Five moments that mattered: Day one

The focus was back to the on-field action on a compelling day of Test cricket that featured 282 runs and 11 wickets, but these were the moments that really mattered.

Morkel makes way for Ngidi

The Proteas surprised many on a drizzly morning in Port Elizabeth with the omission of retiring quick Morne Morkel from the XI, instead opting for up-and-coming paceman Lungi Ngidi.

While the towering fast bowler continued to help his fellow quicks during their warm-ups, the bold selection call puts a serious dent in his hopes of bowing out from international cricket in style.

The possible return of Dale Steyn for the latter half of the series, as well as Ngidi’s impressive display of 3-51 from 13.3 probing overs, makes the prospect of a fairytale farewell for Morkel seem unlikely, unless injury – or suspension – comes into play.

Warner makes his move

All eyes were on David Warner following an eventful week in which the vice-captain dominated headlines in the fallout to the stairwell stoush with Quinton de Kock.

The left-handed opener started patiently under cloudy skies against South Africa’s immensely talented new-ball duo in Vernon Philander and Kagiso Rabada.

Warner crawled to eight runs from his first 36 balls, before exploding after the morning drinks break to collect his next 42 runs off just 33 balls with a series of powerful drives, pulls and flicks to reach his 29th Test half-century.

Rabada provides the spark

This was a massive moment on three counts.

First of all, Steve Smith is the biggest wicket in world cricket. The No.1 Test batsman was trapped in front by Rabada for just 25 and that’s quite obviously a huge result for the Proteas.

Then we had the exuberant wicket celebration that saw the fired-up Proteas quick make minor contact with the Australia skipper as the pair brushed shoulders when their paths crossed mid-pitch.

Rabada currently has five demerit points hanging over his head following a series of indiscretions in the past 13 months, including a one-Test ban in England last year.

If the ICC deems the incident on day one to be a Level 2 offence then it would add 3-4 demerit points to his record, and the accumulation of eight points would result in a two-Test ban and rule him out of the remainder of the series.

The final factor in the wicket of Smith was the carnage it created.

The tourists were in a strong position at 3-161 in tricky conditions when the Rabada rampage commenced.

Smith’s dismissal was quickly followed by the wickets of the Marsh brothers before the tea break, while Rabada continued the destruction after the interval to send Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc back to the sheds in a devastating 18-ball spell of 5-13.

Cummins just gets it done

Australia’s new Mr. Reliable delivered the goods once again late in the day’s play with Cummins striking the much-needed blow in his opening over.

Cummins entered the attack in the eighth over after Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc were unable to make early inroads.

The tearaway quick worked over Proteas opener Aiden Markram with his first three balls, before angling his fourth delivery in slightly more to crash into the South African’s pads and claim the breakthrough.

Mitchell Marsh’s no-show

Less a moment that mattered and more something that could matter as Mitchell Marsh failed to take the field for South Africa’s innings as he battles illness in Port Elizabeth.

Onlookers did a double-take when Tim Paine walked to the crease at the fall of the fourth wicket right at the start of the Rabada-inspired collapse.

The SuperSport cameras panned to the Australian dressing room where it became clear the younger Marsh was not in a good way, despite being padded up.

The Australian camp confirmed the allrounder was suffering from an illness, before he was soon making his way out to the middle after his brother was sent on his way.

A bug has gone through a number of Australia’s support staff this week, including coach Darren Lehmann on Wednesday, with the tourists hoping to have Marsh’s services in the field for what looms as a crucial day with the ball on Saturday.

Qantas tour of South Africa

South Africa squad: Faf du Plessis (c), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock, Theunis de Bruyn, AB de Villiers, Dean Elgar, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Morne Morkel, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada.

Australia squad: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), Cameron Bancroft, Pat Cummins, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Jon Holland, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Tim Paine, Jhye Richardson, Chadd Sayers, Mitchell Starc.

Warm-up match: Australia beat South Africa A by five wickets. Report, highlights

First Test Australia won by 118 runs. Scorecard

Second Test St George's Park, Port Elizabeth, March 9-13. Live coverage

Third Test Newlands, Cape Town, March 22-26. Live coverage

Fourth Test Wanderers, Johannesburg, March 30-April 3. Live coverage