- Starc Six-Fer makes headlines on the opening day of the third Test between South Africa and Australia. Mitchell Starc’s third five-wicket win against South Africa, won with the second new ball, ended a dramatic first day in Ce Town after Marques Ackerman scored a superb 82 at lunch.
- Starc Six-Fer grabs headlines on the opening day of the third Test between South Africa and Australia (Photo by Albert Perez – CA/Cricket Australia via ) Mitchell Starc claimed his third five-wicket win against South Africa as Australia defeated the hosts after a dramatic and eventful first day of the third Test in Ce Town.
- The second new ball, taken late in the day, was crucial: Starc’s full, dynamic deliveries claimed four wickets in two overs, with the last four South African wickets falling for just two runs.
Starc Six-Fer makes headlines on the opening day of the third Test between South Africa and Australia. Mitchell Starc’s third five-wicket win against South Africa, won with the second new ball, ended a dramatic first day in Ce Town after Marques Ackerman scored a superb 82 at lunch.
Starc Six-Fer grabs headlines on the opening day of the third Test between South Africa and Australia (Photo by Albert Perez – CA/Cricket Australia via ) Mitchell Starc claimed his third five-wicket win against South Africa as Australia defeated the hosts after a dramatic and eventful first day of the third Test in Ce Town. The second new ball, taken late in the day, was crucial: Starc’s full, dynamic deliveries claimed four wickets in two overs, with the last four South African wickets falling for just two runs. Pat Cummins had won the toss and opted to bowl as he felt enough moisture on the surface.
However, the terrain proved difficult and friendly, aided by an unusually dry winter. The first South African players immediately stood out and the tourists made their decision pay in a dominant first session. The day ultimately see-sawed back and forth, with Australia eventually fighting back in two separate encounters after a strong start.
Australia made four changes to their team. Scott Boland was ruled out and Steve Smith was unavailable due to a neck injury. Nathan Lyon, Cooper Connolly, Cam Green and Josh Inglis have all been included in the eleven.
How did South Africa’s innings go during the day? Marques Ackermann, who was only playing his second test, set the tone from the start. He raced to 82 with no outs before lunch, the highest score achieved by a South African batsman in an opening session.
His partner Aiden Markram was equally fluid, peppering the first session with cuts and drives and even emphatically pulling Cummins for a six-off-eight-ball. Ackerman, more measured at first, broke free after hitting the first ball after the drinks break hard and almost crossed the boundary past Hazlewood. He then pulled Nathan Lyon for a six in the next over and repeatedly charged at the spinner, ending Lyon’s first over after just four overs.
The two gave South Africa its first 100-run stand in 42 innings. Ackerman also drilled four consecutive fours against Starc and hooked Cummins for six more. Meanwhile, Travis Head was able to catch Markram’s bat.
The first session yielded 140 runs at a rate of 5.18. After Ackerman reached 95 from 93 shots, albeit with brief cramps, he was overwhelmed by Lyon after getting out and being bowled on the fly. David Bedingham came and joined forces with Markram to continue the solid work.
On 78 minutes Markram fell and pulled a short ball from Hazlewood towards the backfield where a flying Starc completed the catch. Four balls later, Temba Bavuma was knocked down by a Lyon ball that didn’t turn but drifted enough to hit his off-stump. With Cam Green unable to bowl and Beau Webster falling to the side, Australia turned to Cooper Connolly for variety.
From two games on, Matthew Breetzke’s harmless forward momentum gave Connolly his first Test wicket and replays dispelled any doubts about pad first, bat first. South Africa slipped from 158/0 to 216/4 to 232/6, a lousy morning replaced by a shaky afternoon. During the day a few balls got stuck or went low and a throw from Connolly failed, meaning keeper Alex Carey missed four byes.
The path to the spinners no longer seemed so easy. Bedingham held firm at one end and managed a composed fifty in contrast to the hectic pace of the morning. He hit the quick shots with confidence but at 50 he also failed at a short ball and sent the catch deep where Hazlewood completed a juggling boundary catch.
Wiaan Mulder then fell for a two-ball duck, another victim of short-ball tactics. How did Starc and the second new ball finish South Africa? Ryan Rickelton and Marco Jansen gave the hosts some relief against the old ball.
In a flowing game, Jansen Cummins moved violently to the four and hit identical attacks on Hazlewood. Rickelton was the partnership’s smallest contributor, but together they repaired some of the afternoon’s damage. When Starc got the second new ball, the proach changed completely.
Instead of the short-ball ploy that had worked before, Starc bowled full and spirited, taking four wickets in two overs. Rickelton and Jansen were both smothered by the late movement, and Kagiso Rabada and Glenton Coetzee also barely reacted. The final four wickets fell by just two runs and Starc finished the game with his third five-wicket haul against South Africa, sailing on a day that swung heavily in either direction before Australia finally took control.
