It has frequently been noted that green is the colour of deception. So often a tinge of viridian in the pitch has turned out to be fool’s gold. Having won the toss, Captain Pat stared doubtfully at the surface and decided to bat first despite the piebald covering. Alas for him, he found that the wicket had double-bluffed him. A green mamba? Certainly not, but swing, seam and steepling bounce there was, enough to shiver the timbers of the visitors. The home side had hedged their bets in selection, including three seamers and three spinners. Neither Ngidi nor Rabada were available, so Bavuma elected to open with Jansen and Mulder, whose brisk fast-mediums swung the ball alarmingly. Like many a left-arm quick before him, the towering Jansen’s deliveries ranged from the unplayable to the unreachable.
Head was circumspect enough, but succumbed to an unlucky leg-side strangle from Mulder. And Maddinson? His selection had been the subject of incredulous mockery from the peanut gallery; yet the reasoning behind it had some merit. Had the match been played on the high-veldt then the openers would have been Head and Marsh. Having suffered from the Bison’s hammer blows in the ODIs South Africa had no mind to offer him a clean swing at the ball from his mighty shoulders. What all three Test venues demand from the batting side is patience, care, and shot selection. It was hoped that the veteran Maddinson would be able to supply all three. He left the ball with commendable patience. What he could not do was get off the mark. After 33 tortuous and pitiful deliveries he wafted, diagonal bat and all, at Jansen and lost his stumps. It had been an inglorious return to Test cricket.
From then until lunch Labuschagne and Smith directed traffic with sound, sensible batting. When Maharaj gave the ball air to Smith he twice lofted him onto the crowd. The pair put on 60 without fuss until, on the very doorstep of lunch, Labuschagne lost concentration for the merest instant and was leg before to Mulder. The first hour after lunch continued the dolorous tale of ineptitude. Smith, Carey and Webster departed with unseemly haste and suddenly the innings was in ruins at 6/124. Anrich Nortje’s grim, moustachioed features appeared to be bristling with suppressed wrath as he made the ball fly from a length as though launched from an ill-tempered trebuchet. The three seamers shared the spoils with two apiece, and Cummins emerged with his heart doubtless in his mouth.
And yet. Despite moments of discomfort he set about the task of restoration. At the other end Renshaw had kept his head with commendable fortitude, playing only at deliveries which demanded it, and waiting for looser offerings. As the ball got older, batting appeared to become more manageable. When bad light called an early halt to proceedings the pair had put on a priceless 63. 6/187 was a less uncomfortable position thans eemed likely two hours pervious. Whether the minor devils in the pitch are still there when Australia bowls is an open question. But wickets with the new ball will be essential. Captain Pat’s heroics thus far (33 not out from 72 balls) would tend to suggest that batting against the old ball will not be excessively difficult. He and Renshaw will resume tomorrow, with 88 balls to go before they face the new ball. They will both want to be still in if and when it arrives.