SA vs AUS: Mitchell Starc’s six-fer helps Australia fight back vs South Africa in series decider

New Delhi: South Africa batter Marques Ackerman smashed a career-best score of 95, and Australia pacer picked up six wickets as the hosts were bowled out for 329 runs on the see-saw opening day of the series-deciding third Test at Newlands in Cape Town on Tuesday, October 27.

The visitors will bat on the second morning after Starc ran through the South African lower-order with the second new ball, helping the visitors to make a comeback in the match. The Aussies suffered a major blow before the start of the third Test when Steve Smith was ruled out due to a neck injury.

Australian captain Pat Cummins won the toss and opted to field, becoming only the 12th skipper to do so in Test matches at Newlands since 1889. At the time, the decision looked a bit odd, even more so after the Proteas men got off to a brilliant start. Mitchell Starc also said that they expected more from the pitch and it was not their best start.

“(The wicket) was quite slow, with a tennis ball type bounce. We had to reassess at lunch, problem solve and find a way to be effective. The last two sessions for us went well. At one point we thought we would have to bowl a fair bit tomorrow, so to get them out today is good,” Starc said.

South Africa collapse after fiery start

The hosts made a strong start after being asked to bat first, with Ackerman and adding 158 runs for the opening wicket in 31.4 overs. The Aussies regrouped during the lunch break and changed their tactics.

Ackerman was dismissed by Nathan Lyon for 95 after charging down the wicket against the spinner, only to be stumped. His dismissal became the catalyst for South Africa’s collapse as they lost six wickets for just 74 runs. Their middle order also played some poor shots, and from 203/1, they collapsed to 232/6.

Markram (78) and David Bedingham (50) batted well together as the hosts aimed for a big first-innings total, but they were caught on the boundary. Starc removed Wiaan Mulder for a duck, who was caught behind by wicketkeeper Alex Carey. Ryan Rickelton (42) and Marco Jansen (52) forged a 95-run partnership for the seventh wicket to help South Africa recover before both were dismissed in the same over by Starc.

He also removed Gerald Coetzee (0) and Kagiso Rabada (0) to end South Africa’s innings just before the stumps on day 1. The three-match series is levelled at 1-1 after Australia won the first test by 214 runs in Durban before South Africa responded with a victory by an innings and 31 runs in Gqeberha.