Cummins, Renshaw lead Australia fightback at stumps on Day 1 in Durban

[p]The pair put on an unbeaten 63 for the seventh wicket with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/renshaw-matt/2ZSJwHw6/"]Renshaw[/a] four runs short of a fifty and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cummins-patrick/nXoaKQUf/"]Cummins[/a] 33 not out.[/p][p]The umpires took the players off one hour before the scheduled close as windy and gloomy conditions coincided with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/south-africa/tUhlKzIm/"]South Africa[/a] bringing back the pacy [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/nortje-anrich/pxcufdrs/"]Anrich Nortje[/a] into the attack and when he sent a bouncer over Renshaw’s head, play was immediately halted after the light meters were consulted.[/p][p]The umpires waited out in the middle for another 45 minutes before calling off the day's proceedings.[/p][p]Nortje was returning after almost four years away from first-class cricket, and took two wickets in the space of three balls before tea to give the hosts the upper hand.[/p][p]The 32-year-old had not played since March 2023 as persistent injury and a focus on the T20 format kept him away from red-ball cricket but he justified his recall with a fiery spell after lunch that left the tourists teetering.[/p][embed guid="c5117991-a590-437f-ae23-f9b2982137bd" url="https://x.com/ProteasMenCSA/status/2108559031011033482?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]South Africa captain [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bavuma-temba/Kb3iKZg5/"]Temba Bavuma[/a] predicted Nortje could provide “X-factor”, and he did as much in having [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/carey-alex/0jSW0rT0/"]Alex Carey[/a] caught at second slip off a fuller delivery that clocked in at 143 kph and then, two balls later, snagging [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/webster-beau/j9QB5UY9/"]Beau Webster[/a] caught behind to see [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/australia/OxG0JfXg/"]Australia[/a] fall to 124-6.[/p][p][b]"To be honest I thought I wasn't going to get a wicket for the next few weeks the way the ball was passing the bat but then it was good to take the wickets and get the blood flowing again,"[/b] Nortje said after the day's play.[/p][p]The fortunes of Nortje, who finished the day with 2-40 off 13.2 overs, contrasted with those of Australian cancer survivor [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/maddinson-nic/0bv5GiO2/"]Nic Maddinson[/a], also making a comeback, but who failed to get a run.[/p][p]The 34-year-old, a surprise choice to open after Australia won the toss and chose to bat, survived 33 balls without scoring before [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/jansen-marco/6ey7qlc3/"]Marco Jansen[/a] bowled him to end a remarkable return following his battle with cancer last year.[/p][p]His duck was the longest by an Australian opener in test history and the third-longest by any test opener.[/p][p]It was Maddinson’s first test appearance in almost a decade, having not played first-class cricket for 18 months as he fought testicular cancer that had spread to his lungs. He was only named in the team half an hour before play started.[/p][embed guid="1fb2f2aa-e534-424e-82f7-6edf9a02554e" url="https://x.com/ProteasMenCSA/status/2108484563026464922?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]Australia counter-attacked after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/head-travis/EiBJThAd/"]Travis Head[/a] (9) and Maddinson went early, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/labuschagne-marnus/0QSnItBN/"]Marnus Labuschagne[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/smith-steven/hty17mok/"]Steve Smith[/a] putting together a 60-run partnership for the third wicket before [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mulder-willem/6qLdtoOB/"]Wiaan Mulder[/a] (2-31) trapped Labuschagne lbw for 37 with the last ball before lunch.[/p][p]Smith scored 25 on his first test appearance in South Africa since the 2018 tour that led to his one-year ban for his role in the ball-tampering scandal known as "Sandpapergate".[/p][p]Smith walked to the crease without any noticeable heckling from the sparse crowd and quickly set about speeding up the scoring, with two sixes when spinner [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/maharaj-keshav/lOlAEUyc/"]Keshav Maharaj[/a] was introduced to the home attack.[/p][p]However, Smith was dismissed in the first over after lunch, getting a thick edge to gully to earn Jansen (2-35) a second wicket.[/p][p][b]"Some pace, some bounces, some nibble, some spin, but I think there were moments in the game where I felt like we were getting close to having the foot on their throat,"[/b] Renshaw said.[/p]