Newlands Test: David Bedingham, Marco Jansen slam half-centuries for SA
What's the story
Australia fought back against South Africa on Day 1 of the third and final Test at Newlands, Cape Town. Asked to bat, the Proteas were 158/0 in the opening session, with Aiden Markram and Marques Ackerman shining. While Nathan Lyon's spell then brought Australia in the hunt after lunch, David Bedingham and Marcos Jansen saved SA from an early collapse.
Proceedings
Crucial stand between the two
Markram and Ackerman showed positive intent in the first session with an unbroken stand.
However, SA were suddenly down to 216/4 in 51.1 overs post-lunch.
Bedingham, who came in at No. 3, showed some promise with a half-century. After his dismissal, Jansen added a 95-run stand with Ryan Rickelton.
Mitchell Starc then dismissed Jansen and Rickelton in the same over.
Bedingham
Bedingham's fifth Test fifty
Bedingham, who bagged a duck in Gqeberha, scored an 80-ball 50 (7 fours), his fifth half-century in Test cricket. He also has a ton.
Across 18 Tests (30 innings), the Proteas batter has raced to 973 runs at an average of 36.03. This was his second Test fifty in home conditions.
The 32-year-old middle-order batter already has 10,000-plus runs in First-Class cricket.
Jansen
Successive fifties for Jansen
Meanwhile, Jansen continues his all-round exploits.
After scoring 85 and taking 5/33 in Gqeberha, the left-arm pacer scored a fine 52 off 71 balls (7 fours) at Newlands.
This was Jansen's sixth 50-plus score in Tests and third against Australia. He scored successive Test fifties for the first time in his career.
Jansen now has 822 runs from 24 Tests at 26.51.