DAY 1: Proteas turn up heat as Mulder strikes

Wiaan Mulder trapped Marnus Labuschagne leg before with the last ball of the opening session to claim his second wicket and reduce Australia to 84 for three on the first day of the first test at a cloudless Kingsmead in Durban on Friday.

The morning session had looked to be evenly balanced after Australia lost two early wickets in the first hour after choosing to bat first after winning the toss. Smith and Labuschagne partly repaired the damage with a stand of 60 in 96 balls, but then Mulder struck with a nip-backer with the last ball of the 26th over that beat Labuschagne’s defensive push. Labuschagne struck six fours in his 37 off 58 balls.

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, but Mulder struck. Smith was undefeated on 25 at the break.

Of South Africa’s bowlers, the most successful were Mulder (2-17 in 8 overs) and Jansen (1-15 in 8). Anrich Nortje, playing his first test in three and a half years, bowled with good pace and hostility in his five overs, discomforting both batters, while Maharaj was the most expensive, going for 30 runs in his five overs. Off-spinner Simon Harmer did not bowl in the first session.

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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