The final analysis
It was a nightmare day for South Africa, but actually might have been worse. In their paltry first innings of 242 they were 32-4 at one stage, and it was only the dour Temba Bavuma (51) and exhilarating Quinton de Kock (84) who lent their total respectability. Australia’s bowlers shared the spoils; four wickets to Starc, three to Hazlwood, two to Lyon and one to Siddle.
In reply it’s been the David Warner show. He pasted Dale Steyn all over the place and had a decent lash at everyone else too in finishing undefeated on 73 from 62 deliveries. Shaun Marsh was in all sorts of bother early but toughed it out admirably to be there at the end, undefeated on 29. Both batsmen know they can fill their boots tomorrow one what is a decent batting wicket. On that note, please do join us for more live action tomorrow, and thank you for both your company and, in some instances, suggestions for the Derriere XI. It’s made me feel less guilty about sitting on my hide all day watching this game.
Adios.
Stumps on day one: Australia trail by 137 runs
21st over: Australia 105-0 (Warner 73, Marsh 29)
And that is day one at the Waca. Warner finished as he began, thrashing the bowling through the off side for boundaries, the second of which brought up the 100-run partnership between he and Shaun Marsh. There followed some finesse as he glided a late cut past gully for four more. He finishes on 73 from 62 deliveries and Marsh a polar opposite 29 off 67. They were an odd couple this afternoon, but it’s worked out fine. Less so for the tourists, who were shot out for 242 and couldn’t take a trick with the ball.
20th over: Australia 93-0 (Warner 61, Marsh 29)
Rabada sets off for what is likely to be his final over of the first day, and the only remaining interest here is whether the Australian batsmen can refrain from anything loose in the final couple of overs. As it stands, Australia have reached a commanding position in this game, trailing by just 149 runs after bowling South Africa out for 242 earlier today.
19th over: Australia 90-0 (Warner 60, Marsh 27)
Right on cue, Keshav Maharaj is tossed the ball and given his first bowling spell in Test cricket. Marsh pulls away, forcing him to abort his first delivery, but when it arrives it coaxes a false stroke out of the batsman as Marsh is a little uppish tucking the left arm orthodox spin around the corner. Maharaj is tossing it up a little and he’s very slow through the air – 84kmph slow. Both batsmen seem a little baffled at how long it takes to arrive. It’s a promising start, all things considered. He might get one more over, with any luck.
18th over: Australia 86-0 (Warner 59, Marsh 24)
Rabada continues his energetic and mostly accurate spell, but there’s not much happening in this over as the Australian pair look to protect their wickets and negotiate a safe path to stumps. Might be time for some spin, I reckon.
17th over: Australia 83-0 (Warner 58, Marsh 22)
We’re seeing the mature side of Warner’s batting now as he battens down the hatches against Philander, who has troubled him in the past. Marsh works a single off the final ball to retain the strike and the Australians enter countdown mode for the end of play.
16th over: Australia 81-0 (Warner 57, Marsh 21)
Rabada is cranking it up to around 141-142kmph, but not quite as much as you might expect for a late-day burst like this. His line is, however, impeccable. Right as I type that he strays down the leg side and Marsh biffs him around the corner for four. The only nervy person in the Waca right now is Usman Khawaja, who paces around the Australian viewing area with his pads on.
15th over: Australia 76-0 (Warner 56, Marsh 17)
The excitement of Warner’s early innings has dissipated to the point that Kevin Pietersen suddenly feels compelled to describe Kagiso Rabada’s outfielding in terms that suggest a religious experience. He can throw a ball, to be fair, but KP is perhaps a little excited about his first day at school. A single is the only damage in this over. We’ll have 20 minutes more play, if that.
14th over: Australia 75-0 (Warner 55, Marsh 17)
Rabada also applies himself well to the task of stemming the flow of runs, conceding just a pair of singles as the sun begins its process of setting out west. Shaun Marsh’s shadow reaches much further than some of the shots he played in the early stages of his innings but he seems to have weathered the worst of it.
13th over: Australia 73-0 (Warner 54, Marsh 16)
Vernon Philander is forced to swap ends now and staunch the bleeding, so returns for a firth over and a little earlier than he would have liked. He succeeds, restricting the damage to a single for the over.
David Warner brings up his fifty
12th over: Australia 72-0 (Warner 54, Marsh 15)
Boomshakalaka! Warner sees off the first two balls of Rabada’s next over and then hammers a wonderful square drive to the boundary to bring up a 39-ball half-century. It’s possible you nipped off for a coffee and missed the entire thing, I guess. He’s on a rampage. Even Marsh is getting some luck now, and picks up five when a single gathers four bonus runs from an overthrow. South Africa might be praying for lightning and thunderstorms at this point.
11th over: Australia 61-0 (Warner 49, Marsh 10)
Steyn toggles his pace back just a little bit here, or perhaps fatigue is setting in for this his sixth over in the late afternoon heat. KP says “the horse has bolted” as Australia pass the 50, and that Steyn’s bowling is “not good enough”, which seems a tad harsh.
Warner, on the other hand, is very much good enough, and delights the crowd byt getting underneath a short one and flaying it upward for boundary to third man. There follows a slash to the right of point, which also hits the rope. Hmm, the pitch map shows that Steyn has been very short. Maybe KP is right. Theory: Marsh was making him look a bit better than he was actually bowling. Warner is on track for a 37-ball half-century.
10th over: Australia 46-0 (Warner 35, Marsh 9)
Kagiso Rabada comes on for a bowl now and arrives in flamboyant style, tempting Warner into a lavish drive to a wide one, which precedes a throaty appeal in the cordon. ‘Not out’ is the verdict, and Rabada rather underlines that with a the old throat-shaving ‘cut it out’ gesture to prevent a DRS review from his skipper. Unperturbed, Warner launches again a ball later and sends a thick edge over the cordon for four more. Marsh still looks like he’s batting with his gloves on the wrong hands.
9th over: Australia 41-0 (Warner 30, Marsh 9)
There is one shared experience here for Warner and Marsh: neither wants to face Dale Steyn, who is cranking it up around the 150kmph mark as the red mist descends. Warner takes a single from the first ball of the over, sprinting through like he’s being chased around the kitchen by a velociraptor. Marsh braces himself, waits a ball, then pulls effectively to pick up a welcome boundary at fine leg, and then another to long-off from a mistimed drive. He’ll take ‘em however he can get ‘em right now.
8th over: Australia 32-0 (Warner 29, Marsh 1)
Kagiso Rabada is starting to warm up – perhaps theatrically so to get the attention of his skipper – but Philander continues for now. Marsh gets a rare opportunity to cash in on a loose ball when the bowler strays onto his pads but he creams it straight to the man at mid-wicket and misses out, before wearing one on his upper thigh to end the over. He’s making Philander look like Larwood here.
7th over: Australia 32-0 (Warner 29, Marsh 1)
Ian Chappell has called it: Dale Steyn is “terrorising” Shaun Marsh here. The only problem is he’s not actually getting him out, and Marsh eventually gets off his duck when he gingerly pulls the ball down towards fine leg for a single. Ironic cheers from his home crowd probably sting a little, though it might be a fair portion of the estimated 30,000 South African expats who live in WA.
Onward and upward (literally), Warner hooks enthusiastically to send a top edge over the keeper’s head for four and then slashes one over the outstretched hands of first slip for the same result. Steyn is fuming. Warner is surprisingly calm.
6th over: Australia 23-0 (Warner 21, Marsh 0)
Warner either knows the location of his off stump very well and trusts the bounce of this Waca strip, or he’s seriously misjudged a leave when Philander sends one inches past the top of his off stump. Warner gets going again with another crisp straight drive for four but there was a hairy moment or two to go with it. Philander is bowling some gimmes but also the odd pearl.
Not out!
It’s...a no ball. Oh dear. Philander overstepped so the path of the ball is moot. But it would have been out, no doubt about it.
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DRS review!
The Proteas think Philander has trapped Warner in front and it’s a decent shout.
5th over: Australia 18-0 (Warner 17, Marsh 0)
If Warner is a study in confidence, Shaun Marsh is as jittery as an octogenarian walking down a dark alley with the entire fortnight’s pension in his kick. Steyn works him over at decent pace, mostly in the 145kmph range. It’s a nervy maiden and Steyn senses a breakthrough is imminent.
4th over: Australia 18-0 (Warner 17, Marsh 0)
Clang! Warner absorbs everything he’s seen in the last few minutes, internalises any worries and clobbers Philander for a boundary through cover, then a more deft follow-up to the rope at deep point. As ever, Warner has started like a man with too many appointments to keep. He finishes the over with a third boundary – straighter, a little more orthodox and every bit as profitable as the others. He and Marsh are playing different games right now.
For those of you wondering what’s on Alec Stewart’s inspiration quote desk calendar today:
Thought for the day pic.twitter.com/XF0iNxL8CS
— Alec Stewart (@StewieCricket) November 3, 2016
3rd over: Australia 6-0 (Warner 5, Marsh 0)
Hmm, Marsh needs to watch himself here. Steyn angles a short one across his collarbone region but in the act of evading it the batsman takes his eyes off the ball entirely. Steyn stops at the end of his follow-through from that delivery and eyes Marsh like a door-to-door salesman appearing at his front step on a Sunday. Perhaps rattled, Marsh takes off for a run that’s not actually there, slips, and almost runs himself out a ball later. It’s an eventful maiden.
2nd over: Australia 6-0 (Warner 5, Marsh 0)
Vernon Philander is the other older statesman of this attack and gets the honour of pairing with Steyn to start. He cuts Warner in half and gets the Australian jumping about, but he’s digging it in a little short for LBW to come into calculations. In case you didn’t know, Warner averages 96 in Tests at the Waca, an item I’ve sadly encountered more often today than a new flat screen TV advert featuring the abovementioned batsman. He gets moving by clubbing a boundary through cover when Philander gives him half a micromillimetre of width. That would look good on any TV.
1st over: Australia 1-0 (Warner 1, Marsh 0)
OK, we’re off in away in the Australian reply. David Warner and Shaun Marsh have 90 minutes to negotiate – long enough to become settled at the crease and make a dent in the tourists’ total. Dale Steyn takes the first over and Warner takes a look before dabbing a single towards cover. Marsh has a slightly tougher time of it as Steyn sends one skidding away past his outside edge, but the left-hander negotiates his way to the end of the over.
South Africa all out for 242!
WICKET! Steyn b Starc 4 (South Africa all out for 242)
And that is that. Steyn misses, Starc hits. With the Proteas spearhead cleaned up the South African innings comes to a close on 242. Australia bowled brilliantly early and had their moments thereafter, but will probably rue letting Quinton de Kock get away from them. His 84 was superb and Temba Bavuma’s 51 nothing less than diligent and mature. Up next: a very tricky session for David Warner and Shaun Marsh.
Some bowling figures: Mitch Starc finished with 4-71 from 18.4 overs, Josh Hazlewood 3-70 off 17, Nathan Lyon 2-38 off 10 and Peter Siddle 1-36 off 12. Mitch Marsh went wicketless for 23 runs in six overs. All up it was a solid and occasionally spectacular display to get the summer under way. Now to respond.
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63rd over: South Africa 241-9 (Rabada 10, Steyn 4)
Now it’s Hazlewood’s turn to endure the frustration of some streaky but effective tail end batting, as Rabada gets among the boundaries. Back to the Derriere XI, while we still have a chance. Ian Fisher has a worthy addition: “How can you leave out Colin Milburn who certainly brings some weight to the batting line-up?” How indeed? If you have time, read Matthew Engel’s recent ode to Milburn, posted down the bottom here.
62nd over: South Africa 232-9 (Rabada 1, Steyn 4)
Mitch Starc has a chance to finish things off here and if he’s worried about reprisal bouncers from Kagiso Rabada, it doesn’t show in a series of bumpers he aims at the South African. Dale Steyn is at the other end, presumably muttering something mildly menacing. Starc takes a leading edge from Rabada but it falls short of gully. Then he’s off the mark with a single, granting Steyn the final delivery of the over, which he promptly creams through the vacant mid-off region to pick up a boundary.
WICKET! de Kock c Marsh b Hazlewood 84 (South Africa 227-9)
Oh that is a shame. Quinton de Kock sense the need to get a wriggle on and tries to heave a short one from Hazlewood out towards cow, but he mistimes it completely and balloons a catch to Shaun Marsh at short mid-wicket. He looks like he’s had his lunch money stolen, the cherub-faced Protea. Ah well, he can hold his head high as he trudges off. His team would be in a far deeper hole without his efforts today.
60th over: South Africa 223-8 (De Kock 81, Rabada 0)
Kagiso Rabada is out there now, and he’s never one to die wondering with the blade in his hand. Might de Kock have a word with him about exercising some restraint? You’d think so.
WICKET! Maharaj c Warner b Lyon 16 (South Africa 223-8)
Thin, bald and slightly pained in his expression, Nathan Lyon really is the perfect off-spinner in so many senses, and now he’s a wicket-taking one as Maharaj holes out to long-on and a tidy catch to David Warner. I can’t see the look on de Kock’s face but it can’t be positive.
59th over: South Africa 220-7 (De Kock 81, Maharaj 16)
I find myself sucked into a Mark Nicholas vortex now; it would appear as though the ideal situation for a batsman is to play strokes to every area of the ground, an approach some of Quinton de Kock’s team-mates stupidly failed to adopt. After de Kock works a single, Maharaj adds nothing in the way of variety to his wagon wheel. A crying shame.
58th over: South Africa 218-7 (De Kock 80, Maharaj 15)
Nathan Lyon’s back for a trundle and de Kock responds with a few moments of watchfulness before skipping down the track and depositing a drive to the boundary at long-on. There follows a full toss, for which de Kock gets down on his knee and heaves to cow. One bounce later it passes the rope. The ton is well and truly on for Proteas keeper. He’s been superb in this attacking rearguard innings.
57th over: South Africa 210-7 (De Kock 72, Maharaj 15)
You can hardly call it a chance, but de Kock flashes a drive past Starc and the bowler doesn’t get his hands up quick enough to turn it into a catching opportunity. Nevertheless, South Africa bring up 200, which didn’t seem likely earlier in the day. There’s better to come when Maharaj, the silent partner in this pairing, plays a quite absurd pull off Starc to pick up six to...drum roll...long on. It was a genuinely filthy slog and if there’s such thing as karma, he’s probably about to cop one in the swingers too.
While we’re not discussing it anymore, if I may make an addition to the bowling attack of the Derriere XI, I’ve just been struck by the mental image of former Kiwi paceman Chris Pringle charging in to the crease with plenty of junk in the trunk. Don’t judge.
56th over: South Africa 198-7 (De Kock 67, Maharaj 9)
Hazlewood drops short to start this over and not for the first time today, de Kock mis-times a pull shot that still glides away to the rope without the intervention of a fieldsman. Remarkably, replays reveal he actually hit it twice; once up near the splice and then lower on the back in his follow-through. The Australians probably didn’t notice, preventing the most awkward appeal for a wicket since Brian McKechnie took strike on 1 February, 1981. It’s a shaggy old over from Hazlewood, who is left muttering to himself as the umpire hands back his baggy green cap.
NOT OUT! De Kock survives
Australia waste another review but like the last, it was worth a try. That one was travelling a good six inches high when it would have passed the stumps.
Review!
Hazlewood thinks he’s trapped de Kock in front but it looks very high to me.
55th over: South Africa 191-7 (De Kock 62, Maharaj 7)
Looming on the horizon here as de Kock hooks recklessly to pick up a six off Starc, is the likelihood that Australia’s opening batsmen will have a tricky little spell of fast bowling to face later in the evening. But first, this duel between Starc and de Kock, which has been dominated by the former until the batsman took the initiative in this over.
That’s not the only drama though. When de Kock gives up on a quick single he’s three-quarters of the way through to the other end when Maharaj sends him back, but now it’s Nathan Lyon unable to hit with the throw. All three stumps were showing, too. Australia’s catching has been more than adequate today but their throwing at the stumps has been hopeless.
54th over: South Africa 180-7 (De Kock 54, Maharaj 4)
Josh Hazlewood pairs with Starc to start the session and it becomes immediately apparent when de Kock works a single that the senior partner has faith in his team-mate. Maharaj gets his first Test runs with a boundary when Hazlewood squares him up and he’s able to half-edge, half-glide the ball down to the fence at third man.
53rd over: South Africa 175-7 (De Kock 53, Maharaj 0)
Test debutant Keshav Maharaj is the new batsman for South Africa as we get ourselves under way in the final session of the day and he’s faced with the tricky first assignment of negotiating three of Mitchell Starc’s best. The second is a well-aimed short ball angled towards his ribs and he does well to get out the way, surviving the final delivery without further incident. Maharaj averages 22.91 with the bat in first-class cricket and has a couple of centuries, so he’s no mug.
WICKET! Philander b Starc 10 (South Africa 175-7) - Tea on day one
And that is tea! Oh dear, Philander heaves at Starc and plays it onto his timber to depart. Quinton de Kock will return after tea with runs in his sights but fewer capable partners than he’d like.
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52nd over: South Africa 174-6 (De Kock 52, Philander 10)
The main danger here for de Kock is losing his cool as tea approaches, because one senses there are plenty of runs out there after the break. Philander shields him for the strike for all of Lyon’s over, though de Kock is almost run out at the non-striker’s end on account of more comedy running between the wickets. Warne would have had him with a direct hit from square leg.
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Quinton de Kock brings up his half-century!
51st over: South Africa 174-6 (De Kock 52, Philander 10)
The review down, Starc resumes his short stuff and de Kock is doing little other than swaying out of the way of the bumpers. Might Starc be wasting his energy here? Eventually de Kock unfurls a hook shot, which is an interesting move given the presence of both a leg gully and squarish fine leg, but he just gets away with it for a single.
There follows a screaming yorker, which Philander does well to jam out, but Starc is more than a little chagrined when Marsh slips in the attempt to field it and the Proteas pair get through for a single. The bowler’s mood worsens when his final delivery is swiped away for the boundary that brings up de Kock’s well-compiled half-century. That came from 67 deliveries in 104 minutes, and featured seven fours.
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NOT OUT! De Kock survives the reviews
The Aussies have wasted a review there. But it was worth a shot. Thigh pad is the verdict.
REVIEW! The Australians think they have de Kock
Has the South African tickled Starc down the leg side? Replays tell us he might have. We shall soon see.
50th over: South Africa 168-6 (De Kock 47, Philander 9)
On the topic of rotund individuals, there was something Boon-like about Shaun Marsh’s catch before, replays reveals – not just the reflexes but the safe hands when the fieldsman hit the ground with the ball in hand. Lyon, meanwhile, drops short to Philander and the South African makes no mistake clobbering him through cover for a cross-batted boundary.
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49th over: South Africa 164-6 (De Kock 47, Philander 5)
Starc is hardly setting the world on fire in this over and if not for some sloppy running, Philander should have picked up two from a glance wide of fine leg. Instead he brings de Kock on strike, whereupon there’s a resumptions in the hostilities of two overs ago. Starc finishes the over with another angled rib-tickler and a big grin that is more menacing than goofy.
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48th over: South Africa 163-6 (De Kock 47, Philander 4)
Nathan Lyon’s into his groove now, though it’d be nice if he tossed a few more up to tempt Vernon Philander into something injudicious. Lyon’s fielding from his own bowling when Philander drives brings to mind a rabid Jack Russell, but an unconvincing single through gully is the only major event of the over.
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47th over: South Africa 162-6 (De Kock 47, Philander 3)
Starc goes through an entire Wiggles dance routine at the top of his mark as he seeks to loosen all the required limbs for one last blast before tea, then sends down a ball so wide it probably wouldn’t have woken up Jeff. His bouncers come down at 139kpmh - fast enough by the standards of mortals but anaemic compared to Starc’s track record. But everything is short and slanted into de Kock’s ribs from around the wicket, so he does well to negotiate the over without harm to his body or wicket.
My colleague Adam Collins arrives with the classic, apocryphal tale of Fred Trueman’s rump. “Well it takes a big hammer to drive a long nail,” he said in response to a jibe about the size of his arse,” writes Adam. “I don’t really care if it is true or not. Like Fox Mulder, I want to believe.”
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46th over: South Africa 160-6 (De Kock 45, Philander 3)
Lyon continues to Philander and he’s got a slip and that short leg in place for the Proteas paceman. As I foreshadowed not long ago, Mitchell Starc is windmilling his arms in the tried and tested method suggesting he’ll be on for another bowl soon. Lyon’s firing through the off quicker one to de Kock, which keeps him guessing. One thing I’m not guessing about: this David Warner plasma screen advert is going to be the bane of all our lives this summer.
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45th over: South Africa 158-6 (De Kock 44, Philander 2)
Philander also works Siddle for a single and looks perfectly comfortable to start with, a situation that might prompt a return for Mitchell Starc, one would imagine. Something else to ponder as we reach the half-hour mark until tea: unless Nathan Lyon bowls every over from his end, it’s doubtful Australia will get all their overs in tonight.
Boony having a cold 🍻in appreciation of that SHAUN Marsh grab at bat pad#ClassicCatch
— Damien Fleming (@bowlologist) November 3, 2016
SAf 6/157#ausvsa pic.twitter.com/UdoXg8h2QY
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44th over: South Africa 157-6 (De Kock 44, Philander 1)
Unperturbed by the loss of his partner, De Kock smokes a boundary through cover when Lyon throws one up. Vernon Philander is the new man at the crease and does actually know one end of a bat from the other. He’ll need to stick around a while for the Proteas to reach a respectable total. He’s immediately off the mark and Lyon ends up with 1-12 from that over.
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WICKET! Bavuma c Marsh b Lyon 51 (South Africa 152-6)
Bavuma departs! Oh dear, that was unfortunate. Nathan Lyon was only granted three overs before lunch, but as tea approaches on day one he’s finally given another chance and strikes immediately with one that drifts towards leg and takes the batsman’s edge as he seeks to glance. The ball squirts out to leg and Shaun Marsh dives and sticks out his right hand to snare a brilliant reflex catch at short leg. What a grab! Bavuma had only one delivery earlier brought up his half-century with a rasping drive but he departs to a truly brilliant catch.
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43rd over: South Africa 145-5 (Bavuma 47, De Kock 37)
Peter Siddle makes a welcome return to the fold now and he’s got just the two slips and a gully, but forget that, the first chance comes when Bavuma creams one straight to Warner at mid-off and sets off for a kamikaze single. Warner misses with the throw, but replays indicate the batsman probably made his ground regardless. “Surely Mike Gatting is captain of the Derrier XI?” asks Scott Probst. It’s a solid call, pun intended.
42nd over: South Africa 143-5 (Bavuma 46, De Kock 36)
Mitch Marsh continues, and so do the easy runs for the Proteas. Reader Ian Forth arrives after much consternation. “Here is a team of Derriere XI – Possibles to take on the Probables from Over 35. Bit light on batting, but they make up for it with some weighty contributions elsewhere: Ryder, Boon, Gatting, Ritchie, Graveney, Engineer, Herath, Trueman, Daniel, van der Bijl, Bollinger.”
Fred Trueman is a great addition. I’m pretty sure his flannels were actually cannily modified horse blankets. Maybe it had something to do with the hydration science of the early 1960s:
41st over: South Africa 139-5 (Bavuma 46, De Kock 32)
Josh Hazlewood has bowled very well in sustained patches today but you wouldn’t know it from the way de Kock is quite dismissively walking around in his crease to nudge singles, nor in the way Bavuma crunches him through cover for a resounding boundary not long after. Might be time for a rest for the big paceman.
Ramapriya from Sharjah has an addition to the debate currently consuming all cricket fans: “Mate, no Derriere XI can be complete without our Roger Binny. Even his son Stuart who plays presently is a chip off the old block, if one can say such a thing about the keister!”
40th over: South Africa 132-5 (Bavuma 40, De Kock 31)
If you ask me – and I have the controls to this blog so you really don’t have a choice – Bavuma should be looking to accelerate some with Mitchell Marsh filling the breach and the likes of Starc and Siddle resting. Time to get on the attack, I reckon. Right on cue, after sweating on the bad ball, he cashes in on some width from Marsh and belts a boundary through cover to break the shackles, then lathers one through the on-side a few balls later to pick up four more. The crack of leather on willow that accompanied the second of those shots was glorious.
39th over: South Africa 124-5 (Bavuma 32, De Kock 31)
Two sessions into his Nine commentary career and Kevin Pietersen is already talking about Biltong, and I supposed the mental image of dried-out meat would be at the forefront of one’s mind given enough time in the company of a certain former Australian Test leg-spinner. A tidy over from Hazlewood produces four runs.
“Sorry for forgetting to nominate the skipper,” John Phaceas says of his Derriere XI. “Only one choice possible: Arjuna Ranatunga, for his obvious commitment to athletic excellence and unmatched ability to inspire colourful commentary from his on-field adversaries.”
38th over: South Africa 120-5 (Bavuma 31, De Kock 28)
Reader Thomas Randall doesn’t have an entire XI to offer, but he’s added fuel to the fire (OK, I’ve literally only had two emails on the topic) of the Derriere XI: “Surely Chris Jordan has to get a gig?” he says. “We were sitting on the hill at Manuka last summer and could barely see the play for his magnificent posterior.”
That conversation is a little more inspiring than Mitchell Marsh’s bowling, it must be said. De Kock lashes him through cover but doesn’t quite get it out of the sweet spot, so settles for a couple of runs on account of the aforementioned David Warner’s efforts chasing it down. A few balls later de Kock almost chops it onto his stumps when he’s flaying at a wide one outside off. With that the Australians are no longer happy with the shape of the cherry, but the umpires are having none of it and send Marsh on his way.
From James Newton: “Michael Kasprowicz a must with the new ball for the Derriere XI.”
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37th over: South Africa 117-5 (Bavuma 31, De Kock 25)
Hazlewood sets off for the second over of his spell and to Bavuma he’s got I-don’t-know-how-many slips because Nine never pan out far enough to see. Ah, two. And one gully. The batsman’s watchful and plays out the rest of the over with much more comfort than that displayed by Dave Warner in a new TV advert spruiking flat screen TVs. He’s more wooden than a Gray Nicolls Scoop, is Our David.
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36th over: South Africa 116-5 (Bavuma 31, De Kock 24)
Mitchell Marsh appears now for his second spell of the day but the more pressing concern for the South African batting pair is their near-calamitous running between the wickets - not aided by the fact Bavuma seems to have misplaced his long spikes. As is the way with Marsh, there’s the odd ropey short ball, though I might be underestimating a concerted tactic. Somehow there’s only four runs from a motley over of all-sorts.
“I’m not an expert in the sport of cricket,” says reader Bronwyn Manea, “but it seems to be going a bit tits up for the other side. Would you concur?” They’re looking a little better now actually, Bronwyn. Using the Channel Nine method, I’d rate the potential for tits going completely up at about 37%, and I’m not talking about Warnie.
35th over: South Africa 112-5 (Bavuma 30, De Kock 21)
Hmm, Josh Hazlewood is back and not only sending it down at a decent clip, he’s conjuring up some reverse swing too, which both batsman have trouble handling. Eventually de Kock edges a streaky boundary through gully and then hammers a brutal drive through the vacant cover region for four more. Steve Smith has left the gap there to entice a stroke and de Kock delivered it in fine style.
And now, glory be, reader John Phaceas has emailed in with his all-time Derriere XI, which is a beauty: M. Taylor, C. Cowdrey, A Ranatunga, G. Smith, Inzamam, I. Botham, I. Smith (wk), D. Mendis, M. Hughes, A. Fraser, E. Hemmings
But who is the skipper, John? We don’t want anyone getting arsey about it. If anyone else has some Eddie Hemmings content they’d like to share, please do step forward.
34th over: South Africa 103-5 (Bavuma 29, De Kock 13)
For those with the attention span of a gnat, Channel Nine are currently flashing up a statistic saying that Australia has a 34% chance of winning this Test from their current position. The segment is sponsored by a retailer of, among other things, garden fertiliser, so it must be legit. Anyway, Bavuma bunts a single to cover but de Kock is a little lazy in his running and might have been in trouble if the resultant throw at the batsman’s end stumps hadn’t cannoned into his heel.
Starc then throws one out wide and de Kock’s rush of blood sees him thumping away willy-nilly when discretion might have won the day. Michael Clarke thinks he needs to find a happy medium, a description that doesn’t currently apply to Mitchell Starc in either sense.
33rd over: South Africa 102-5 (Bavuma 28, De Kock 13)
Here’s a measure of Steve Smith’s concerns with this pair: a few lusty blows from de Kock and Steve Smith has pared his cordon down to just the two slips as Peter Siddle charges in, though there are also a couple of men at gully. Shaun Marsh is stationed at short mid-wicket, which would suggest the suspicion of some vulnerability off the hip, but Bavuma is handling this attack with ease and works a single out to deep square leg. It’s also worth pointing out at this juncture that this is a perfectly good pitch for batting on, though the score doesn’t currently suggest it. Right on cue, de Kock finishes the over by driving Siddle hard back down the pitch, cannily bouncing it over the bowler’s head and away for a boundary. That’s the hundred up for the Proteas.
32nd over: South Africa 97-5 (Bavuma 27, De Kock 9)
What has also impressed me about Bavuma this morning is the time he seems to have when he’s facing Starc, who is not exactly a medium pacer. Starc’s jamming him up a little here with a very full length, but that’s the only thing limiting the batsman’s ability to drive through cover. Ian Chappell is calling Bavuma “a bit of a grafter”, but that sure beats what proceeded him this morning. Starc fires in a bouncer to test his mettle a little further and the right-hander sways out of the line of fire with ease, if not comfort, then clips a single to cover to finish the over and wind Starc up a little more.
31st over: South Africa 96-5 (Bavuma 26, De Kock 9)
I know he nearly chopped on an over ago, but Bavuma is so calm an unflappable between times, and his only regret in this over is that he doesn’t make more of a full one Siddle gives him a few inches down leg side. A full-blooded glance races out to the fine leg boundary but straight into the hands of Starc as he mans the rope.
Quinton de Kock does better a ball later, gliding impeccably through gully for four when Siddle gives him some width and then creaming a cover drive squarer for the same result. He’s seeing it like beach ball at the moment.
30th over: South Africa 87-5 (Bavuma 25, De Kock 1)
Hmm, Starc has either crocked his foot or he needs a new bowling boot. Perhaps the latter, now that he’s seen waving at the dressing room for the new footwear. As he wheels away, de Kock is looking to attack through cover, driving handsomely for no score and then dabbing at one as he perhaps gets a little too inventive in the hunt for early runs. There follows a classic square drive, which would have thudded into the fence at deep point were it not for an acrobatic dive and save from Nathan Lyon. It’s a maiden for Starc, though a messy one.
29th over: South Africa 87-5 (Bavuma 25, De Kock 1)
The new man at the crease now is Proteas keeper Quinton de Kock, who has been in sublime form in recent times and really punished Australia in the recently completed ODI series in South Africa. Siddle is charging in to him and de Kock is off the mark when he turns a single down to fine leg, which is followed by a boundary to Bavuma in the same area, though in far less convincing circumstances when his inside-edge flashes past the stumps and the bowler thinks he’s played on. No such luck.
WICKET! Du Plessis c Voes b Starc 37 (South Africa 81-5)
28th over: South Africa 81-5 (Bavuma 20)
Du Plessis goes! That’s a perfect start for Australia as Starc catches the Proteas skipper in two minds; he’s neither forward nor back, straight-batted nor cross-batted, and his ungainly jam at the ball flies through to Voges at first slip. Actually, I think he was in four minds, if we want to be technical about that description.
It’s been a fairly uninspired display from Starc so far today, it has to be said, but he’s finished his first over of the second session in fine style to get the wicket Australia craved. It was a sharp catch by Voges, turning to his right to snaffle it with two hands, just above head height.
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27th over: South Africa 78-4 (Du Plessis 37, Bavuma 17)
Peter Siddle will start us off in the first over following lunch, and the Victorian steams in with typical vigour to get us under way – a touch full but that seems to be his plan so far. You really don’t want to drop it should to Faf du Plessis. It’s a tidy maiden to start with, and we can expect to see some of Mitchell Starc next up.
A bit more on Temba Bavuma
The diminutive batsman (if you haven’t seen him yet and you’re only available to follow via this blog, think of England’s James Taylor) stands just 167cm tall (5’6”) but he lacks in no other area. His 11 Tests so far have brought a few half-centuries and his maiden hundred against England earlier in the year.
Remarkably, he grew up in the very same street of Langa, near Cape Town, as Thami Tsolekile and Malusi Siboto. He’s a patient and diligent batsman who plays well off the back foot, as evidenced in that first session. He’s served an eight-year apprenticeship in first-class ranks, where he averages a shade under 40. He also possesses one of the largest backsides seen in cricket since the retirements of Mark Waugh and Ricky Ponting. If you’d like to email in with a full XI on that theme, be my guest. That aside, we’re in for some more cricket in the next few minutes as the batsmen now return to the field.
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A thought
It’s entirely possible that Mitchell Starc could come out after the lunch break and take a hat-trick, and the only people watching it will be myself and those at the Waca today. Hard to compete with the end of a 108-year curse. Good news for Steve Bartman.
Congratulations to this guy on getting his life back. Oh and also the Cubs winning the world series. #whatagame #CurseIsOver pic.twitter.com/gc705ow6S9
— Mason Cox (@masonsixtencox) November 3, 2016
The other game happening now
Has ended with one of the great hoodoos in sport being banished forever. THE CUBS HAVE WON THE FREAKING WORLD SERIES! I don’t want you to abandon me, don’t get me wrong, but if you want to open another tab and keep track of all the madness you can do so here:
“You have to clap yourself on at the Waca.”
So said the late Australian all-rounder Gary ‘Gus’ Gilmour of his time playing on this ground as an away player for New South Wales, and it’s a sentiment that might resonate with South Africa’s batsmen as they sheepishly tuck into some lunch just now. They’re 78-4 at the first lunch break of the summer after a hostile spell of fast bowling from the home side, and it would have been even worse without a steady rearguard from their drill sergeant skipper Faf du Plessis and steady newcomer Temba Bavuma, who both applied themselves admirably after the early chaos.
Russell Jackson here to take you through the rest of the afternoon’s play, and what a joy it is to have Test cricket back; the surest sign of all that another Australian summer is arriving in style. The first wicket this morning was classic Waca cricket too: fast and fearsome fast bowling sending the ball flying through towards the cordon above head height.
If you want to get in contact, email me at russell.jackson@theguardian.com
In actual fact, we might have predicted Bavuma would fare OK here in Perth, because in South African domestic cricket he plays his home games at the Wanderers in Johannesburg – probably the closest strip to Perth in terms of its pace and bounce. Mind you, Stephen Cook plays there as well, and he didn’t exactly look comfortable en route to a duck this morning.
In other news, this is what you’ll be listening to all summer on the box, if you’re game to lay off the mute button. In my humble opinion, KP hasn’t been bad so far.
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Lunch - South Africa 78-4 after 26 overs (du Plessis 37, Bavuma 17)
Australia won the first hour comprehensively, but the tourists the second. After the drinks break, taken when South Africa were 32-4, Steve Smith brought back his talisman Starc. But it didn’t work quite as planned, Proteas captain at ease for his 37 to date, while number six Bavuma has been equally as content while compiling 17. Their stand at lunch is unbroken at 46.
But this isn’t to diminish the debacle that was the first hour for them. Or perhaps more appropriately, the fantastic performance of the Australian pace trio. Starc’s first over dismissal of Cook (0) was superb new ball bowling, and equally impressive catching by a diving Mitch Marsh in the gully. Hazlewood found the edge twice after forcing Alma (0) and Elgar (12) to play. Quality fast bowling. When Duminy (11) fell to an inside edge off Siddle, drinks at 32-4 surely made the Proteas’ question their decision to bat first.
The track was quick enough. It bounced enough. Then it settled down enough for runs to come in the last half hour. All told, this is a day one set up quite nicely. After lunch it’ll be Russell Jackson in the chair. Thanks for your company this morning, I’ll see you tomorrow.
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26th over: South Africa 78-4 (du Plessis 37, Bavuma 17) Lyon is very happy to throw a few up to end the over, du Plessis drawn in nicely. He is, of course, content with defence at this point, but finds enough space to take a single to mid-on. And that’ll be lunch. I’ll gather my thoughts and sign off in a moment.
25th over: South Africa 77-4 (du Plessis 36, Bavuma 17) Probing over from Hazlewood, who finds a yard to put Bavuma under a bit more pressure. Great leave from Bavuma to a ball carving back over his off-stump early in the over. That’s the method for the rest, Hazlewood bringing the ball back off the seam and maybe a tad through the air. In doing so, Bavuma cops one on the hip and it hurts a bit. That much is clear. He gets inside the line of one in the same region next up, but gloves it to the rope for four. Take them however they come, of course. And then Hazlewood whacks him in the thigh again to end the over. They’ve both earned their lunch, there. One over to come.
24th over: South Africa 73-4 (du Plessis 36, Bavuma 13) If Nath is going to bowl overs in 90 seconds (that may have been 75) then I’m not going to have much to say. du Plessis did find a single through mid-on to start the over. Bavuma too to end it. Lyon will get a third in before lunch, there being six minutes until the break.
Alex Richardson has written in to just thank us for the service and helping his afternoon go quicker than it otherwise may have. Well, Alex, it is a pleasure.
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23rd over: South Africa 71-4 (du Plessis 35, Bavuma 12) Hazlewood in his happy place for the first half of the over, making Bavuma think long and hard before leaving. But both he (past fine leg) and Faf (through cover) take their chances to rotate the strike. Mature stand.
22nd over: South Africa 69-4 (du Plessis 34, Bavuma 11) Spin for the first time today, he’ll squeeze a couple out of Lyon before lunch with 14 minutes until that interval. He rushes through to ensure that’ll be the case. No one does the 90 second over quite like the Australian twirler. The most notable moment of the set is when du Plessis turns him around the corner for four. That’s deft. But Lyon won’t mind that, as it turns quite a lot for morning one. Everyone’s a winner, baby.
21st over: South Africa 64-4 (du Plessis 30, Bavuma 10) Oooh, shot of the day by some margin there from du Plessis to end the over. Stood up tall to a straight Hazlewood (back into the attack) delivery on middle stump. There’s a reason the on-drive is the hardest shot in the game, and the most beautiful to watch when executed like that. Bavuma took three via point to begin the over, so that’s seven from it. The most expensive so far.
#ausvsa
— The Cricket Prof. (@CricProf) November 3, 2016
Average pace today
Starc 90.7mph
Hazlewood 86.8mph
Marsh 83.1mph
Siddle 83.3mph
20th over: South Africa 57-4 (du Plessis 26, Bavuma 7) Siddle maiden at just the right time. The over started with a snorter from the Victorian, spitting across his outside edge from a line and length that necessitated that he play on face value. A combination of leaves and defensive strokes complete the tidy over.
It’s raining at the baseball. Bottom of the last innings, scores level at six apiece. How... dramatic. Oh, and they’re back on.
19th over: South Africa 57-4 (du Plessis 26, Bavuma 7) A couple taken to fine leg by Faf to start the Starc set. He’s taking every chance he gets, then happy enough to leave when it isn’t there. For the third time he scores off his off his toes through point. Bavuma hits a lovely drive straight to mid-off when he gets his chance at the business end. I reckon that might be the last we see of Starc for now, keeping in mind that it is unlikely he’ll bowl long spells at any stage in this match.
Neil Manthorp on radio observing how lovely the green banks are here at at the WACA. Sure, today they are. Not so much when it is 40 degrees and not a spot of shade to be found. Trust me on that, having earned a sunburn that probably should have taken me to hospital when carrying on like a scallywag during the 2010 Ashes Test at this ground.
18th over: South Africa 51-4 (du Plessis 21, Bavuma 7) Three singles taken in that over, two through the posh side and one off the pads. All pretty relaxed. And that’s exactly what the South Africans need to do here to work themselves back into the game. In doing so, Faf worked his way into the 20s. An important early milestone; in keeping with the theme of the previous post, that’s what I’d call the the definition of a “start”.
17th over: South Africa 48-4 (du Plessis 19, Bavuma 6) Starc less threatening in this second spell of his. du Plessis leans into a ball that’s overpitched a tad outside off stump. Limited risk, four runs his reward. Ends the over with a bouncer then a full one, but Faf is up to the task on both occasions; a duck then a clip. Can’t be overstated how important the captain gets through to the first interval for here. Batsmen (e.g. Steve Smith) talk a lot about it is harder to get *in* at Perth but once you do that batting gets pretty easy, and du Plessis has faced six overs worth of balls now.
16th over: South Africa 43-4 (du Plessis 14, Bavuma 6) Siddle swung around, the versatile thing. But he delivers his first bad ball of the day to begin his second spell of sorts, du Plessis high on the back foot to take a ball from offstump through the on side. That’s easy on the eye. Siddle back into his usual channel soon enough, the remainder of his over including a big inside edge from the captain; a small win for the bowler.
A product of the aforementioned baseball game means that no one is tweeting about the cricket at the moment. It’s okay, I understand. But don’t let that dissuade you from tweeting at me. Especially on Ian’s early poser about the unique first names of the South African team. Solve that so I don’t have to. Thanks.
15th over: South Africa 38-4 (du Plessis 9, Bavuma 6) Starc back for his second helping of the day after a first spell of four overs. Siddle a bit unlucky not to continue after three very tidy (and effective) overs, but you can see what Smith’s trying to do. He slips onto Bavuma’s pads and he makes no mistake in clipping away to boundary, his first Test runs in Australia. He collects another couple in the same region to end the other. Good batting.
#savaus
— The Cricket Prof. (@CricProf) November 3, 2016
With South Africa in deep trouble at 32-4, we have some analysis on the lengths bowled by Australia for the first three wickets pic.twitter.com/5l8DG24ugR
14th over: South Africa 32-4 (du Plessis 9, Bavuma 0) Consecutive maidens. Much better from Marsh. du Plessis leaves each delivery, but it’s not far away at all.
Meanwhile, baseball, ay? I’m not encouraging you to leave the cricket or this tab. But 6-all at the bottom of the ninth in the World Series I think I just overheard? Scenes.
13th over: South Africa 32-4 (du Plessis 9, Bavuma 0) Siddle completes his wicket maiden after a drink. Remember when he was written off when dropped two years ago? Then in England when he couldn’t get a game? Then when he got hurt in New Zealand? Well, he’s still there and he’s still doing it as well as anyone.
Dirk Nannes is on the radio and likes what he sees from Australia’s bowlers. In particular, how often the South Africans had to play in the first hour.
What an hour for Australia. The scorecard tells the story, South Africa in a world of pain at 32-4 after winning the toss. All three frontline seamers outstanding, and rewarded with wickets. Starc in the book within four balls after Mitch Marsh pulled down a blinder, Cook the man to go there. Both Amla and Elgar were undone by Josh Hazlewood’s relentless length, edging behind. Then Pete Siddle finished the hour with JP Duminy finally falling after looking looser by the minute, an inside edge his downfall, confirmed by DRS. The perfect start to the summer for the locals. And, we’re back.
WICKET! Duminy c Nevill b Siddle 11. South Africa 32-4
Duminy given caught behind, the inside edge after driving and missing to a ball that came back towards the left hander. It initially looked like it would be overturned on review, but the technology shows the slightest of spots. And snicko confirms it. You can’t overturn that upstairs. Siddle gets Australia’s fourth!
And with that, they’ll have a drink.
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12th over: South Africa 32-3 (Duminy 11, du Plessis 9) du Plessis doesn’t miss out when the new bowler Mitch Marsh drops short, clobbering him through midwicket for his first boundary. Not the most dangerous over of the morning, as the local boy eases into it. Pace in the low-mid 130s. He got well into the 140s last summer during his most impressive spells at Melbourne.
11th over: South Africa 28-3 (Duminy 11, du Plessis 5) Peter Siddle doing exactly what he’s in this team for: six balls on the money. No inch given. Faf driving off the back foot through cover for a single on the last ball of the set. But it is a good one.
And that’s Mitchell Marsh is taking off his hat to take up the attack at the Prindiville Stand end.
10th over: South Africa 27-3 (Duminy 11, du Plessis 4) Hazlewood bowling a penetrating length here, alternating between full then just short of a good length. Hard to leave him alone when he’s in this mood, as evidenced by his two wickets to date this morning. Encouragingly for the visitors, du Plessis takes his chance to score when it comes, pushing through midwicket for three when the Bendemeer Bullet missed his mark ever so slightly.
Ian Forth has dropped us a line. Morning, Ian. “Once you get past Stephen and Dean at the top order, do the rest of the SA team boast first names unique to test cricket? Has there been anyone else called Hashim, Francois (or Faf), Jean-Paul (or JP), Temba, Quinton, Vernon, Kasigo, Dale or Keshav to play test cricket? And that being the case, can any other team beat 9?”
You know what this is? Perfect OBO fodder. Get stuck in. You know you want to. adam.collins.freelance@theguardian.com
9th over: South Africa 24-3 (Duminy 8, du Plessis 1) Siddle nearly strikes straight away! Another poor stroke from Duminy, this time through the air at cover to a ball that he surely should be leaving alone at this stage of the innings. Full and wide. Lyon gets a hand to it mid-air, but once again it doesn’t stick. Good effort getting to it, on reflection. Captain Faf off the mark later in the over through mid-on. Nice and calm from him, as ever.
8th over: South Africa 20-3 (Duminy 8, du Plessis 0) The last ball of the over won that edge. And we have a change from the members stand end, Peter Siddle to relieve Mitchell Starc. Not before a bit of a sightscreen delay. Who could ever forget the 17 minute breather they had last year here when it wouldn’t move at the Prindiville Stand End?
Going to plug a good cause here. A lot of you would know of Jesse Hogan’s story, prolific and much loved cricket writer who fell badly ill earlier this year. Michelle Cooling from Cricket Tasmania is climbing Mount Wellington in Hobart to raise money in support. Great stuff.
Just 10 days until I tackle Mt Wellington. Raising $ for @Jesse_Hogan & nearly at my target. Please RT & donate! 🙏🏃 https://t.co/ZS7woCXCCa
— Michelle Cooling (@Shell_Cooling3) November 3, 2016
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WICKET! Elgar c Nevill b Hazlewood 12. South Africa 20-3
South Africa in huge strife with Elgar just touching a tidy Hazlewood delivery that he was trying to get his bat inside the line of at the last moment. Right as I was typing that he looked organised so far this morning. Not organised enough. They’re in disarray after winning the toss. Here comes the skipper.
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7th over: South Africa 18-2 (Elgar 11, Duminy 7) After Elgar got off strike with that aforementioned dropped catch, Duminy nearly offered another with a loose waft outside the off stump. Predictably enough, perhaps, after I said in the previous over that he looked up for this task.
Starc’s pace is right up there this morning, routinely above 145kph. Of course, this is the venue where he spat one down after over the fabled 160kph mark 12 months ago.
Dropped! Usman Khawaja has put down a chance of Elgar at a deepish short leg (i.e. about 10 metres from the bat). Straight off the middle of the bat, low and hard and fast at Khawaja’s left ankle. It hit his hand, but had to stick. It didn’t. You can forgive him for that. Chris Rogers on the radio standing up for everyone who has fielded in that position: “It’s harder than it looks.”
6th over: South Africa 17-2 (Elgar 10, Duminy 7) Duminy looking to get forward to Hazelwood. A purposeful drive he didn’t get quite enough of to beat the bowler, but the early signs are that he is up for this.
5th over: South Africa 17-2 (Elgar 10, Duminy 7) That’s where South Africa need to be. Duminy past short leg in the air, but safe for three to begin. The strike rotated a couple of times when Starc was a bit too full then a bit too short. Elgar solid in defence to end the set.
Good toss to lose v high quality pace bowling on a bounce pitch. And Sids to come!
— jim maxwell (@jimmaxcricket) November 3, 2016
4th over: South Africa 12-2 (Elgar 9, Duminy 3) Now, this is interesting, JP Duminy elevated ahead of the captain du Plessis with the Proteas losing these two early wickets. Or maybe it was always going to be this way? Early intrigue.
In the middle, Duminy turns Hazlewood through midwicket for three when he misses his mark ever so slight. And then Elgar drives straight, that’s wonderful. Both times he has driven to the rope so far he has done so with confidence, in contrast to his two teammates who have been and gone before getting off the mark.
WICKET! Amla c Smith b Hazlewood 0. 5-2
That’s dreamy from Josh Hazlewood and Australia, the most dangerous South African batsman Hashim Amla back in the shed, caught at second slip before scoring. And the most Josh Hazlewood wicket imaginable too, just short of a good length, seam hit, the most subtle movement; Amla forced to play, edge clipped. What a delight. South Africa in real strife.
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3rd over: South Africa 5-1 (Amla 0, Elgar 5) The highlight of this over a wide bouncer from Starc to Elgar. Not for the accuracy - it was a long way from the batsman’s body - but because it flew fast and high with Nevill only just taking it in the webbing of his gloves. Happy days for those who are after something resembling a traditional WACA surface.
But the perfect response from Elgar, leaning onto the front foot to stroke Starc through the covers for four. For a man collected a pair in his only previous Test against Australia, he’ll be feeling good about his two scoring shots to date.
Oh! But talk about responses. Starc beats him with the last ball. Delightful. Again, very good cricket.
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2nd over: South Africa 1-1 (Amla 0, Elgar 1) Elgar off the mark with a single into the offside. Just a push, but organised. That’ll help with nerves; South Africa’s account open. Hazlewood asks Amla a question first up, he lets it go very close to his off stump. Good cricket this.
Whateley on the radio notes that only once before the Australian Test Match summer has kicked off on 3 November. But, maybe because we’re in Perth and it’s pretty warmer than the easy coast, it feels like summer here this morning.
Did you see that catch? #AUSvSA #9WWOS pic.twitter.com/104iuTgJrv
— Wide World of Sports (@wwos) November 3, 2016
1st over: South Africa 0-1 (Amla 0, Elgar 0) Gerard Whateley on the radio call has compared the Marsh catch to another football code, a diving mark in his native code Australian Rules. What a snaffle. Starc immediately in the ideal channel to Amla too. What a vital contest this will be in the context of the game, the Proteas’ champion still at the peak of his powers at age 33 and a couple of Test tons in his five Tests of 2016, the 24th and 25th of his storied career. Buckle up.
Traditional Perth wicket? Nevill taking balls at shoulder height in the first over. #ausvsa
— Andrew Faulkner (@AndrewFaulkner9) November 3, 2016
WICKET! Cook c Mitchell Marsh b Starc 0. 0-1
What a starct! Starc beat Cook the previous delivery, the third, after whizzing the first by him at 147kph. But I’m burying the lede here: what a catch! Mitchell Marsh at full stretch to his left like a goalkeeper saving a penalty. That’s a special moment to start the summer. Doesn’t get much better than that for a fast bowler, superb from the leader of this attack.
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Out they come! Mitchell Starc has the ball in his hand, running away from us at the Lillee-Marsh Stand end. And... we’re away.
Some reading to get you in the zone. Firstly, and I’m not just saying this because he’s sitting next to me, Dan Brettig’s series preview has most of what you need to know.
And this from Greg Baum is pretty great on the life and death and life of Test cricket. Let’s treat it nice, you know? We love it after all.
Anthems in a sec. I’ll give you a tip, having sat through many rehearsals yesterday, they singers have serious game. Tune in. And I bloody love South Africa’s. Had a lesson on the the meaning of the lyrics yesterday with one of the travelling journalists. Sure, nothing revelatory, but a cracking tune.
As we learned with the Melbourne Cup the other day, these are always more fun when we talk. So, adam.Collins.Freelance@theguardian.com for your incisive, considered critique. @collinsadam for the lower-rent stuff. I like both. Hang with me.
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The teams: South Africa name a debutant
South Africa have gone with an uncapped spinner Keshav Majarah. He’s a left arm orthodox, and hasn’t played any international white ball cricket either. He’ll be very pleased with his skipper for batting first. But this is news; the expectation was that they would go with the four quicks. Morkel, who to be fair was under an injury cloud, will miss.
South Africa’s XI as named:
Stephen Cook
Dean Elgar
Hashim Amla
Faf Du Plessis (c)
JP Duminy
Temba Bavuma
Quinton de Kock (wk)
Vernon Philander
Kasigo Rabada
Dale Steyn
Keshav Majaraj
Australia as announced yesterday:
David Warner
Shaun Marsh
Usman Khawaja
Steve Smith (c)
Adam Voges
Mitchell Marsh
Peter Nevill (wk)
Mitchell Starc
Peter Siddle
Josh Hazlewood
Nathan Lyon
South Africa have won the toss, and they're having a bat
Naturally. Back with the South African team in a tic. Australia’s XI as announced yesterday, with Joe Mennie 12th.
Smith: “I was going to bat.”
Test Match Cricket!
Welcome to the Guardian’s live coverage of the 2016-17 Australian summer of international cricket. Doesn’t that feel great? Just to say it out loud? I’m Adam Collins, with you for the first couple of hours of the opening Australia v South Africa Test here at the WACA. It is a smashing day.
I’ll load you up with all the previews you could possibly need after the toss has been run and won in a couple of minutes.
For now, here’s the track below. Last year’s was a complete shocker as Australia then New Zealand and then Australia again made about a million; the final inspiration Mitch Johnson needed to retire.
Toss in halfa. Thoughts? #AUSvSA pic.twitter.com/1jOs8uVh2G
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) November 3, 2016
Adam will be here shortly. In the meantime, here’s Australia coach Darren Lehmann on South Africa’s verbal jousting in the buildup to today’s match:
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