Starc picks up 6/72

“Stupid, Stupid, Stupid,” Sunil Gavaskar bellowed as Rishabh Pant did something, well, stupid to end his innings at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in 2024.

South Africa were bowled out for 329, with Mitchell Starc taking the last four wickets in six deliveries with the second new ball. It was a rampaging finish to what had been an action-packed first day.

South Africa so wished it would have been boring. Opportunities to boost batting stats were wasted. A match is in the balance, when it really shouldn’t be. Australia, so down in the dumps at lunch, have life.

For the first session, this looked like being a great day for batting. 140 runs were scored in 27 overs. Marques Ackerman was walking down the pitch to Starc, chipping him over midwicket for four and then off the next ball, unfurling a deft late cut between second slip and gully that also raced across the pristine Newlands outfield.

Australia conceded 57 runs in the half an hour leading up to lunch. There was talk of records set in the late 19th century and early 20th, being broken. Australia, missing Steve Smith - who failed a late fitness assessment shortly before the toss - wasn’t playing. The tourists looked bereft.

And then? Well stupid things happened. A lot. South African batters returned to the changeroom staring at the heavens.

The thrilling dominance of the first session was replaced by despondency. Why do they keep hooking and pulling? What the hell was Ackerman doing, 4.4 overs into the session dancing out of his crease trying to whack Lyon over the covers. A hundred was there for the taking. He didn’t take it.

Aiden Markram, so composed throughout the morning while Ackerman attacked, attempted to pull to Josh Hazlewood, and then seemed to regret doing so as he was doing so. That lack of conviction proved fatal.

Wiaan Mulder, who has starred with the ball in this series, but has so much more to offer with the bat, was out pulling too, for the third time this month. It’s time he put the shot away.

And then there was David Bedingham. Given the chance at no.3 he made 49 and 46 in Durban and here amid the carnage at the other end, he made a solid 50, filled with elegant strokeplay.

And then he did an inelegant thing, tried to hook Starc and gave Hazlewood a dancing-over-the- ropes catch at fine leg.

From 203/1, the Proteas imploded to 232/6. All the good lunch time vibes disappeared. Up in the changeroom, Shukri Conrad, removed his hat and rubbed his head. What was said at lunch, what unfolded afterwards, were totally unrelated.

Pat Cummins, who was being ripped to shreds on Australian TV for his decision to bowl, had a smile on his face. That it was Nathan Lyon and Cooper Connolly who picked up two of the wickets wasn’t a concern. It may well become concerning for him as the pitch deteriorates, but Cummins wasn’t going to allow his mood to be turned sour like it was after the first session.

The Proteas had let him off the hook.

It is worth remembering that aside from Temba Bavuma - dismissed by off-spin for the third time in the series - and Markram, this is still a relatively inexperienced batting unit. It is understandable that Ackerman could get carried away with such a major landmark insight, and that Matthew Breetzke, can become tentative against spin.

But Test cricket is a harsh environment. Breetzke will know that having talked about how much he was looking forward to facing the Australians when watching the first Test from his couch.

As for those with more experience, they will know they made this too easy for Australia.

“I’d like to delete the first session,” Starc chirped, having finished with 6/72. South Africa would like to do the same with the last two.