South Africa vs Australia: International cricket first Test

Debates over how reverse-swing had been obtained and whether it was done legally had dominated the previous Australian visit to South Africa in 2014.

The confrontation was so severe that Australian wicketkeeper Tim Paine had to calm Warner down, while batsman Usman Khawaja held him back.

Faf du Plessis has done it before against Australia, admittedly, on a much better batting track in Adelaide, while AB de Villiers looked in good touch during the first innings.

It’s a turnaround that coincides with his elevation to captaincy for Western Australia, and Katich believes it puts him ahead of Pat Cummins on the candidacy list to replace Steve Smith when the Australian captain retires.

Dean Elgar was the first to go for nine before Josh Hazlewood claimed the wicket of Hashim Amla – the sixth time he has done so in the last four Tests between the two countries. De Kock (81 not out) was short of runs and fluidity this summer, but he too found inspiration in the heat of battle.

David Warner regained his hostile streak amid a chaotic 45 minutes that featured a stunning collapse of 4-20, a cartwheeling off stump and crazed celebrations from the vice-captain.

“It was good fun, but this bowling unit has confidence in each other and we all complement each other really well”, Starc said after grabbing five wickets in South Africa’s first innings.

“We saw South Africa do it a lot with Vernon – guys who can hit a really nice length, get the keeper up to the stumps”.

Both teams had to backtrack on that, though, when the video came to light later when the CCTV camera footage was leaked to a South African media outlet.

The highest successful Test run-chase at Kingsmead is the 340 that South Africa reeled in against Australia back in 2002, while the all-time record is West Indies’ 418 against Australia the following year.

Cricket Australia has released a statement to announce it will investigate the incident.

Given there are nearly two days to go, South Africa aren’t in a position where they can hope to save the game.

“There has been a lot of games where we’ve played where our bowlers, or someone, will get penalised or demerit points if they step over that line”.

Given the back-to-back schedule of the first two Tests, Lehmann said it was significant that the Australian attack only had to deliver 152 overs against South Africa’s 185.

A fired-up Warner had earlier given the Proteas’ opener Aiden Markram a huge verbal spray after the rookie batsman was culpable in running out AB De Villiers for a golden duck. It was an innings in which he conquered both conventional and reverse swing, and tamed the spin of Keshav Maharaj – who was South Africa’s best bowler with figures of 5-123.

Yet, despite the embarrassing incident and the clearly bitter feel to the four-test contest now, there was no sign that the sledging would slow down.

“I think everyone that’s played the game has hard moments and that’s what makes the hundred from Markram so special”, Smith said. “We’re aggressive. we’re hunting as a pack”.

“We think Port Elizabeth will be very similar (to Durban) – it was last time”, coach Darren Lehmann said.