Australia's bowling attack gave a lesson in accuracy and discipline, reducing South Africa to 43 for 4 in 22 overs at stumps on Day One of the World Test Championship final at Lord's on Wednesday.
It was a day of 14 wickets, and South Africa's Kagiso Rabada was the star with the ball, securing 5 for 51 off 15.4 overs as Australia was bowled out for 212.
Beau Webster was the rock with a gritty 72, and Steve Smith contributed 66, the two putting on a crucial 79-run fifth-wicket partnership. But the innings collapsed quickly after tea with Australia losing their last five wickets for 22 runs.
Australia's bowlers came back strongly. Mitchell Starc opened the scoring with the first wicket in the first over by dismissing Aiden Markram. Starc had a second wicket almost, but Wiaan Mulder was dropped by Alex Carey at the stumps. Starc dismissed Ryan Rickelton with a well-directed delivery that was edged to first slip.
Mulder, working hard for fluency, scored only six runs off 44 balls before Pat Cummins delivered a full one that slipped back in to dismiss him. Josh Hazlewood joined the party soon afterwards, getting rid of Tristan Stubbs with one that brushed the top of off-stump.
In spite of a sluggish beginning for captain Temba Bavuma, who scored only his first run on his 31st ball, and a pair of boundaries for David Bedingham, South Africa finished the day behind by 169 runs with their backs against the wall.
Earlier during the day, Bavuma's decision to bowl first under cloudy conditions paid rich dividends early on. Australia were 67 for 4 at lunch, as Rabada and Marco Jansen spearheaded a relentless pace attack.
Rabada took two wickets in the seventh over, having Usman Khawaja and Cameron Green fall in four deliveries. Around the wicket, he got Khawaja's outside edge to a low-diving third slip for a duck, and next had Green nicking on his comeback to Test cricket after almost a year for four.
Jansen and Lungi Ngidi kept a tight line as Smith and Marnus Labuschagne attempted to steady the innings. Labuschagne was then pulled into a false shot by Jansen and edged to the wicket-keeper. Travis Head was dismissed at the stroke of lunch to a leg-side strangle by Jansen, handing South Africa strong control.
Australia responded in the second session courtesy of Smith and Webster. Smith played with his characteristic exaggerated movement and outside-leg stance, scoring three boundaries off Rabada and Jansen. Webster, on the other hand, survived a nervous start, narrowly escaping two big scares.
On four, Jansen got him in front but was reprieved by the call on ball tracking by the umpire. Then, on eight, Rabada poked him off the pads, but South Africa did not review, mistakenly thinking it was an inside edge. The replays proved that it would have been out.
Smith scored his half-century off 76 balls with a boundary down backward point. The pair added vital runs together, finding gaps off Ngidi and Keshav Maharaj. However, Smith was dismissed for 66 while attempting to drive Aiden Markram, caught at slip on the third occasion.
Webster, risky at moments, took his fifty in 69 balls and placed Australia in a commanding position at tea. Once more though, the momentum turned again during the last session.
Carey fell soon after the break, bowled while playing a reverse sweep against Maharaj. Rabada came back to finish off Cummins and got rid of Webster with a fierce delivery that was edged towards slip. Jansen then removed Nathan Lyon, and Rabada completed the innings by blasting Starc's stumps out of the ground.
In spite of being bowled out for 212, Australia's bowlers hit back strongly, making their total appear well and truly competitive by the day's end. With more twists expected on Day Two of the battle for Test cricket's most coveted prize, there is no respite in this thrilling Test.
Brief Scores:
Australia 212 in 56.4 overs (Beau Webster 72, Steve Smith 66; Kagiso Rabada 5-51, Marco Jansen 3-49)
South Africa 43/4 in 22 overs (Ryan Rickelton 16; Mitchell Starc 2-10, Josh Hazlewood 1-10)
Australia ahead by 169 runs
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