Elgar hits unbeaten ton but Cummins turns it around for Oz

CAPE TOWN, March 22

Dean Elgar scored an unbeaten century but an excellent spell from Australia seamer Pat Cummins restricted South Africa to 266/8 at the close of play on the opening day of the third Test at Newlands on Thursday. 

South Africa had been cruising to a big first-innings total at 220/2 as Elgar and AB de Villiers put on 128 for the third wicket. But the return of Cummins (4/64) to the attack saw the seamer take 4/12 in eight overs, starting with the wicket of de Villiers (64), to rip through the home side’s middle order.

South Africa lost six wickets for 37 runs as fortunes swung in favour of the visitors in the final session. Elgar (121 not out) will resume his innings with Kagiso Rabada (6) on Friday, seeking to push South Africa past 300 in their first innings, which should be a minimum on a slow wicket that has bounce but not much in the way of lateral movement.

The tempestuous four-game series is poised at 1-1 with South Africa’s hopes of a decent first-innings total resting largely on the shoulders of Elgar, who was dropped on 54 off a simple chance at point. The hosts lost opener Aiden Markram early for a duck as he edged Josh Hazlewood (2/37) to a diving Steve Smith at second slip with the score on six. Elgar and Hashim Amla (31) added a patient 86 for the second wicket before the latter miscued a hook off Hazlewood to Cummins at fine leg. — Reuters

Scoreboard
South Africa  1st innings

D Elgar not out 121

A Markram c S Smith b Hazlewood 0

H Amla c Cummins b Hazlewood 31

AB de Villiers c Warner b Cummins 64

F du Plessis c Smith b Cummins 5

T Bavuma c Smith b Cummins 1

Q de Kock c Paine b Cummins 3

V Philander c Paine b M Marsh 8

K Maharaj c Bancroft b Starc 3

K Rabada not out 6

Extras: (B-8 LB-11 NB-3 W-2) 24

Total: (8 wickets in 87 overs) 266

Fall of wickets: 1-6 2-92 3-220 

4-234 5-236 6-242 7-254 8-257

Bowling

Mitchell Starc 21-3-81-1

Josh Hazlewood 18-4-37-2

Nathan Lyon 19-6-39-0

Pat Cummins 21-4-64-4

Mitchell Marsh 7-2-26-1

Steve Smith 1-1-0-0