South Africa’s pacemen reduced Australia to 124-6, but Matt Renshaw and skipper Pat Cummins fought back with an unbroken seventh-wicket partnership of 63 to take the visitors to 187-6 on the first day of the first test at Kingsmead in Durban on Friday.
The match, which started in brilliant sunshine during the first two sessions, was curtailed soon after tea at 3.22pm after grey clouds quickly gathered over the ground and the umpires went off for bad light after just 65.2 overs.
Renshaw was undefeated on 46 and Cummins was on 33. Their partnership, which has so far lasted for 140 balls, is the biggest of the innings so far.
Stumps on Day One 🔚 Renshaw and Cummins fight back to close play at 187/6 🇦🇺🏏 #SSCricket | #SAvAUS https://t.co/roxu7L6CGR
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) October 9, 2026
Cummins won the toss and opted to bat first under a cloudless sky.
Australia lost two early wickets in the first hour before Smith and Labuschagne partly repaired the damage with a stand of 60 in 96 balls before Mulder struck with a nip-backer that beat Labuschagne’s defensive push to reduce the visitors to 84-3.
It was Mulder who was the first South African bowler to strike as Travis Head was strangled down the leg side, edging the ball onto his thigh before the ball continued through to wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne.
His partner, fellow left-hander Nick Maddinson, playing his first first-class match since March last year, was largely strokeless in his innings.
Having survived a leg-before decision against Mulder which the South Africans didn’t refer to the third umpire, Maddinson was eventually dismissed by Marco Jansen attempting a cut that he inside-edged onto his off-stump.
He had failed to get off the mark after 33 deliveries.
Smith and Labuschagne settled into their innings with Labuschagne the more aggressive to start with while Smith greeted the arrival of Keshav Maharaj with two towering drives for six in the left-arm spinner’s second over.
It seemed that the pair, who had grown increasingly comfortable, would survive until lunch until Mulder struck.
Australia’s late loss in the morning was doubled immediately after the break when Marco Jansen claimed the scalp of Steve Smith.
Jansen rapped Smith painfully on the knuckles with his second delivery that rose sharply off a length. Next ball he induced an edge with a similar delivery, with Mulder taking a low catch in the gully.
Renshaw and Alex Carey played cautiously to add 36 in 91 balls as they sought to rebuild the innings before Nortje struck twice in quick succession.
First Carey, attempting to drive a fuller delivery, edged to Aiden Markram in the slips, then, with the final ball of the over he induced a feather of an edge from new batter Beau Webster.
The appeal was initially turned down but when reviewed it was shown that Webster had edged the ball.
Welcome back to the Test arena Anrich ⚡️ Nortje bags two wickets in three balls to put South Africa on top 🇿🇦🔥 📺 Stream #SAvAUS on DStv: https://t.co/rM90YyR504 https://t.co/3u2qkWTdmd
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) October 9, 2026
Australia were now in a precarious position of 124-6 with Renshaw the only specialist batter remaining, but Cummins has played many valuable innings for his country and he and the left-hander took the total to 149 at tea and then added a further 38 after the break until the Kingsmead gloom descended.
South Africa’s excellent showing was largely due to their fast bowlers.
With their most potent weapon, Kagiso Rabada, not risked after recovering from a hamstring strain, Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen and Anrich Nortje did a sterling job to shackle the Aussie batters on a slowish Kingsmead track that nevertheless offered some lift and seam movement.
Nortje, in particular, bowled with good pace and hostility, making life uncomfortable for all the batters.
It was his first test in three and a half years but there was little rust too see as he bowled with great heart.
Each of the pacemen claimed two wickets and their figures were excellent with Jansen (16-7-35-2), Mulder (15-6-31-2) and Nortje (13.2-2-40-2) keeping the Aussie batters in shackles for the most part.
South Africa picked two spinners but, not surprisingly, neither Keshav Maharaj nor Simon Harmer posed much danger on the first day although Harmer was tidier and less expensive.
Collectively they bowled 21 overs for 67 runs.
SOUTH AFRICA: Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, David Bedingham, Temba Bavuma (capt), Tristan Stubbs, Wiaan Mulder, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Marco Jansen, Simon Harmer, Keshav Maharaj, Anrich Nortje.
AUSTRALIA: Travis Head, Nicolas Maddinson, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Matthew Renshaw, Beau Webster, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (capt), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.
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