Cape Town: Australia lost both openers inside six overs as South Africa's fast bowlers applied early pressure in a rain-delayed opening session of the first Test at Newlands on Wednesday.
Australia were 39-2 at lunch after Shane Watson and Phil Hughes fell to a combination of swing and seam movement from Dale Steyn and debutant Vernon Philander, who quickly capitalized on bowler-friendly conditions in Cape Town.
AFP
Watson, on 3, edged an away-swinger from Steyn to Jacques Kallis at slip in the fifth over. Hughes was out for 9 when Philander got one to nip away off the seam and the left-hander nicked to wicket-keeper Mark Boucher for Philander's first Test wicket - and Boucher's 500th catch in Tests.
The opening skirmishes of the two-Test series started nearly two hours late because of rain, prompting South Africa to put Australia in to bat on a juicy surface at the coastal ground, which hasn't hosted a Test this early in the South African season for 90 years.
Shaun Marsh was 17 not out at lunch as Australia's batsmen battled through the shortened first session. Ricky Ponting was unbeaten on 8, including a pull for six off Philander in his first scoring shot.
One of two debutants for the Proteas alongside legspinner Imran Tahir, Philander was given the new ball with Steyn - and ahead of Morne Morkel - and troubled Hughes early with a bustling, aggressive spell.
Steyn made the initial breakthrough, however, with a full and fast delivery which squared up Watson and flew to Kallis at slip.
Hughes had sent a thick outside edge wide of third slip and away for his only boundary, but he fell in the over after Watson as Australia slipped to 13-2.
Philander's maiden Test wicket came on his home ground and Boucher extended his world record for catches in Tests with a regulation take to move 121 ahead of Adam Gilchrist's 379.
Pakistan-born spinner Tahir bowled just one over before lunch, returning a maiden as South Africa seized the early initiative - although Marsh stroked three fours to show signs he was settling in on a challenging pitch as the sun broke through the clouds as lunch approached.
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