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Port Elizabeth: Nathan Lyon took two wickets and Steven Smith another as South Africa undid their hard work late on the first day of the second Test against Australia in Port Elizabeth.
Lyon's wicket was the only scalp Australia was able to take in the middle session, but two fell before bad light brought an early close at 5-214 with AB de Villiers (55) and JP Duminy (2) the not out batsmen.
De Villiers again proved a class above as his half-century set a new world record with 12 consecutive Tests featuring scores of 50 or more. A century stand between Faf du Plessis and Dean Elgar was broken when the right-hander inside-edged off his pads and straight into the clutches of the waiting Steve Smith at short leg, fielding in that position in place of Alex Doolan.
Du Plessis had brought up his third Test fifty and was 55 when he fell to Lyon. Elgar, drafted in at the last minute to replace the ill Alviro Petersen, weathered a storm of bouncers from Mitchell Johnson but was able to survive to post a half-century of his own.
The hosts lost the big wickets of Graeme Smith (9) and Hashim Amla (0) early, slipping to 2-11, but with the St George's Park pitch not offering as much assistance as expected, the Protea bats started to climb on top. Du Plessis and Elgar added 55 in the first hour after lunch, a stark contrast to the 64 runs added in the first session.
Proteas captain Smith was first to go, and though he avoided being dismissed by Johnson – the man whose impact he’d bizarrely played down following the first Test – he would’ve taken little solace in the fact it was Ryan Harris who instead dismissed him, lbw for nine.
It was the third time in as many innings that Smith has failed to pass 10 in the series, but worse was to follow for South Africa.
Earlier, South Africa captain Graeme Smith won the toss and opted to bat.
The hosts handed a debut to wicketkeeper batsman Quinton de Kock, one of three changes in the side from the first Test.
De Kock replaced all-rounder Ryan McLaren and will bat at number seven, while Dean Elgar will open the innings in place of Alviro Petersen, who is ill.
The Proteas also opted to go with a four-prong pace attack, dropping spinner Robin Peterson for left-arm seamer Wayne Parnell.
Australia, meanwhile, are unchanged.
Teams:
South Africa: Graeme Smith (Captain), Dean Elgar, Hashim Amla, Faf du Plessis, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Quinton de Kock (wk), Wayne Parnell, Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel
Australia: Chris Rogers, David Warner, Alex Doolan, Michael Clarke (Captain), Steve Smith, Shaun Marsh, Brad Haddin (wk), Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle, Ryan Harris, Nathan Lyon
Brief scores
South Africa 214 for 5 (Elgar 83, du Plessis 55, de Villiers 51*)
