World Test Championship Final. Australia vs South Africa. Day 1.

It has been an interesting first day's play in what should be, rain notwithstanding, a three-day World Test Championship final.

It was a brave move by Bavuma to send Australia in at the toss. Perhaps he only did it to avoid having to face Australia's pace bowling attack under leadened skies, but it was still fraught with some danger. It was one that paid dividends though with four wickets in the first session. Australia's top order still looks suspect, and without any real prospect of improving without change in the near future.

 
Khawaja was caught on the crease again, though it was a good ball and catch to get rid of him. He thrived on the dead pitches in Sri Lanka but has struggled now for 12 months everywhere else.
Cam Green was lauded for scoring runs everywhere in his short County cricket stint. It seemed less important that he scored those runs batting at five not three, and in the County 2nd Division. Again, a good ball and catch did for him, but like Khawaja there was no foot movement, a leaning prod when a good stride forward to get his foot out to the ball, and playing straight rather than to mid-wicket, may have seen a different result.
Marnus started well in his new (but ultimately surely very short stint) batting role as opener. He was proactive, he ticked the score over. And then he got stranded again, unable to score or get off strike, and he eventually fell like his predecessors had, poking at a ball he could have left or taken a stride out to. No doubt the inner circle will think otherwise, but Australia's top order is still a problem that requires a solution. Sam Konstas may well have dodged a bullet by not playing here and perhaps looking to get a fresh start against the West Indies in a couple of weeks' time.

Travis Head came out and played like Travis Head does, but in the last over before lunch got strangled down the leg side to the fourth terrific catch of the morning session by the South Africans, and with the top order having been knocked over Australia could easily have been on the cusp of being dismissed for 100 in the first innings.

Smith and Webster dominated the second session, but both had fortune that the first four batters did not have. Both could have been out LBW multiple times if the umpires original decision had wavered, or if Bavuma had taken a review against Webster when three reds showed up on replay. Luck plays an important part of all cricket matches and individuals. Webster banked his today by top scoring with 72 in an innings that befits the number six, counter punching when the team needed it. He may not yet be the finished product but he looks a likely prospect, and his bowling will be a huge benefit at some stage. Smith was as glorious as always, once again taking on the challenge as his teammates fell around him, and looking imperious against all bowlers. Somehow though he fell to the part timer again when it looked as though he was set for another trip to triple figures. His 66 was worth much more on the day.

At 5/190 at tea Australia must have been thinking of 300 and maybe a quick strike before stumps. Instead, Carey missed a full toss on the reverse sweep again, a stroke that seems to have dismissed him more than any other in Test cricket. It started a flurry and Australia lost 5/22 to be bowled out for 212. A bigger total had beckoned, and the tail for Australia was far less effective than it has been in the past. A middling score, but with conditions still suiting the bowlers Australia would have fancied their chances.

Kagiso Rabada again delivered against Australia. Coming off his own recreational drug conviction and ban that was reduced from 3 months to one in order that he could participate in this match, he was the most dangerous bowler on show. Not much has been said of his circumstances, and the secrecy that went into his being pulled from the IPL for a month to serve the ban, a ban and conviction no one was told about until after he returned to the IPL. You get the feeling that if it had been an Australian who had done this there would have been a much bigger deal made of it. Rabada's five wickets on the day were the most important part of keeping Australia to a low total.

Australia's bowlers, given an earlier shot than they would have expected, didn't waste it. Starc struck in the first over again to get Markram and should have had another not long after but Carey dropped the sitter off "Fox" Mulder. He's had better days. Starc snared Rickelton soon after to a good catch at first slip by Khawaja to make up for it, while Cummins and Hazlewood both found middle stump through T20-like defensive strokes from Mulder and Tristan Stubbs. Mulder had crawled to 6 runs off 43 deliveries, while Bavuma did not get off the mark until his 31st ball faced. Starc was at his fearsome best and deserved better than his 2/10 off 7 overs. At 4/43 and with the top order wiped out, South Africa need a Smith/Webster partnership to get them back into the match.

The conditions and the two impressive bowling attacks both showed the fallibility of the two batting lineups. It was left to the one legendary batter n Smith and the most experienced debutant in recent history in Webster (who only debuted in January in Sydney at age 31) to be the difference on the day.

Australia would be eyeing a handy first innings lead this evening and then hoping for better from their top order in the second dig, perhaps with a bit more positive attitude early on. Not silly Bazballing stuff, just energy in rotating the strike and making the South Africans change their bowling plans. South Africa need to find a way to get as close to Australia's total as possible, and then repeat today's bowling effort in return.

All signs point to Australia putting the boot in tonight, hopefully with a lead approaching 250 with six or so wickets in hand at stumps. That SHOULD be the way it goes. But that's the great thing about Test cricket. Anything can happen.

And finally - the commentary panel selected for the broadcast of this game is a bit hard to take. Lots of Englishmen, all of whom have no desire to see an Australian victory. Some Indians, all of the same mind frame. Ian Smith, who would certainly be in the same boat. And two Australians in Matthew Hayden who is painful, and Mel Jones who is the most profession one there. I know it is being played in England. But can't they just extinguish their presence, much like their cricket team did in missing this final?