Head’s half-century, Australia in better position than South Africa on the first day

Travis Head dealt with difficult pitch conditions to score an unbeaten 78 to help Australia reach 145 for five at stumps on the opening day of the three-Test series here on Saturday as the hosts handed South Africa a first innings victory. I was dismissed for just 152 runs. 15 wickets fell on the first day itself. By the end of the day’s play, Head was at the crease after scoring 78 off 77 balls. He has hit 13 fours and a six in his innings. He put on a 117-run partnership with Steve Smith (38 runs) to help correct captain Pat Cummins’ risky decision to elect to bowl after winning the toss.

Cummins’ decision was justified by Australia’s bowlers who bowled out South Africa for 152 before the tea break. But in reply Australia lost three wickets for 27 runs. 13 wickets fell in the first 60 overs. South African fast bowler Kagiso Rabada (2/50) gave his team a good start by sending David Warner to the pavilion for zero on the very first ball of the Australian innings. South African all-rounder Marco Jansen (1/15) in his first ball of the match (in the ninth over) provoked Marnus Labuschagne (11 runs) to play the shot and he reached the pavilion by catching Dean Elgar in the slips. .

Then Enrich Norkia (2/37) got Usman Khawaja (11 runs) caught at third slip in his second ball of the match (in the 10th over). Then came down to support Smith at the head crease. The pair put on the biggest partnership of the day together. Australia lost two wickets in the first two overs before stumps, with Smith being bowled by Norkia and then Rabada having night watchman Scott Boland caught by the wicketkeeper on the last ball of the first day. Head said after the match, “Exciting day of cricket. It was disappointing to lose two wickets at the end but it is a difficult wicket so we will have to bat well tomorrow morning. ,

Earlier, Mitchell Starc, Cummins and Scott Boland did not take long to shake South Africa’s top order and soon their score was 27 for four. After this, Kyle Verreynne (64) and Temba Bavuma (38) took over the situation by adding 98 runs for the fifth wicket. Starc broke the partnership by dismissing Bavuma after which off-spinner Nathan Lyon wreaked havoc. Starc had South African captain Dean Elgar (three) caught by wicketkeeper Alex Carey after which Cummins and Boland took three wickets in 11 balls. Lyon was Australia’s most successful bowler. He took three wickets for 14 runs in eight overs. Starc took three for 41 while Cummins (2 for 25) and Boland (2 for 28) took two wickets each.