Cape Town: Mitchell Starc produced a late burst to bowl South Africa out for 329 on day one of the series-deciding third Test against Australia at Newlands on Tuesday, after Marques Ackerman’s sparkling 95 had put the hosts in command. Australia, who won the toss and chose to bowl, were yet to begin their reply at stumps, with the World Test Championship series level at 1-1 and the world No. 1 ranking on the line.
Put in on a good batting surface, South Africa’s openers made Australia pay. Ackerman, playing only his second Test, and Aiden Markram added 158 in 31.4 overs for the first wicket, South Africa’s second-highest opening partnership against Australia in Tests, and reached lunch at 140 without loss, with Ackerman on 82 and Markram on 56. Ackerman reached his maiden Test fifty off 62 balls.
Australia fought back after lunch through Nathan Lyon. Ackerman fell five short of a maiden Test hundred when he charged Lyon and was stumped by Alex Carey, and Markram followed for 78, caught by Starc on the boundary off Josh Hazlewood. Lyon then bowled captain Temba Bavuma for a duck, and Cooper Connolly claimed his first Test wicket when Matthew Breetzke was trapped leg before for 2 after a review, leaving South Africa 221 for 4 at tea.
Bedingham reached fifty after tea, but Starc then struck twice in quick succession, removing Bedingham, caught by Hazlewood, and Wiaan Mulder, caught behind, to leave South Africa 232 for 6. Rickelton and Marco Jansen responded with a 95-run stand for the seventh wicket that carried the hosts past 300, with Rickelton making 42 and Jansen 52.
Starc, however, had the final say. He returned to remove Rickelton leg before, bowl Jansen, and then clean up Gerald Coetzee and Kagiso Rabada, both for ducks, to finish with 6 for 72 in 16.3 overs. Lyon took 2 for 71 and Hazlewood 1 for 59, while captain Pat Cummins went wicketless. Simon Harmer was left unbeaten on 0 when Rabada fell at 329.
Australia were without Steve Smith, who failed to recover from a neck injury, and made four changes, bringing in Cameron Green, Josh Inglis, Connolly and Lyon. South Africa brought in Coetzee for the injured Anrich Nortje. Australia won the first Test in Durban by 214 runs before South Africa levelled the series in Gqeberha, and the winner at Newlands will claim both the series and the No. 1 ranking. Australia will begin their first innings on day two.
Brief scores: South Africa 329 all out in 82.3 overs (Marques Ackerman 95, Aiden Markram 78, Marco Jansen 52, David Bedingham 50, Ryan Rickelton 42; Mitchell Starc 6-72, Nathan Lyon 2-71) vs Australia yet to bat.
