Rabada and Jansen combined for eight wickets and Oz bowling attack responded in style

LONDON: Pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada collected his 17th five-wicket haul in Tests to help dismiss Australia for just 212, but the reigning World Test Championship winner responded strongly through experienced trio Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood to have South Africa in trouble at 43/4 at stumps with both sides well and truly in the contest.

Skipper Temba Bavuma (3) and No.6 David Bedingham (8) remain unbeaten at the crease, with the pair still with plenty of work to do given the Proteas trail by 169 heading into the second day.

It was an enthralling day of Test cricket, with the momentum changing between the two finalists on numerous occasions and London’s ever-changing weather also ensuring seeing the conditions took their turn in favouring bowlers and batters.

South Africa’s bowlers enjoyed the best of the overcast morning conditions, with Rabada (5/51) and Marco Jansen (3/49) picking up a pair of wickets each as the Aussies were reduced to 67/4 at lunch after Proteas skipper Temba Bevuma won the toss and elected to bowl first.

Jansen got the prized wicket of Travis Head right on the stroke of lunch to give South Africa the ascendancy, but it was Australia that fought back during the middle session as firstly Steve Smith (66) and then Beau Webster (72) got on top to ensure Australia went to tea at 190/5 and with the prospect of a big score still within their sights.

But Rabada and Jansen had other ideas, with the pair returning to wrap up the tail as the Aussies lost 5/22 and leave South Africa in the box seat.

Australia’s trusted fast bowling trio of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood had other ideas though, with the trio removing three of South Africa’s batters prior to stumps to leave the one-off Test evenly poised.

Earlier, teams were greeted with overcast conditions at the iconic north London venue and Bavuma had no hesitation in giving his top-class pace attack the first chance to take advantage.

And Rabada repaid his captain with a pair of excellent deliveries that caught the outside edge, with Bedingham and Aiden Markram holding on to good catches in the slips to help South Africa’s cause.

Brief scores: Australia 212 in 56.4 overs (B Webster 72, S Smith 66, K Rabada 5/51, M Jansen 3/49) vs South Africa 43/4 in 22 overs