An exciting day of cricket unfolded on the opening day of the third and final Test between Australia and South Africa in Cape Town.

South Africa had a brilliant start with the bat but the Aussies turned the tide with the ball, courtesy Mitchell Starc's brilliance with the ball to nab a 20th career Test five-for.

After Australia elected to field, Proteas openers Aiden Markram and Marques Ackerman gave the visiting bowlers a run for their money, showcasing composure and awareness to guide the Proteas with a big opening stand.

They navigated through to lunch without losing their wicket, making 140 runs together to begin proceedings in the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 series finale.

The pair put together 158 runs for the first wicket when Ackerman tried to step out of his crease but Alex Carey’s quick hands trapped him outside the crease. His maiden Test century was cut short by five runs.

Markram kept ticking with the bat and looked set alongside David Bedingham, but his stay at the crease came to a close on 78, when Mitchell Starc took a well-calculated catch off Josh Hazlewood.

Skipper Temba Bavuma was the next to fall to Lyon’s magic, when the spinner’s beautifully flighted length ball drifted away from the right-hander to castle him.

Matthew Breetzke wasn’t able to make much of an impact, courtesy Cooper Connolly trapping him leg-before for just two runs.

The Proteas headed into tea at 221/4. Bedingham (50) and Wiaan Mulder (0) were the first ones to fall after lunch while Ryan Rickelton held fort at the oyster end.

He made a fine 42 for himself, while Marco Jansen (52) once again had a role to play with the bat, making another valuable half century for himself.

Starc was the standout among the bowlers for Australia, scalping 6/72 for himself.