Starc Strikes Late as Australia Claw Back in Cape Town, Sparing Cummins a Costly Toss Gamble

By the end of the first day in Cape Town, Pat Cummins had avoided a membership he did not want. South Africa were bowled out for 329 after he chose to field first in the third Test, a decision that for most of the day looked as though it would stay with him for a long time.

The morning began with Cummins putting South Africa in. He said he felt there was a bit of moisture in the pitch and that Australia would take first use of it. Eleven overs later, Nathan Lyon was already bowling spin. No Australian spinner had come on so soon after their captain chose to bowl since Shane Warne in 2000. Scott Boland was left out again, and South Africa plundered the bowling through the opening session, scoring 140 runs at more than four an over.

Marques Ackerman, in only his second Test, hit Mitchell Starc for four consecutive fours. It was the first century opening partnership against an Australian side that had put the opposition in since Ricky Ponting's decision to bowl at Edgbaston 21 years ago, when Glenn McGrath was on his way to hospital. Ponting won everything as Australia captain, yet that call is still talked about. Nasser Hussain is another member of the same unfortunate group of captains who bowled when they should have batted.

The afternoon turned. South Africa were 203-1 and slid to 232-6, largely through their own impatience against the short ball. Aiden Markram made 78, David Bedingham 50 and Wiaan Mulder nought, each out trying to take on the bouncers. Ackerman was on 95, with a first Test century for South Africa in view, when he ran past a delivery from Lyon and was beaten. Captain Temba Bavuma fell to a straight ball from Lyon. Bavuma made 179 last week, but he has now been dismissed by off-spin three times in three innings, each time for a single-figure score.

Australia fielded well and dried up the runs. Even so, at 327-6 South Africa could have finished the day on top in what is a series decider, with the winner going to the top of the rankings. Instead Starc took four wickets in six deliveries with the new ball. He removed Ryan Rickelton for 42 and Marco Jansen for 52, then bowled Gerald Coetzee and trapped Kagiso Rabada lbw, both for ducks, by attacking pads and stumps.

The fightback fits a pattern. Cummins' side has held firm in situations where others have folded, though they remain imperfect. Nic Maddinson was sent home after two Tests, Marnus Labuschagne has been retained despite going without a century for longer than most careers last, and Steve Smith is out injured. Eleven months ago, after four sessions of last winter's Ashes series, knives were being sharpened. Usman Khawaja had been hurt playing golf, the batting looked weak and the back-ups to an ageing pace attack were not up to standard. Australia won that Test in two days and the series 4-1.

The day's result does not show that Cummins was right to bowl. The more obvious explanation is that he wanted to shield a struggling batting line-up. Matt Renshaw, who impressed at number five in the first Test, moves back up to open, and Labuschagne gets another, possibly final, chance. Josh Inglis, one of four changes to the XI, has not faced a red ball in a competitive match since March, and Cameron Green has not since August.

Cummins' entry to the club has been delayed by his bowlers' streetwise nature and their sense of the moment. Now the batters have to make sure he never joins at all.