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AUSTRALIA 297/4 AFTER 90 OVERS 
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Commentary by Sport24's Herman Mostert and Garrin Lambley
BATSMEN IN : Steve Smith 91*, Shaun Marsh 122*
BATSMEN OUT : David Warner 12, Chris Rogers 4, Alex Doolan 27, Michael Clarke 23
17:52 - The visitors, courtesy of an unbeaten 199-run fifth wicket partnership, are in a commanding position and unless the Proteas can make some inroads early on Thursday morning, Australia can bat South Africa out of the game.
Skipper Graeme Smith will clearly wonder if he made the right decision to bowl first after winning the toss. Perhaps he did not, but South Africa have found themselves in similar tough positions in the past and then came out on top. They are after all the No 1 test team, so lets not write them off completely.
Join us again at 10:30 on Thursday morning for more interactive commentary!
17:51 - No luck in the final over for Steyn and that's STUMPS ON DAY 1: Australia 297/4.
17:47 - Steyn to bowl the final over of the day.
17:45 - TWEET
Incredible that Dale Steyn has bowled 20 overs with gastro today! Plenty of bowlers wouldn't have even turned up. #SAvAUS - Alternative Cricket
17:42 - Smith moves into the 90s by cutting Steyn square for four.
17:38 - Three overs remain. Unless South Africa can strike right at the end this day will completely belong to Australia...
17:29 - PICTURE
Steve Smith and Shaun Marsh punished South Africa on Day 1 (Getty Images).
17:28 - Morkel now into the attack, replacing a wayward Philander.
17:24 - Steyn also conceding boundaries here. New ball having no impact thus far.
17:21 - Steyn now into the attack. Can he live up to his "Steyn Remover" nickname?
17:19 - Philander starts poorly as Smith cover-drives him for two fours in his first over back.
17:18 - TWEET
@shaunmarsh9 validating the selector's faith in his potential, while @stevesmith49 continues to surprise in the middle order...#SAvsAus - Earl Haupt
17:17 - Philander makes use of it first up. Common Vern, break the 165-run partnership!
17:16 - THE SECOND NEW BALL IS TAKEN AFTER 82 OVERS. Time to strike now for the hosts!
17:14 - Peterson bowls the 82nd over. No new ball yet, although the SA seamers are starting to stretch. So expect the new ball soon...
17:11 - Australia 259/4 after 80 overs. The second new ball is now due, but the Proteas have not opted to take it just yet with Duminy continuing.
17:03 - A potentially worrying aspect for South Africa is that wicketkeeper AB de Villiers seems to be catching balls thrown at him with his left hand only, trying to avoid the hand he recently had surgery on. Lets hope he did not aggravate the sore hand in any way...
17:01 - TWEET
This new nut can't come quickly enough for sun-frazzled SA - Rob Houwing
16:58 - Robbie P back on for the first time in the final session. Smith now trying to get to over No 80 so he could use the new ball.
16:57 - 151-run partnership off 250 balls between Smith and Marsh.
16:48 - MANY SA PLAYERS LEFT UNSOLD AT IPL AUCTION
A large majority of South African cricketers who have made themselves available for this season's IPL have gone unsold after the first day of the annual IPL auction in Bangalore on Wednesday.
CLICK HERE to read the full story.
16:46 - PICTURE
Ryan McLaren cuts a frustrated figure... (Getty Images)
16:40 - Australia's run-rate now at a healthy 3.32.
16:38 - CENTURY up for Marsh. He reached 100 in 174 balls. Well played!
16:37 - HALF-CENTURY for Smith as he drives McLaren through the covers for four.
16:33 - Marsh, on 96, edges McLaren but it bounces just short of third slip Alviro Petersen.
16:26 - Australia 216/4 after 68 overs.12 overs left before the second new ball is due. The Proteas need at least one wicket before then and then strike with the new ball. Otherwise they'll be heavily up against it by the end of the day.
16:19 - TWEET
"Congratulations Graeme, you've won the toss, what would you like to do...?" #SAvAus - Jean Smyth
16:13 - 200 up for the visitors.
16:11 - Duminy starts with a maiden over.
16:08 - Off-spinner JP Duminy now comes. He's got a habit of taking key wickets. Now would be the right time for "Koppe" to strike!
16:08 - PICTURE
Century stand between Smith and Marsh - @Cricket365
16:05 - Marsh hitsMcLaren or four to bring up the 100 PARTNERSHIP between him and Smith.
16:03 - Bowling change as Ryan McLaren comes back on with South Africa desperate for a wicket.
15:51 - Morkel nearly clean-bowls Smith after the Aussie gets an inside edge which narrowly misses his stumps... No luck with the home side at the moment.
15:48 - TWEET
Word from SA camp is this ball went nastily soft too early ... - Rob Houwing
15:43 - QUOTE
"This wicket has flattened out quite alarmingly," says former Proteas batsman Peter Kirsten.
Starting to think Smith made the wrong decision to bowl first this morning.
15:36 - Dale Steyn bowling the second over after tea.
15:32 - Lets hope IF Peterson comes back to bowl that he does better in this session. His 29 runs conceded in six overs gave Australia more confidence to attack which ultimately brought the run-rate above three per over.
15:31 - Welcome back after tea.
Morné Morkel starts proceedings in the final session.
15:12 - TEA TIME
Australia going well now on 176/4.
The pitch has flattened out nicely and making batting much easier.
Join us in about 20 minutes for the final session.
15:08 - PICTURE
Shaun Marsh is the top Australian performer so far today... (Getty Images)
15:03 - 7 minutes before tea. Australia 168/4 as Morkel comes back on. Fifth wicket partnership worth 70.
15:00 - PICTURE
The view of the cricket from Sport24 HQ (Garrin Lambley)
14:59 - Steyn into the attack. Time for a wicket?
14:53 - Since drinks, Australia have now scored 48 runs in the last 10 overs at 4.8 per over. Philander looking for a breakthrough...
14:49 - Marsh drives and is almost caught by Robin Peterson off the bowling of McLaren in the covers. It just went over his head. Oh-so-close! I reckon that could have been caught. Peterson didn't seem to time his jump right.
14:41 - HALF-CENTURY up for Shaun Marsh. 52 runs coming in 101 balls, including seven fours.
14:39 - Robbie P is leaking a few too many runs, taking the pressure off the visitors. His six overs have coast 29 runs at 4.83 per over.
14:37 - The pitch has definitely flattened out here in the afternoon session. Could be hard toil for the Proteas bowlers for the rest of the day. Marsh closing in on his half-century.
14:26 - TWEET
Robin Peterson is a really nice guy. And an Arsenal fan. His bowling, however....well...look at the people in the pool - Antoinette Muller
14:23 - Smith now joins the party and smacks Peterson for another four down the ground. 11 runs from that Robbie P over. Ouch...
14:22 - First sign of overt aggression as Marsh comes down the track to hit Peterson for four down the ground...
14:20 - PICTURE
AB de Villiers and Dale Steyn ecstatic after the dismissal Australian skipper Michael Clarke. (Getty Images)
14:15 - Left-arm spinner Robin Peterson is now into the attack.
14:10 - DRINKS BREAK
Australia 113/4 after 40 overs.
14:08 - AUSSIE RUN RATE DOWN
Australia's run rate was 3.75 in the Ashes, so far today it's only 2.85...
14:06 - Former Proteas batsman Peter Kirsten says it's no wonder the Aussies are struggling against South Africa's bowlers as England - who they thrashed 5-0 in the Ashes - do not possess the same amount of pace in their arsenal as South Africa...
14:04 - INTERESTING STAT
68 percent of players in IPL 2014 Auction went unsold today.
14:02 - JOIN IN ON THE DEBATE
Share your view on the game by writing on Sport24's FORUM.
CLICK HERE to join the debate.
13:57 - Morné Morkel now back into the attack...
13:54 - TWEET
Aussies appear to have learnt from England on how to not pull the ball. #SAvAus - Jonty Mark
13:52 - OUCH! Marsh cops one right on the "box" from Steyn. But he seems good to go after taking a moment...
13:44 - Ryan McLaren is now back on. He bowls to Smith, who gets off the mark with a boundary to bring up Australia's 100.
13:42 - Steve Smith is the new batsman in. Just as I was starting to praise Clarke, he gets out. Maybe I should praise some more Aussies...
13:41 - WICKET! Clarke is out for 23. Caught in the deep by Philander off Steyn... Australia 98/4. Steyn lured him into the pull shot there...
13:37 - Clarke starting to find his groove now with a few boundaries. Ominous signs for the hosts...
13:33 - PICTURE
Dale Steyn steaming in... (Gallo Images)
13:28 - TWEET
You see: never trust the bloody bowler. Philander was adamant that was plumb! Actually struck Clarke outside the line of leg & going down - Ken Borland
13:25 - Massive lbw appeal from Philander on Clarke, but umpire Aleem Dar says not out. But it looked like it was sliding down leg and the Proteas opt not to appeal. GOOD DECISION!
13:22 - Former Proteas opener Herschelle Gibbs, doing commentary for Radio2000, says South Africa's No 6, 7 and 8 batsmen will be key in this series...
He thinks the trio of JP Duminy, Ryan McLaren, Robin Peterson are a little less accomplished than Australia's Steven Smith, Brad Haddin, Mitchell Johnson.
13:19 - Philander also chips in with a maiden. Solid start after lunch by South Africa...
13:15 - Vernon Philander to bowl the second over after lunch to Michael Clarke.
13:14 - Steyn starts with a maiden after lunch. Good line and length from the speedster.
13:11 - Dale Steyn will resume to Shaun Marsh.
13:10 - Welcome back for the afternoon session. More of the same in this session and the Proteas couls stand a chance of dismissing the Aussies on Day 1 here!
12:45 - HUH?
Ryan McLaren and Wayne Parnell both go unsold at the IPL auction! Justin Ontong too. And Lonwabo Tsotsobe... and Marchant de Lange... and Rusty Theron... and Rory Kleinveldt!
12:37 - PICTURE
The Proteas celebrate the wicket of Chris Rogers. (AFP)
12:32 - LUNCH AT SUPERSPORT PARK
And that's lunch on Day 1
Both teams will be relatively happy with proceedings.
Join us in 40 minutes for the second session from SuperSport Park
12:35 - LITTLE LOVE FOR THE SA IPL PLAYERS
Richard Levi - the holder of the fastest ton in T20 international history goes unsold, as does Vaughn van Jaarsveld, Dean Elgar, Vernon Philander and David Wiese.
12:29 - Last over before lunch on Day 1 of the first Test coming up...
12:28 - Nicky Boje unsold at the IPL auction. No shock there...
12:27 - TWEET
Morkel with the extra bounce vs Clarke is like watching somebody shooting fish in a barrel - Antoinette Muller
12:22 - Roelof van der Merwe also unsold at the IPL auction
12:15 - Ryan McLaren picks up the wicket of debutant Alex Doohan for 27. Caught superbly by Robin Peterson at mid-wicket
12:14 - WICKET!
WE WANT YOUR PICS!
Send us your fan pics in a Proteas jersey to mysport@sport24.co.za and we will put you in our Proteas fan gallery!
12:05 - No interest in Farhaan Behardien, Henry Davids nor - surprisingly - Johan Botha for this year's IPL either
11:57 - Herschelle Gibbs' career finally over? He goes unsold at the IPL auction
11:55 - NO LOVE FOR MACCA
South Africa's Neil McKenzie also goes unsold at the IPL auction
11:54 - The new 'Mr Kallis' - Ryan McLaren - starts with two maiden overs
11:50 - MORE IPL AUCTION NEWS
Proteas spinner Imran Tahir has gone UNSOLD in the 2014 IPL auction
11:47 - Hashim Amla drops Shaun Marsh on 12. Tough chance it must be said, diving away to his left at gully
11:47 - DROPPED!
11:31 - DRINKS AT SUPERSPORT PARK
The players break after 13 overs for drinks.
Australia, having lost the toss, are 50/2, batting at a rate of 3.84 per over
11:27 - ON TWITTER
Remember to use the #SAvAUS when tweeting about the cricket
11:22 - FUN FACT
Did you know that the average opening partnership at SuperSport Park is 24.74 since 2006, which is lower than any other Test ground in the world apart from Jamaica.
11:11 - PROTEAS' RHINO INITIATIVE
Prior to the Test the Proteas took a trip to the bush on a rhino initiative.
Click HERE to watch the video...
11:09 - Excellent catch by JP Duminy at short leg sees Rogers trudge back to the pavillion for 4 off 19 balls
11:08 - Morne Morkel strikes in his first over!
11:08 - WICKET!
11:06 - Four overs apiece from SA's opening bowlers and their figures read as follows:
Dale Steyn: 4-0-15-1
Vernon Philander: 4-1-9-0
11:03 - PICTURE
Alex Doolan on debut today (Getty Images)
11:00 - NEWS FROM THE IPL AUCTION
England's Kevin Pietersen has sold for $1.5 million and will play for the Delhi Daredevils in this year's IPL.
10:49 - Smith suddenly seems like a genius...
10:48 - The 'Steyn Remover' strikes as he bowls the dangerous David Warner for 12
10:48 - WICKET!
10:47 - Four overs into the day's play and apart from one shout for caught behind, little to show Smith's decision to bowl first was the correct one...
10:31 - Dale Steyn to open the bowling. Excited much!?
10:29 - PLAYERS ON THE FIELD
Graeme Smith leads out his Proteas team and they are followed by Australian openers David Warner and Chris Rogers.
10:26 - TEAM REMINDER
Just a quick reminder of the two starting XI's
South Africa:
Graeme Smith, Alviro Petersen, Hashim Amla, Faf du
Plessis, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Ryan McLaren, Robin Peterson,
Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel
Australia:
David Warner, Chris Rogers, Alex Doolan, Shaun Marsh, Michael Clarke, Steven Smith, Brad Haddin, Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle, Ryan Harris, Nathan Lyon
10:23 - PICTURE - SUPERSPORT PARK BASKS IN SUNSHINE
10:17 - ANOTHER STAT...
Another stat for this series is South Africa's Centurion record, where they have won 14 times out of 18 and only lost once - to England in 2000.
10:10 - CLARKE WOULD'VE BATTED
Very interestingly, when interviewed, Michael Clarke reveals he would've batted had he won the toss.
Gone is the old adage that 9 times out of 10 when you win the toss you elect to bat with hesitation. On the 10th occasions you think about it, then choose to bat anyway...
10:23 - PICTURE - THE TROPHY UP FOR GRABS
10:06 - McLAREN PLAYS
Smith is ready to unleash hell on what looks like a green-tinged pitch. Ryan McLaren is the new Jacques Kallis in the team, as is Robin Peterson.
10:01 - TOSS
***Graeme Smith has won the toss and elected to FIELD***
10:00 - PITCH NEWS
Two days before the Test, the Centurion pitch had a white sort of shade to it but still bore some grass. There should be something there for the fast bowlers and the moisture in the air should also offer some assistance. Typical Highveld thunderstorms are expected to play a part throughout the match.
Today's temperature is expected to reach 30 degrees Celsius with ZERO % chance of rain.
9:57 - STATS AND TRIVIA
- Since Jacques Kallis made his Test debut in December 1995, South Africa have played only 18 Tests without him.- In six Tests in Centurion, Dale Steyn has taken 36 wickets at 17.61; Vernon Philander has 12 victims at 13.66 there from two Tests
- If Australia win this series, they will move up to second place on the ICC's Test rankings
- Australia and South Africa have met only once in a Test in Centurion, in 1997, when Allan Donald took eight wickets in a South African win.
9:57 - QUOTES FROM THE CAPTAINS
"If you're the No.1 team in the world, you have to be favourites. It's
something we've become accustomed to. We worked very hard and went to
some tough places to get that ranking and to defend it so we're
comfortable with that." - Graeme Smith
"If we want to get back to being No. 1 in the world, we have to have success away from home, we have to beat the best teams, and as tough a challenge as it is we're excited about it." - Michael Clarke
9:54 - PICTURE - BATTLE OF THE SKIPPERS
9:52 - MORE IPL AUCTION NEWS
In addition to those below, Albie Morkel was snapped up by the Royal Challengers Bangalore for $400 000, Morne Morkel went to the Kolkata Knight Riders for $466 000 and JO Duminy will represent the Delhi Daredevils ($366 000)
9:10 - IPL AUCTION NEWS
In other news... Jacques Kallis has sold for a whopping $916 000 to the Kolkata Knight Riders, while Quinton de Kock fetches $583 000 (Delhi Daredevils) and Faf du Plessis $791 000 (Chennai Super Kings)
08:00 - PROTEAS FAN GALLERY
Are you the Proteas' biggest fan?
If you think so, send us proof! And we'll include you in THIS gallery!
08:00 - FAN TWEETS
Getting mentally prepped for #proteas vs Australia by watching the #438 game on @SuperSportTV @markb46 @GraemeSmith49 @ABdeVilliers17 - Brett Bell
Good luck to the team, world-class players and a whole country behind you. #failureisnotanoption #proteas #destructionmode - Michael Pelser
08:00 - PICTURE - BATTLE OF THE TATTOOED SPEEDSTERS!
A little bit of ink the secret to becoming one of the world's finest bowlers?
08:00 - THE MILLION RAND QUESTION...
As the first Test between SA and Australia draws ever nearer, the question on every SA supporters' lips will be "Can we survive without JH Kallis?"
Are Ryan McLaren and/or Wayne Parnell good enough to fill his boots?
08:00 - PICTURE
Mark Boucher running some fielding drills with Morne Morkel, Faf Du Plessis and Dean Elgar (Twitter)
08:00 - MICHAEL CLARKE'S AWAY RECORD
Australian skipper Michael Clarke has led his team in 17 Tests away from home. This is his record...Played 17
Won 4
Lost 8
Drawn 5
That includes a 1-1 drawn series against the P
08:00 - PICTURE
Proteas get their game faces on (Twitter)
08:00 - SA POOR AT HOME
Proteas batsman Hashim Amla says their poor home record since re-admission against Australia is extra motivation for the three-Test series.
Click HERE to read Amla's thoughts
08:00 - WHY THE PROTEAS WON'T LOSE
Sport24 chief writer Rob Houwing claims the Proteas WON'T lose their three-Test series against Australia.
08:00 - PICTURE
Centurion Park is pretty as a picture ahead of the first ball (Twitter)
8:00 - TOUR ITINERARY
A reminder of the Proteas' tour itinerary against Australia
Tests
February 12-16, First Test, Centurion - 10:30
February 20-24, Second Test, St George's Park - 10:30
March 1-5, Third Test, Cape Town - 10:30
Twenty20
March 9, First T20, St George's Park - 14:30
March 12, Second T20, Kingsmead - 18:00
March 14, Third T20, Centurion - 18:00
08:00 - PICTURE
Wayne Parnell with two of his "biggest" fans... (Twitter)
TEAMS
South Africa:
Graeme Smith, Alviro Petersen, Hashim Amla, Faf du
Plessis, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Ryan McLaren, Robin Peterson,
Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel
Australia:
David Warner, Chris Rogers, Alex Doolan, Shaun Marsh, Michael Clarke, Steven Smith, Brad Haddin, Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle, Ryan Harris, Nathan Lyon
UMPIRES
Richard Illingworth (England) and Aleem Dar (Pakistan)
TV umpire: Ian Gould (England)
Match referee: Roshan Mahanama (Sri Lanka)
Welcome to Sport24's LIVE scoring and interactive commentary on Day 1 of the first Test between South Africa and Australia at Centurion in Pretoria.
