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Australia v South Africa live, first Test from Durban: Bad light stops play in Durban

Poor light has brought the first day of the Durban Test to a premature end, with Australia grinding their way to a healthy position.

Peter Lalor and Adrian McMurray
16 min read
5:26PMMarch 01, 2018.
Updated 2:01AMMarch 02, 2018
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Shaun Marsh in action. Picture: AP.
Shaun Marsh in action. Picture: AP.

Bad light brought play to a premature end on the first day of the Test between Australia and South Africa from Kingsmead, Durban. Australia won the toss and elected to bat first, finishing on 5-225. See how it all unfolded below.

Adrian McMurray 1.50am: Play abandoned on day one

That’s stumps. It seemed inevitable, but play has been officially called off for the day. After Bancroft and Khawaja departed it all seemed to be going right for Australia with Warner and Smith at the crease, but South Africa clawed their way back into the contest. Shaun Marsh’s 40 was solid, while Mitchell Marsh and Tim Paine could push Australia to a first-innings total over 300 on day two. Join us later today when play resumes at 7pm AEDT.

Adrian McMurray 1.29am: Bad light stops play

They light meters are out and the players are off! Play hasn’t been abandoned today just yet, but it looks unlikely we’ll see any more action on day one. Marsh 32, Paine 21, Australia 5-225.

Adrian McMurray 1.24am: Will bad light force an early finish?

Light is starting to become an issue. The lights are on, but things are starting to get dark. The umpires are looking around as cloud cover sets in ... but it doesn’t seem to be an issue for Paine, who uses the pace of a Rabada delivery off the hip for four. And that’s four bye off the final ball of the over, Australia 5-221.

Adrian McMurray 1.17am: Moments of brilliance

This has been a real Test match. A grinding affair. But it’s still had its moments of brilliance. Lovely shot from Marsh past short-extra cover for four off Morkel. He’s up to 28, and the second new ball is just six overs away. The run rate in this final session so far is 2.39, as opposed to 3.52 in the first session.

Adrian McMurray 1.04am: Australia pass 200

Theunis de Bruyn joins the attack for the first time in this Test, and he almost has an immediate impact! Paine lobs at a full toss ... and it doesn’t carry! It falls just short of Rabada at mid-on. Jeez, that was close. Paine then takes four off the next delivery, de Bruyn a little tidier in his remaining four balls. Paine moves to 16, Australia moving past 200, the visitors 5-203 at drinks.

Adrian McMurray 12.47pm: Patience a virtue

Another Philander maiden — his eighth today — tests Paine, but on the next over Marsh plays a lovely shot past point for a boundary. That’s his fourth as he moves to 18. The pair are showing great patience, but another wicket could be on the cards ...

Adrian McMurray 12.34am: Aussies in need of inspiration

That run rate has slowed right up, sitting at 2.87. Paine tries to spark something with a boundary through third man, but it’s pretty hard going for the pair as Philander and Maharaj work in tandem. Australia 5-188.

Adrian McMurray 12.13am: Marsh runs out of chances

Keshav Maharaj celebrates the dismissal of Shaun Marsh. Picture: AFP.
Keshav Maharaj celebrates the dismissal of Shaun Marsh. Picture: AFP.

Wicket! It’s that man Maharaj again who gets the breakthrough, drawing an edge with the catch taken by de Villiers at first slip. That’s five down for the tourists now, Tim Paine joining the action.

Adrian McMurray 12.08am: Third session begins

We’re underway in the final session on day one. The Marsh brothers are at the crease and it’s ... Aiden Markram who’s handed the ball. He goes for two runs in his first over, and Philander resumes at the other end. Shaun Marsh is living dangerously, a rather reckless shot narrowly avoiding both off-stump and the keeper. Yikes!

11.42pm: Marsh brothers take Australia to Tea

That’s Tea! Shaun Marsh (36) and brother Mitch (8) have guided the tourists through to the final session of the day, Australia 4-170.

Adrian McMurray 11.32pm: Marsh cops one on the helmet

Ouch! Rabada steams in and it hits Shaun Marsh just above the grille, thankfully he’s unscathed. He doesn’t seem too shaken, hitting two boundaries off the ensuing Maharaj over.

11.27pm: It’s the little touches that are important

Peter Lalor 11.18pm: Smith gone

Keshav Maharaj celebrates with teammates after the dismissal of Steve Smith. Picture: AFP.
Keshav Maharaj celebrates with teammates after the dismissal of Steve Smith. Picture: AFP.

Wicket! Steve Smith has fallen.

Australia had some luck when Shaun Marsh escaped an LBW on 19 but the good fortune ran out soon after when Smith edged one hard into the wicket keeper’s gloves. Quinton de Kock didn’t hold onto the hot chance but the ball ballooned up into the air and was easily taken by AB de Villiers at first slip.

Smith was 56 and had put on 50 with Marsh before his dismissal left Australia 4-151.

Peter Lalor 11.06pm: The view from Durban

Steve Smith has kicked off his South African campaign with a half century at Kingsmead.

The Australian captain’s 24th journey to that mark came as he joined with Shaun Marsh after the lunch break.

He started the session with a series of four but was wound back by some tight bowling, particularly from Vernon Philander who has troubled all the batsmen with his immaculate control.

Philander has lost 10kgs since copping criticism for his fitness and weight during South Africa’s tour of England last year.

Smith had an escape on 47 when he slashed one low and to the left of AB de Villiers at gully. The fielder got a hand to what would have been a brilliant catch.

With the day hot and the wicket becoming harder to score on Smith and Shaun Marsh appear to want to wear down the South African bowlers. With the home side dropping a bowler for this game to bolster the batting it is important for the visitors to make them bowl as many overs as possible.

Australia had moved to 3-149 after the drinks break.

Adrian McMurray 10.59pm: Marsh survives

Chance! Big appeal as Rabada crashes one into Marsh’s pads, but the umpire isn’t moving! It appeared as though that one was close to hitting leg stump ... and the replays suggest that would’ve been overturned on review, but South Africa are fresh out of referrals! The ghosts of referrals past have come back to haunt the home side.

Adrian McMurray 10.53pm: Smith hits his half-century

That’s 50 for Smith! The Australian skipper brings up his half-century in fairly underwhelming style, pushing one through a gap at deep cover as Dean Elgar mis-fields. He moves to 54 just two balls later with another boundary. That’s more like it!

Adrian McMurray 10.41pm: Marsh’s close call

Kagiso Rabada in action. Picture: AFP.
Kagiso Rabada in action. Picture: AFP.

Chance! Lovely length from Rabada, who’s really finding some good areas, and there’s a massive appeal as it hits Marsh’s pad. But the umpire’s unmoved and South Africa are out of referrals. It looked as though it was well over, and replays suggest as such. Smith moves to 49 with a single off the next over, Marsh does likewise to sit on 15. And that’s drinks, Australia 3-135.

Adrian McMurray 10.29pm: Smith and Marsh hold their ground

Finally, something positive for the visitors! It comes in the form of a Marsh boundary, the Australian batsman smashing Rabada through the covers for four. Philander follows that with another maiden — his fifth of the day — while Smith and Marsh pick up a single each in the ensuing over, the Aussie captain moving to 48. I really thought that half-century would be in the bag by now, but South Africa are doing a good job of containing the pair.

Adrian McMurray 10.16pm: Smith dropped as runs dry up

Chance! Smith is dropped by de Villiers at gully. The Australian captain lives to see another day after he was lured by a Philander out-swinger. Just one run in the three overs after Smith hit those two boundaries, and suddenly the runs aren’t flowing like they were slightly earlier.

Adrian McMurray 10.03pm: Marsh off the mark

Marsh grabs his first runs of the Test with some nifty work to dispatch Philander past mid-wicket for four runs. Not a bad way to kick-start his innings! Rabada re-joins the attack and Smith hardly skips a beat, first dealing with a short ball with relative ease and then an outside edge through third man handing him another two boundaries. That 50 isn’t far away, Smith on 46. Australia 3-121.

Adrian McMurray 9.55pm: Smith’s positive start

Steve Smith faces Morne Morkel. Picture: AFP.
Steve Smith faces Morne Morkel. Picture: AFP.

A few bizarre deliveries from Morkel sees Smith punish the man in his final Test series, claiming two boundaries through mid-wicket. Philander bowls a maiden, but Morkel resumes and Smith promptly delivers another four past deep cover. Marsh is yet to get off the mark ... Australia 3-109.

Adrian McMurray 9.39pm: Second session underway

The players are back out there for the afternoon session, with Shaun Marsh joining Steve Smith (24) out in the middle.

Peter Lalor 9.13pm: Philander wins out with South Africa on top

David Warner leaves the ground after being dismissed by Vernon Philander. Picture: AFP.
David Warner leaves the ground after being dismissed by Vernon Philander. Picture: AFP.

David Warner played a cat-and-mouse game with Vernon Philander at the back end of the first session and came out the loser, the bowler picking him up in the last over before the break.

Warner had attempted to take strike outside his crease to the bowler to counter the bowler’s movement, but the South Africans brought wicket keeper Quinton de Kock up to the stumps and the Australian was forced to retreat back to his normal position.

Stuck there, the opener sparred at a ball that sat up and was caught in the slips cordon. There were only three balls left in the session. Warner’s anguish was countered by the opposition’s jubilation at getting the important breakthrough.

Warner had made 51 and put on 56 with Steve Smith.

Adrian McMurray 9.00pm: Warner departs just before lunch

Wicket! HUGE moment just before lunch, as Warner is caught on 51. Philander is the man, the ball collecting the shoulder of the bat to the waiting hands of AB De Villiers at second slip. A real shock as Warner looked like he was just warming up, his 56-run partnership with Smith broken.

Adrian McMurray 8.52pm: Warner hits 50

Warner brings up 50, cutting a poor delivery from Philander past deep backward point for four. That’s his 28th Test half-century, and he looks in fine nick. Who needs warm-up matches, anyway?

Adrian McMurray 8.37pm: Smith and Warner steady the ship

David Warner in action. Picture: Getty Images.
David Warner in action. Picture: Getty Images.

Maidens are proving a little harder to come by but Maharaj bowls a tidy over. Rabada looks to keep heaping the pain, but Smith is up to the task and pulls one away for four. He gets another boundary on the last ball of Maharaj’s next over, spotting a gap on the legside. On the very next ball — Rabada’s first of the over — Warner shows great control to push one through gully for four more. He gets another six in the over and suddenly things are looking a lot more positive for the tourists. Australia 2-82.

Adrian McMurray 8.20pm: Smith’s attacking intent

This is more like it! A Warner boundary off the first ball of an over from Maharaj and Rabada sees Australia move past 50, before Smith looks to the air and flicks one over deep mid-wicket. These two don’t look at all intimidated.

Adrian McMurray 8.00pm: De Kock screamer sends Khawaja packing

Wicket! Kagiso Rabada joins the attack and makes an immediate impact, with Khawaja edging and de Kock taking an absolute screamer of a catch to send the No 3 batsman on his way for 14. Australia 2-39, but the best Test batsman in the world, Australian skipper Steve Smith, will join Warner in the middle.

Adrian McMurray 7.55pm: South Africa lose both reviews

Glorious pull shot from Khawaja, who belted Philander past deep mid-wicket for four. South Africa are introducing Maharaj early. Massive shout off his first ball, nothing from the umpire ... and South Africa are reviewing! Nothing on Snicko, and ... it wasn’t even close! Khawaja and Warner grab a single each, Australia 1-35.

Adrian McMurray 7.43pm: Warner gets things going

The Australian vice-captain smashes one through the covers for four off Morkel, another two off Philander the next over keeping his run rate ticking along nicely. Khawaja also chimes in with a boundary off Morkel’s next over, and things are looking a little more positive for the visitors.

Adrian McMurray 7.28pm: South Africa’s early breakthrough

Wicket! Bancroft departs for just five, a slight Philander outswinger seeing the Australian opener edge to Quinton de Kock. Disappointing to see Bancroft depart so early, his form in the Test arena hardly exceptional. That brings Usman Khwaja to the crease. Australia 1-15.

Adrian McMurray 7.18pm: Australia off the mark

Both Bancroft and Warner grab singles off Philander for their first runs this Test, before Bancroft flicked one past deep backward square leg for the first boundary of the series. Not to be outdone, Warner got in on the boundary action the next over with four off the last delivery of Philander’s second over. Australia 0-10 after four overs.

Adrian McMurray 7.06pm: Early test for Australia

Morne Morkel is handed the ball for the first over in his final Test series, and it’s a very positive start for the home side. On just the third ball of the Test, there’s a big shout for lbw off Bancroft, the umpire doesn’t move and it’s referred. The review shows it was well over leg stump, but dangerous signs early. A maiden to start things.

Adrian McMurray 6.55pm: Disappointing crowd in

The players are out there for the anthems. Unfortunately, it looks like there’s only around 100 or so people in the stands. The Australian’s Chris Kenny is thinking what we’re all thinking. Disappointing for a Test of this magnitude, but it’ll be entertaining viewing nonetheless.

Peter Lalor 6.50pm: Captains’ take after toss

Steve Smith won the toss and chose to bat. There’s a sea breeze and locals say that negates swing.

Both captains believe the wicket looks slow.

“It’s pretty hard, I think it might skid on and then slow up as the game goes on, hopefully we can post a big first innings total and put them under pressure,” Smith said. “I think they can be similar (wickets to Australia), I just think this one is not going to have the pace and carry that some other wickets do, maybe it will take a bit of turn later on.

“(We’ve named the) Same team, gives those guys some confidence, summer worked out really well for us, we played some good cricket and conditions in South Africa are similar to Australia, so it’s a good opportunity for these guys to continue to work hard and keep building as a team.

“South Africa are a quality side, play well at home so we are going to have to be at our best.

Faf du Plessis named seven batsmen in the side, bringing in Theunis de Bruyn and dropping exciting young fast bowler Lungi Ngidi.

“I think we would also like top have bat first, just with the slowness of the wicket but in ageing that there will e an opportunity this morning to get some wickets, there’s a little bit of green grass cover here,” du Plessis said.

“It also might turn, it can be a bit sticky on day one.

“We have gone with seven batters, a real solid batting line up and we are looking forward to putting some runs on the board with the nature of the wicket here the spinner can play a bit of a role so Kesh (Maharaj) is a guy that can bowl lots and lots and lots of overs and take that workload and you will see seamers bowl from the other end.

“It’s about trying to get a solid batting line up against them and if we can put runs on the board we can put pressure on them.

“It’s an amazing stat: Australia has never beaten us at home (in last three series) and we have never beaten them. It’s a great opportunity for this team, we want to go places and that’s a place we have never been before.”

Adrian McMurray 6.40pm: Both XIs confirmed

Steve Smith and Faf du Plessis. Picture: Getty Images.
Steve Smith and Faf du Plessis. Picture: Getty Images.

South Africa have named seven batsmen, including Theunis de Bruyn for Lungi Ngidi. According to Peter Lalor, the conditions are perfect for batting. Here’s hoping for a productive first day with the bat.

South Africa: Dean Elgar, Aiden Markram, Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers, Faf du Plessis (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), Theunis de Bruyn, Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Morne Morkel.

Australia: David Warner, Cameron Bancroft, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith (c), Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine (wk), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.

Adrian McMurray 6.33pm: Smiths wins the toss

The Australian skipper has won the toss and Australia will bat first! Important early victory for the tourists given the conditions. David Warner — fresh off leading the T20 side to victory in New Zealand — and Cameron Bancroft will get first crack on the Kingsmead wicket.

Adrian McMurray 6.10pm: Kingsmead looks a treat

There’s less than hour to go until play gets underway, and conditions look spot on for what should be a brilliant opener to this much-anticipated Test series. Our man Peter Lalor is there.

Peter Lalor 5.30pm: A heavyweight contest

Cricket’s eyes turn to Kingsmead today for the first Test of a four-match series between South Africa and Australia. It is one of the most anticipated contests between two of the most competitive and exciting sides in cricket.

South African captain Faf du Plessis said yesterday that playing Australia is what he and his charges consider the ultimate test.

Steve Smith had to agree. The wickets, the teams, the attitudes are all so similar that it is always a scrap. Think of it like brothers fighting.

Remember mint-gate when the South Africans were in Australia last time? The carry-on was incredible. Du Plessis is still upset he was done for ball tampering. Remember the clash between Michael Clarke and Dale Steyn in Cape Town in 2014? The Australian skipper lost it and had to apologise later. Ugly, ugly things were said in the heated last sessions of that compelling Test.

Faf called the Australians a pack of dogs in that series and was dispatched back to the dressing room with a chorus of howls when he was out in the next game.

It’s always fiery.

It’s also an unusual contest. These days teams win at home and lose overseas, but not this pair. The Proteas have won their last three series in Australia. Australia hasn’t lost a series in South Africa since the country was readmitted in 1993. In the last decade the matches have gone 8-7 in the Proteas favour.

The last time the team’s played at Kingsmead Phillip Hughes smashed centuries in both innings. It was, we all thought at the time, the sign that a superstar was among us. Nobody who saw him bring up that first hundred with a pair of straight sixes could avoid hyperbolic speculation. In the same game Mitchell Johnson smashed Graeme Smith’s finger and split Jacques Kallis’ chin.

South African captain Faf du Plessis works on the ball during the series in Australia in 2016. Picture: AAP
South African captain Faf du Plessis works on the ball during the series in Australia in 2016. Picture: AAP

There’s some heavyweight talent on show today. Smith, best batsman in the world, chugging along at an average of almost 64, says he came of age with a century at Centurion on the last tour, admits he borrowed some of his approach from AB de Villiers. AB is back after two years off and in the twilight of an extraordinary career. He averages almost 50 and is one of the most brilliant and creative batsmen the game has seen (though shaded by Smith).

Hashim Amla is here too, 114 Tests, a highest score of 311no, an average of almost 50, a wrist technique and laid-back elegance that brings a poetry to the crease.

Dean Elgar is one of the best openers in world cricket, a gritty batsman who grinds it out and might be a role model for Cameron Bancroft.

David Warner spat out three centuries on the last tour here, South Africans make his blood boil. He’s the hardest working man in Australian cricket, unable to get to the tour game because he was captaining (successfully) the T20 team.

The bowling attacks are the best in the world. Kagiso Rabada is 22, has 120 wickets at an average the same as his age. An unbelievable talent. Last time Morne Morkel bowled to Australia in these parts he mauled Michael Clarke in a brutal but eventually futile display at Cape Town.

The Australian trio of Starc, Hazlewood and Cummins is the most intimidating in world cricket and there’s a suspicion the South Africans have blinked. The pitches will not be as spicy as the ones they prepared against India and that’s an admission they are intimidated. There’s also a suggestion they will move away from the four quick policy and bring in a batting all rounder.

The Australians go in unchanged.

Stay tuned, this should be fun.

Clock watching

For the record, Durban is nine hours behind Australia’s eastern states, so play will start at 10am local time.

Pitch doctoring?

Pitches are hard to read but all indications are the South Africans will avoid the fire and spice of the decks prepared for the recent series against India for fear of the Australian pace attack. Read more here

Steve Smith and Faf du Plessis at the Kingsmead ground ahead of the first Test. Picture: Getty
Steve Smith and Faf du Plessis at the Kingsmead ground ahead of the first Test. Picture: Getty

Revenge on the mind

Australian captain Steve Smith is looking for revenge in the upcoming series, to continue the trend in which the visiting team dominates in recent series between the sides, AFP reports.

“Certainly it’s a big series for us. We’ve had a lot of great contests over the years. South Africa got the better of us at home so we’d love to get them back for that one,” said Smith.

South Africa won 2-1 in a three-Test series in Australia in November 2016, their third straight series win there.

However, Australia have a brilliant record away in South Africa, and it is an anomaly that Smith and his opposite number Faf Du Plessis put down to the similar conditions in both countries.

Australia are aiming to build on a “magnificent” home summer which included a 4-0 Ashes defeat of England.

“The conditions are similar but it’s still an away tour for us. I’ve got a goal as captain to play really well away from home and start winning series, so this is a really good opportunity for us,” said Smith.

The world’s leading Test batsman, Smith said a century in tough conditions at Centurion on Australia’s previous tour in 2013/14 had given him the confidence that he could score runs against any bowling attack.

Du Plessis is fully aware of Smith’s threat having played alongside him in the Indian Premier League, and he is hoping to use that experience to bring about his rival’s downfall.

“The last series we played against him he was their best batter but to some degree we did keep him quiet,” he said.

“He’s obviously a very good player but it’s similar to what I said about the Indian team. They have one or two star batsmen. If you can put pressure on them and keep them quiet it obviously reflects how the series will go.”

Australian team: Steve Smith (captain), David Warner, Cameron Bancroft, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine (wkt), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood

Additional reporting: AFP

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Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/cricket/australia-v-south-africa-live-first-test-from-durban/news-story/b4b3ae1a8f36bc1dc8b36ff9885ff853