Smith, Webster fifties help Australia recover after a stuttering start

Half-centuries from Steve Smith and Beau Webster led Australia's fightback in the second session on the opening day of the World Test Championship final, although South Africa did pick up the important wicket of the No.4 batter. Nevertheless, it was a productive session for Australia who scored 127 runs at a rate of close to five an over, getting to 190/5 at Tea, with Webster batting on 55 and Alex Carey (22*) for company.

With the first session not going Australia's way, the onus was on Smith to lead his team's recovery, and the focus was on how he'd deal with South Africa's best bowler Kagiso Rabada. He started off with a well-executed cut shot for a four and played one aerially to the thirdman fence for another boundary. Webster had a couple of lucky breaks - an umpire's call, on impact, saved him from getting out leg-before when he was struck on the pad by Jansen while South Africa didn't review for lbw off Rabada, with replays later revealing he would have been out. Smith brought up his fifty with another cut for a four off Rabada and also took on Maharaj, pulling him for a boundary as the fifth wicket pair raised a crucial fifty-run stand.

Webster, having overcome testing moments against Rabada, started batting more fluently. South Africa also made a poor review, going up for leg-before in a Lungi Ngidi over when replays clearly showed it was bat brushing against the pad before Webster hit the ball. The partnership worth 79 came to an abrupt halt as Aiden Markram got Smith to edge to slip. Webster and Alex Carey then dealt in regular boundaries as the former rode his luck and brought up a brisk fifty. South Africa, meanwhile, lost another review, going up for an lbw appeal, as Carey had gloved the ball when he tried to sweep Markram. Both Webster and Carey were unbeaten at Tea, having added 44 in quick time.

Earlier, the new-ball pair of Rabada and Jansen kept it disciplined with their lines and lengths after Temba Bavuma opted to bowl on a cloudy morning, bowling three maidens on the trot. Labuschagne got Australia going with three couples off Jansen even as Rabada bowled a hat-trick of maidens to Usman Khawaja and finally got his reward when he had the left-hander edging to first slip for a 20-ball duck. The Cameron Green experiment at No.3 failed as the batter fell to Rabada, caught brilliantly by Markram at second slip. Smith and Labuschagne then struck a couple of boundaries, overcoming an excellent spell from Rabada (6-4-9-2) and also saw off Ngidi and Wiaan Mulder as they got through the first hour without further damage.

Smith struck a few boundaries at the start of the second hour and started rebuilding with Labuschagne. South Africa, however, ensured that the partnership was short-lived. Jansen returned to the attack 30 minutes into the second hour, going round the wicket and getting Labuschagne to edge to the 'keeper, ending a 30-run stand. Travis Head and Smith hit a boundary each off Jansen as they started the recovery work afresh. Smith was saved by the umpire's call when he walked across too far to an incoming Jansen delivery and was rapped on the pad. Jansen then delivered a big blow before Lunch, getting Head caught down the legside on what was the last ball before the break.

Brief scores: Australia 190/5 (Steven Smith 66, Beau Webster 55*; Kagiso Rabada 2-35, Marco Jansen 2-49) vs South Africa.