main event.

Toss and confirmed teams will be coming up shortly – with the first ball to be bowled at 9:30am in Durban / 6:30pm AEDT. In the meantime, get in touch with your thoughts and predictions by email or find me @martinpegan on Bluesky.