South Africa’s quick bowlers ripped through Australia’s batting order on a pulsating opening day in Durban, reducing the tourists to a precarious 187/6 despite the Proteas selecting two specialist spinners for the first Test on Friday.

In a masterclass of seam bowling at Kingsmead, Marco Jansen, Wiaan Mulder and the returning Anrich Nortje claimed two wickets apiece whilst spinners Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer were left twiddling their thumbs as the pacemen ran riot.

Matt Renshaw’s dogged resistance epitomised the fighting spirit Australia needed on a treacherous day for batting, grinding his way to an unbeaten 46 (115) with just three boundaries to show for his efforts. Alongside captain Pat Cummins, who chipped in with a gritty 33* (72), the pair dragged their side from the depths of 124/6.

Their seventh-wicket stand of 63, the innings’ best partnership, provided the backbone Australia desperately craved before a vicious bouncer from Nortje aimed at Renshaw prompted the umpires to call stumps 52 minutes after tea.

“Batting in the middle order as I’ve done in one-dayers shows that I can be pretty versatile,” said Renshaw, who was deployed at number five.

Pace attack proves lethal

Left-armer Jansen set the tone with figures of two for 35, whilst Mulder’s accuracy earned him two for 31. But it was Nortje, playing his first Test in over three years, who turned the screws with sheer pace and hostility, claiming two for 40 in an impressive comeback performance.

“He’s bowling some quick balls. I’d heard a lot about some of the spells that he bowled, but I think that probably the test for any bowler whose not played for a while is coming back and bowling third, fourth spells,” Renshaw said of his first encounter with South Africa’s express paceman.

Nortje, who hadn’t featured in Test cricket since March 2023, revealed he never doubted his return to the five-day format despite his extended absence.

“I haven’t officially bowled many overs but I have tried to simulate things in the nets although it’s never the same. It was really nice to be out there,” the quick said, having spent the intervening period rebuilding his action and logging countless overs in practice.

Labuschagne and Smith provide brief respite

The most fluent cricket of the day arrived during a third-wicket partnership of 60 between Marnus Labuschagne (37) and Steve Smith (25), offering a glimpse of Australia’s batting class before South Africa struck back decisively.

Labuschagne fell LBW to Mulder off the final ball before lunch, leaving Renshaw to prepare hastily during the interval. Smith’s dismissal followed just three balls after the break, caught at gully off Jansen immediately after copping a painful blow to his right hand from the towering quick.

Nortje then delivered the knockout blows, dismissing Alex Carey and Beau Webster in the space of three deliveries to leave Australia reeling at 124/6 before Renshaw and Cummins mounted their rearguard action.

With Australia still 13 runs shy of 200 and only three wickets remaining, day two promises to test their lower order’s mettle. South Africa’s pace battery will be licking their lips at the prospect of wrapping up the tail quickly, whilst the tourists desperately need Renshaw and Cummins to extend their partnership and post a competitive first-innings total.

The spinners may yet have their say on a Durban pitch that typically offers turn as the match progresses, but day one belonged emphatically to South Africa’s seamers.