South Africa struggled to 238-6 on the first day of the third and final Castle Lager Test at the Wanderers on Friday, losing two wickets in each session.
Having won the toss, Jacques Kallis, leading the team in the absence of Graeme Smith, who has an injured finger, chose to bat first. Although it was sunny at first, the clouds soon gathered, and most of the day’s play took place in overcast conditions.
Australia opener, Justin Langer, playing in his 100th Test, led the visitors onto the field at the start of play.
Herschelle Gibbs, who had been moved up the order, and AB de Villiers, played very conservatively for the first hour in the face of some superb Australian bowling. Brett Lee was fast and had the ball moving both ways, while Stuart Clark forced the batsmen to play on most occasions.
But in the over before drinks, De Villiers was caught at mid-off by Damien Martyn off Clark for 12, and South Africa had lost their first wicket for just 26 runs.
Gibbs (12) went four overs later, leaving a ball from Michael Kasprowicz, which nipped back into his stumps. Boeta Dippenaar — making his first Test appearance since the fourth Test against the West Indies in May last year — and Jacques Kallis steered South Africa safely through to the lunch break.
Clark grabbed his second wicket about 40 minutes after lunch, when Dippenaar, who had played some beautiful cover drives, mistimed a ball which was caught behind by Adam Gilchrist. Dippenaar made 32.
Kallis was bowled by Lee for 37, also leaving a ball which snagged back into his wicket. He and Dippenaar had put on 59 runs for the third wicket.
Ashwell Prince and Jacques Rudolph — both thought to be playing for their places in the Test team — had a partnership of 55 off 73 balls, which ended when Rudolph was caught by Matthew Hayden off the maestro, Shane Warne, for 24. Prince and Mark Boucher shared a partnership of 72, which ended when Boucher was given out lbw to Andrew Symonds for 24.
By this stage, it was growing very gloomy and Shaun Pollock was at the crease for just six minutes before the umpires decided that the light was too bad to continue, and called play off for the day 14 minutes early. Prince was not out on 79 — his half century coming up off 89 deliveries — and Pollock had four.
Ominously, the South Africans will face just one over before Australia can take the second new ball. So far, Clark has been the most successful bowler, with 2-61. The rest of the Australian attack — Lee, Kasprowicz, Warne and Symonds — have taken one apiece. — Sapa