SA vs AUS 1st Test Live Commentary - Durban (09 October 2026)

Angled in at the hips, on a back of a length. Labuschagne drops it in front of square leg.

Nibbling away a touch, on a short of a length. Labuschagne covers the line and defends it from the crease.

Around the fifth stump line, on the fuller side. Marnus shoulders arms.

Bowled by going wide on the crease and the length is pulled back, on off. Labuschagne rides the bounce nicely and stabs it down the pitch.

Mulder goes fuller, outside off, inviting the drive. Labuschagne leans across and makes the leave.

OUT! LBW! Can you believe it? Marnus Labuschagne has been trapped in front right at the stroke of Lunch. He has a word with Steve Smith, and rather reluctantly, he takes the review. Nip-backer by Mulder, on a length, in and around the off stump. Labuschagne shuffles across and lunges to block it out with a straight bat. The ball lands on the seam and jags back to go past the inside edge and hits the batter on the front pad. No bat involved, and the Ball Tracking has the impact as umpire's call, with the ball going on to hit the middle stump. The on-field call of OUT has been upheld. A tough pill to swallow for Marnus. South Africa finish the opening session on a high. At Lunch on Day 1, Australia are 84/3.

Off the edge! Flighted delivery, a bit of turn, around off. Labuschagne tries to angle it behind point with an open bat face. It is squirted off the outside edge behind point for a single.

Tossed up, on off. Smith drives it to long off and gets to the other end.

Short and wide on off. Labuschagne rocks back in the crease and makes room for himself. Hammers it to deep cover and picks up a single.

Loopy ball, outside off. Smith knocks it to wide long off and turns the strike over.

Sliding on with the arm, full and on middle. Labuschagne gets forward and plays a wristy drive to the right of mid on for a quick single.

On a nagging length, turning away, outside off. Smith is happy to let it go.

Just outside the off stump, nipping back in on a length. Labuschagne covers the off stump and shoulders arms.

In the channel, on a nagging length. Marnus makes a comfortable leave.

Angled in before the ball holds its line, on the fuller side. Labuschagne presents a straight bat for the block but plays down the wrong line but due to the seam movement and is beaten past the outside edge.

Moving away in the air, a bit too wide and Marnus is not bothered to play at it.

At 136.6 kph, in and around the off stump, on a good length. Labuschagne walks a long way across towards the off side and glances it down to deep fine leg for a single.

Kyle Verreynne comes up to the stumps for Smith. On a good length, a bit of nip back into the right-hander. Steve presses half-forward to defend. It goes off the inner half to mid-wicket.

Looped up, on off. Smith leans inside the line and plays the lap down to deep fine leg for a couple of runs.

Not a lot of air given, full and on off. Smith defends it watchfully.

A hint of width, on a length. Smith frees his arms and spanks it to deep cover for a single.

A bit too full, outside off. Labuschagne hangs low, extends his hands and drills it to deep cover for one more.

Slower through the air, on a good length, not close enough to make the batter play. An easy leave for Smith.

Drifting in towards the off stump, on the fuller side. Steve pushes it back to the bowler.

Still a hint of away shape for Mulder, on a good length, outside off. Smith shoulders arms.

Closer to the off stump, on a length, this keeps straight. Smith hops across and covers the sticks to make the leave.

Curving away in the air, on a good length, outside off. Smith resists the temptation to cash in on the width and offers no shot.

Kyle Verreynne comes up to the stumps. This nips back a bit at 133 kph, on a good length, on middle. Smith gets his bat in line with the ball and pushes it to mid on. Mulder has overstepped. No Ball called.

Serves it on a good length, outside off. Smith shuffles across and taps it back to the bowler.

Pushes the length up now, around off. Smith eases it to mid on with a straight bat.

Drags the length back now, on off. Smith nudges it square on the leg side and picks up a single. The 50-run stand comes up between this pair, the 13th time in Test cricket, informs Mark Howard.

Fractionally short, on off, Smith goes back to defend.

Hangs it up there, does Maharaj. Smith has a swing at it and ends up shanking it down to long off for a single.

Lovely bowling. Slower through the air, outside off. Labuschagne is drawn forward and has a loose poke at the ball away from his body. He is lucky not to nick it behind as the ball spins past the bat.

EDGED, FOUR! A fortuitous boundary for Labuschagne. Maharaj tosses it up, inviting the drive, outside off. Labuschagne throws his hands at the ball. It spins away a touch to catch the outside edge. Aiden Markram at slip stands no chance as the ball flies past his right. The backward point fielder gives chase and dives but his effort goes in vain.

Flighted up again, on off. Marnus leans into the drive this time and knocks it to cover.

Flatter and shorter, in line with the off stump. Labuschagne stabs it down the deck.

FOUR! Not convincing but they all count the same. Nipping back in sharply, too straight, on the pads, on a good length. Labuschagne hops and plays the line with a straight bat. Gets an inside edge and it races down to the deep fine leg fence.

Good cricket all around! On a back of a length, angled in on middle. Labuschagne presses up on his toes and tucks it wide of mid-wicket. Temba Bavuma charges across and slides to pick the ball up. He scores a direct hit at the bowling end but Marnus is in by then.

A little too straight, at the hips. Smith nurdles it past the man at short leg. They think about the second run but eventually decide against it as the short leg fielder hunts it down.

Seaming back in, on the shorter side, in line with the off stump. Labuschagne trusts the bounce of the surface and makes the leave on length. He sees the ball sail over the off pole.

On the fuller side and keeps the stumps in play. Labuschagne is solid in defence.

FOUR! Picked up with ease. A bit too full and too straight as well, darted in at the pads. Labuschagne leans inside the line and clips it off the pads behind square leg, beating the man in the deep to his left.

Looped up, on middle. Smith firms the drive back to the bowler with a straight bat.

Shorter and wider, slow turn off the deck. Smith waits on it before playing the cut but he picks out the man at backward point.

SIX! Excellent use of the feet. Flighted delivery, drifting in on off. Smith dances down the track and reaches the pitch of the ball. He swings through the line and launches it over mid on for a biggie. The 50 is up for Australia.

Speared in very full, on middle. Smith hangs back in the crease and digs it out.

Full and darted in at the sticks. Smith brings his bat out in front and defends it out.

SIX! High and handsome! Smith does not want Maharaj to settle. Floated up, full and wide on off. Smith presses forward and just extends his hands into the lofted hit. He goes through with the shot and clears the long off fence with ease.

A rib-tickler from Nortje, and Labuschagne tucks it down neatly to fine leg for a single.

Full ball outside off, trying to draw out a drive from the batter, but Smith stays disciplined and makes a leave.

Top stop by Tristan Stubbs. Fullish length wide outside off, Steve Smith extends his arms and plays a wristy drive, lacing it to the left of backward point, where Stubbs dives across and saves a certain boundary.

Pitched up around middle, Smith shovels it away between mid on and mid-wicket for a single.

A length ball, pushed wide of the off stump, and Labuschagne shoulders arms at it.

A tad fuller and closer to the off stump line, but still fairly wide. Labuschagne makes another comfortable leave.

Good teamwork in the field, and Steve Smith gets only two runs. Lobbed up wide of the off stump, and it immediately grips a bit. Smith extends his arms, scything it wide of gully. Ryan Rickelton chases it down and flicks it back in, and Tristan Stubbs from point backs him up well, keeping the batters down to a brace.

Bowled flatter and angled into the pads, Smith tucks it 'round the corner on the leg side, picking up a single.

Flighted ball just outside off, there's a bit of turn and bounce on offer. Labuschagne watchfully leaves it alone.

Tossed up fuller and on off, Labuschagne gets forward and eases it down to long off for a single.

The length is pulled back now, and Maharaj extracts some slow turn off the deck as well. Smith stays back in his crease and blocks it off.

A loopy ball, bowled very full and on leg. Steve Smith clips it away to mid on.

Pitched fuller in the channel outside off, at 142.9 clicks, and this one goes straight on. Labuschagne shoulders arms.

Nortje keeps the length fuller and the line close to the off stump, making Marnus play at it. Labuschagne gets forward and jams it back towards the bowler.

That's zipped through! Full again, around the fifth-stump line and nibbling away. Labuschagne leaves it alone and Kyle Verreynne ends up pouching it around head height.

Now a switch-up from Nortje. Bashing a hard length and pushing it wide of the off stump. Labuschagne is enticed by the width on offer and has a swoosh at it, but is well beaten.

Good length, in that corridor of uncertainty, nibbling back in ever so slightly. Labuschagne makes a watchful leave.

My, my! Anrich Nortje is in fantastic rhythm. The length is immaculate, just full of a good length, making the batter doubt whether to get forward or stay back. Labuschagne does neither and is taken aback by the away movement and the extra bounce, and the ball just nips away from the shoulder of his bat. Another maiden for Nortje.

Pitched up around leg, pushing it further down the leg side. Labuschagne moves inside the line and misses the tickle.

Nagging length, in and around off stump. Labuschagne looks to get forward and push at it, but gets an inside edge down to fine leg for a single.

Smith is up to his antics, dancing around in his crease. Good length, angled well down leg. Smith moves across to the off side, lifting the left leg a bit and leaves it alone.

Slightly back of a length, sliding into the batter's body. Smith flicks it off the hips to the fielder in front of square leg.

That's a much better length from Marco. Full of a good length, landing it around off and angling back into the right-hander. Steve Smith gets across a bit and plays it with a straight bat to mid on.

Dug in a bit shorter and outside off, getting the ball to wobble away a bit. Smith makes a leave. After 15 overs, Australia are teetering along at 39/2.

Fuller in length, wide outside off and angling back in. Smith gets his front foot across and makes a leave.

On a hard length and outside off, at 141.5 kph. Steve Smith hops back and across to the off side, blocking it off.

Length ball, dished out wide of the off stump. Smith goes a long way across to the off side and jams the attempted cover drive back down the track.

That's a pearler from Nortje. Good length, darted back in at a brisk pace from outside off, but then it straightens and holds its line. Steve Smith tries to defend with a straight bat, but the ball whizzes past the outside edge.

Length again, outside off, and this time the ball does jag back in a bit. Smith gets across a bit and leaves it alone.

A bit fuller and straighter, attacking the stumps. Smith moves past the off stump and defends it down past the non-striker. A probing maiden from Nortje.

Pitched up to the batter, slanting it away from the off stump line. Marnus Labuschagne gets a bit forward and skews the drive off the outside edge and wide of the gully fielder, picking up a couple of runs in the process.

Full of a good length, at 136.1 kph and darting sharply across the off stump. Labuschagne leaves it alone.

This one comes back into the right-hander. Hard length over off and middle, Labuschagne shoulders arms, expecting the ball to nip away, but the ball comes back in to hit him in the midriff.

FOUR! Great resilience shown by Marnus here, answering right back after taking a body blow. Pitched up a bit too full and on off. Labuschagne gets forward and punches it with a straight bat, back past the non-striker and picks up a boundary.

Jansen comes from around the wicket now, landing the ball a tad full but wide of the off stump. Labuschagne tucks his hands back behind his body and lets it go.

FOUR! Oh, the extra bounce nearly brings about another wicket. Jansen goes wider on the crease, angling the ball back in from outside off. The ball straightens a touch and shoots off the deck. Marnus Labuschagne gets squared up, getting an outside edge off the top half of the blade, but thankfully for him, the ball flies between third slip and gully, skipping away to the deep third fence.

Bashes the hard length first up, does Nortje, on middle. Smith leans inside the line of the ball and makes the leave.

On the fuller side, outside off. Smith shuffles across and shoulders arms. A bit of excitement as the ball jags back to hit the pads but the ball was not doing enough to hit the off stump.

Another one that nips back in and it kicks up as well, on a nagging length, on middle. Steve walks across to play the line but is beaten all ends up. The ball thuds into the batter's thigh pad and goes behind, allowing the batters to cross over for a leg bye.

Oh, that's nasty! Landing on the seam and it nips back in sharply with bounce, on a short of a length, on middle. Marnus shoulders arms but the ball rears up to catch him on the ribs.

That has flown through. Nortje delivers it on a hard length but not close enough to make the batter play. An easy leave for Marnus this time around.

Nortje pitches it up this time, around the off stump. Labuschagne leans on it and clips it to the right of mid on for a single.

Hurls it on a good length, outside off. Nic leaves it all alone.

A stifled appeal for caught behind! Slanting into the pads, Maddinson stays deep in the crease but is beaten for pace on the glance. The ball grazes the thigh pad before going through to the keeper. Oh, Jansen has overstepped. No Ball called.

OUT! DRAGGED ON! End of a scratchy stay for Nic Maddinson on his return to the Test side after 2016. In the channel by Jansen, the ball is neither short enough nor wide enough for the cut, but Maddinson goes for it as he throws his hands at the ball. The ball catches the inside edge and crashes back into the stumps. Nic falls without troubling the scorers. Australia are now 24/2 inside the first hour.

Going across off, on a length. Smith shuffles across to get closer to the line of the ball and blocks it out.

In and around the off stump, on a back of a length. Smith hops across and gets behind the line to stab it down the deck.

No ball! With a leg slip in place, Jansen sprays it down leg but it is well wide. Smith moves across and lets it go. Jansen has overstepped for the second time in the over, and by a big margin, too.

On a back of a length, on middle. Smith hangs back to defend but ekes out an inside edge and it dribbles to square leg.

Bump ball? Seemed like it. Very full by Jansen, on middle and leg. Smith plays the glance and it flies behind to leg slip, where David Bedingham flings himself to his left and sticks out the left hand to make a half-stop. A single is taken as the ball goes behind square leg.

FOUR! Easy pickings. Mulder drifts onto the pads with a full ball. Labuschagne stays balanced at the crease and gets his wrists working as he flicks it past mid-wicket for a boundary.

Much better by Mulder. Pulls his length back and keeps it around the off pole. The ball kicks up a bit and hits high on the bat as Marnus fends it down on the off side.

Good carry through to the keeper. Bowled on a back of a length, outside off. Labuschagne gets his hands high to make the leave. Kyle Verreynne collects it at head height.

Shaping away, a touch on the shorter side, outside off. Labuschagne takes a step across the stumps and keeps it out with an angled bat.

Pushes the length up slightly, in the corridor of uncertainty, Marnus offers no shot.

Mulder brings the stumps into play as he angles in a full ball. Labuschagne plants his front foot across and plays around his front pad as he knocks it to mid on.

Full and a hint of inward shape, around off. Marnus leans on and pushes it back to the bowler.

Going away with the angle, the length stays full. Labuschagne makes the leave.

Hits the good length, on middle. Labuschagne leans across and nudges it to mid-wicket.

A loud shout for LBW, but turned down. There seemed to be two noises, as was the case in the earlier Nic Maddinson appeal, but South Africa take the review this time. Hooping back into the right-hander, on the fuller side. Labuschagne's head falls over to the off side as he is beaten on the flick and wears it on the outside half of the front pad. The front-on replays show that the ball was missed the bat by a fair bit, but the Ball Tracking has the ball missing the leg pole. South Africa burn a review.

Too straight again, on the pads. Labuschagne fails to lay any bat on the tickle. A leg bye is taken as the ball clips the pads and goes behind square leg.

The wait continues. 30 balls faced, but Nic Maddinson is yet to get off the mark. Moving away in the air, in the channel, on a good length. Maddinson lets it through to the keeper.

Goes past the bat! This is pushed across the left-hander, on a length. Head presses half-forward and just hangs his bat out away from his body with no real conviction. He is lucky not to have nicked it behind.

FOUR! Uppish played but in the gap. At 130.9 kph, fuller and swinging back into the left-hander. Head brings his wrists into play and plays the flick uppishly. It goes through the vacant square leg region and races away into the fence.

Drags the length back a bit but still gets the ball to move back in, on middle and leg. Head is tentative with his footwork and plays all around the ball in an attempt to clip it away. Gets beaten on the inside edge and wears it high on the thigh pad.

Honing in on the off stump, on a good length. Head presents the full face of the bat and stabs it down from the crease.

OUT! STRANGLED DOWN LEG! South Africa take the review and, more importantly, they get it right. Swinging down leg, on a length. Head leans inside the line to play the pick-up shot but misses. Shake of the head by the umpire, but Kyle Verreynne is pretty confident, as are the other men behind the bat. Temba Bavuma eventually takes the review. The replays indicate that the ball has brushed the trousers on the way to the keeper, but has it made any contact with the bat? Oh, yes, there is a spike on UltraEdge, but it appears one frame after the ball has passed the bat, which falls within the margin the third umpires have been asked to consider. The on-field decision has been overturned to OUT.

Sprayed down leg again, on the fuller side. Labuschagne tickles it down to deep fine leg and gets off the mark with a single. 

Short of a good length, angled in from outside off, and this one shapes away late. Maddinson plays inside the line, and it carries through nicely. Jansen needs to just get the ball a bit more further up.

That's the length. Pitched much fuller and on off, angling away from the left-hander. Maddinson makes a watchful leave.

You can sense that Maddinson is itching to get off the mark here. Shorter in length, going away from the fifth-stump line. Maddinson throws the hands at it but fails to connect as he is beaten by the movement and extra bounce.

Dug in shorter again, a bit wide outside off. Left alone by Nic this time.

Another one that is bowled into the surface rather than being pitched up. There is movement on offer but Maddinson can also make an easy leave.

Back of a length, shaping away from outside off. Maddinson leaves it alone. Also, there is a late No Ball call, as Marco Jansen has overstepped here.

Better length from Marco, pitching it a tad fuller, but wider of the off stump. The ball gently swings away and Maddinson pulls out of the attempted drive.

That's perfect line and length from Mulder. Full of a good length, on middle, and honing back into that front pad. Travis Head just about manages to dab it out onto the leg side.

Good length around middle, Head pushes at it with an angled bat and miscues it down to the left of the bowler.

A smidge on the fuller side, but there's plenty of movement on offer as well. On middle and leg, shaping back into the pads. Head clips it away nicely but finds the fielder at mid-wcket.

Length ball, attacking middle and off this time. Head plays a whippy drive to mid on.

A gentle delivery by Mulder, angling into the hips. Head moves inside the line and gets it off the thigh pad down to fine leg for a leg bye.

Another leg bye, and Maddinson is yet to get off the mark. Hard length over middle, sliding straight on. Maddinson gets pegged back and beaten all ends up and the ball thuds into the thigh pad before rolling behind point for a leg bye.

Back of a length on off, darting back into the left-hander. Head is a bit rushed and gets it off his thigh pad through the leg gully region and picks up a leg bye.

Pitched fuller around off, punched off the front foot but straight to covers.

Oh, that's loose from Maddinson. A length ball outside off, seaming further away. Maddinson leans back and throws his hands at it, looking to smash it through the off side, but he's well beaten.

Good length, around the fifth-stump line and shaping away. Maddinson looks to play at it but lets it through in the end.

Slanted into the pads this time by Jansen. Maddinson looks to tickle it fine but dabs it off the inside edge and to the right of the keeper, who makes the stop.

Just short of a good length and over middle, Maddinson tentatively tucks it to the leg side. This has been a testing start for Maddinson, who's now faced 21 balls without getting off the mark.

That's a beauty from Mulder. Good energy behind the line, pitching it up around off stump. The ball shapes back in a bit before holding its line as Head shoulders arms at it.

Nice and full again, just outside off. Head stays compact and just pushes it away through the gap at covers for a single.

Probing line and length by Mulder, keeping it in that corridor just outside the off stump. Nic Maddinson gets onto the front foot and confidently pushes it to mid off.

Nagging length, pitching it on middle and off. Maddinson prods ahead but is a bit late to get his bat down, getting an inside edge back onto the deck.

A huge appeal for LBW, especially from the bowler, but the umpire just walks away. There were two noises, maybe the bat hitting the pad as well, but South Africa opt against the review. This is pitched pretty full on middle and leg, getting the ball to nibble back in from the left-hander. Nic Maddinson plays all around it and gets struck on the pads. Replays suggest that there was no bat involved, and Ball Tracking comes up with three reds.

Mulder goes hunting for the front pad again, but shapes this one just down leg. Maddinson fails to flick it away, and the ball hits the outside half of his front pad.

Jansen looks to get it full and shape it back into the pads, but he ends up spilling it a fair bit down leg.

Short of a length and outside off, Maddinson lets it through to the keeper, and the ball shapes away after leaving the batter, carrying through around chest height to Kyle Verreynne.

Bashed into the deck a bit, and bowled at over 139 clicks. The line is tight around off stump, and Maddinson makes a watchful block down to gully.

Challenging line for the batter. Full of a good length, pitching on off and angling back in sharply. Maddinson gets halfway forward to block but is beaten on the inside edge and takes a blow straight to the gut.

Length ball, angled well down the leg side, and that's let through by Maddinson.

A maiden for Marco Jansen here. Good-length delivery, an outswinger to the left-hander, but the starting line is a bit too wide to make the batter play at it.

Mulder too spills it down leg, just as Jansen did on his first delivery. A full ball, pitching on leg and then moving down the leg side. Travis Head misses to flick it away.

FOUR! First runs off the bat, and Head is off the mark. Good seam presentation, but the line is too straight. Pitched up on middle and leg, shaping back in. Head tucks it down to fine leg and the ball rolls away into the fence.

Much better from Mulder. The length is pulled back and this is angled across the left-hander. Travis Head leaves it alone.

Pretty full and on off, Head gets forward and punches the drive to the left of mid off, where Temba Bavuma cuts it off.

Good length on middle, Head stays back and hops up to defend.

A gentle inswinger at 126.3 kph, shaping into the pads. Head tucks it away straight to mid-wicket.

FOUR LEG BYES! Runs straight away for Australia. Jansen pitches the ball relatively full, gets it to drift in but angles it down leg. Nic Maddinson looks to flick, but the ball brushes the pads and goes past the diving keeper into the fine leg fence.

Excellent line from Marco. A touch fuller than a good length, attacking off and middle. Maddinson leans on and blocks it off.

Good-length delivery, in the channel outside off. Nic Maddinson opts to leave it alone.

Nice and full, just outside the line of off stump. Maddinson gets well forward and blocks it down to covers.

A bit of movement and decent carry through to the keeper as well. Short of a good length and at 139 clicks, angled in from around off, and Jansen gets it to leave the left-hander. Maddinson watches it all the way as the ball moves well past the outside edge.

Good length, pitching it around the fourth-stump line and getting it to zip away off the deck. Maddinson makes a relatively comfortable leave. Just the four extras in the over.