Welcome to news.com.au’s live coverage from the opening day of the First Test against South Africa in Brisbane.
It has been absolute carnage to start the series with four wickets falling inside the first hour of play.
South Africa’s top order was completely wiped out on the green Gabba deck to be in a world of hurt.
The clash is the first between the two countries since the sandpaper scandal in 2018.
The South Africans have won the past three Test series in Australia, but none of those 11 matches were played in Brisbane, where the two teams haven’t clashed since 1963.
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The Gabba has been a fortress for Australia, who have lost there just once since 1988.
The deck was described by Aussie legend Mark Waugh as the greenest wicket he has ever seen for a Test at the Gabba.
It produced fireworks early
12.30pm: ‘Blood in the water’ as Aussies demolish top order
South Africa collapsed to be 4/27.
Three wickets in 12 balls saw the South African top order demolished with all three of Australia’s quicks grabbing a wicket in the opening hour of play.
“The Aussies can sense blood in the water here,” a Channel 7 commentator said.
Pat Cummins took the first wicket with a perfect line and length ball that left Rassie van der Dussen in two minds of how to play the bouncing ball.
He nicked off to the delivery and keeper Alex Carey made no mistake.
The carnage continued in the next over when Scott Boland sent Sarel Erwee back to the pavilion after the batter struck a thick edge to Cameron Green in the gully.
Boland grabbed his second scalp two balls later when he removed Khaya Zondo LBW.
The umpire’s decision was challenged by Zondo, but the DRS showed the delivery was a perfect length and was heading on to strike the top of the stumps.
Erwee’s two-ball duck gave Boland a double-wicket maiden.
11.45am: Huge wicket as Starc strikes early
Mitchell Starc would have made Pat Cummins breathe a little easier after he made the crucial early breakthrough to dismiss South African captain Dean Elgar at the start of the fifth over.
Cummins took a big gamble by sending the tourists in to bat.
Both Starc and Cummins were wayward in their opening overs, but Starc got the breakthrough with a ball that jumped up towards Elgar’s ribs. The batter got a glove on it as it sailed down the leg side and Alex Carey held the catch as it sailed through at shoulder height.
11.20am: Heartbreaking scene as police honoured
The Australian and South African teams got together to pay their respects to the Queensland Police offers killed this week.
The emotional ceremony included members of the force taking positions on the Gabba alongside the players.
The Australian team all went an embraced the officers at the conclusion of a round of applause and a minute’s silence.
“An emotional and beautiful moment there,” Fox Cricket’s Adam Gilchrist said.
One officer was spotted in tears as Constable Rachel McCrow, 29, and Constable Matthew Arnold, 26, were honoured.
Nathaniel, Gareth and Stacey Train were responsible for the “remorseless, ruthless” killings of the two police officers and an innocent neighbour.
11am: Pat Cummins makes courageous call
Pat Cummins has elected to bowl first after winning the toss.
South African captain Dean Elgar said he was still undecided what he would have done had he won the toss.
Aussie Test great Ian Healy said in commentary on SEN: “It was a courageous move because it can backfire on you, but he’s backed his bowlers”.
Cummins also confirmed there were no late surprise changes to the Aussie team with his return to the XI forcing Michael Neser out.
9am: Australia-South Africa series trophy mocked
It was a talking point all week and it looks set to continue to be for the rest of the summer after the trophy was unveiled for Australia’s Test series against South Africa on Friday.
Pat Cummins and Dean Elgar posed with the non-descript trophy on Friday and it would be safe to say the latest prize hasn’t pleased many.
Australia and South Africa do not have a perpetual trophy they contest for in Test cricket.
The trophy shown off by Cummins and Elgar doesn’t look like one that will be remembered in years to come — except maybe for how bad it is.
Channel 7’s Andrew McKinlay said of the “iffy” trophy: “The wood will have to be sandpapered”.
Jokes were flying all over Twitter after the trophy was spotted with some calling for the Australia-South Africa series to be immortalised as the Warner-Du Plessis Cup after their infamous clashes in 2018.
Fans were just as scathing on Reddit.
“So the winning team gets a new chopping board,” one user posted.
Another commented: “The wood looks very smooth, like it was sanded”.
One wrote: “First thoughts are that it looks kinda lame, and honestly there should be a perpetual trophy between Australia and South Africa for bilateral tests considering the quality of the competition in years past”.
One said the series will be known as the “Cheeseboard Cup” and the loser will have to provide the platter during the lunch break.
One blunt comment suggested “they should burn it”.
It has long been rumoured that some years ago there were discussions over potentially naming the series the Waugh-Pollock trophy, but the two parties have never reached an agreement.
8am: Cummins never in doubt for First Test
Pat Cummins said there was no doubt in his mind about returning from injury to play in the First Test against South Africa — coming at the expense of Michael Neser.
He said on Friday he is feeling as good as he ever has going in to a Test series.
Cummins is recovered from the slight quad injury which limited him in the second innings of the first Test against the Windies in Perth, and forced him to miss the second in Adelaide.
But having been back bowling on arrival in Brisbane earlier this week, Cummins said he’s fully-armed for the showdown with the Proteas, the first Test clash between the two countries since the sandpaper scandal rocked their 2018 encounter.
“I feel great,” Cummins said on Friday.
“I feel as fresh as I’ve ever been going into a Test series.
“I‘m totally 100 per cent, had a couple of bowls and I’m ready to go.”
