DURBAN – Australia moved on from 95/3 at lunch to 170/4 at tea on the first day of the opening Test against South Africa at Kingsmead on Thursday.
The middle session of the day saw a battle of attrition, with Keshav Maharaj settling into a long spell, and the Australian middle-order made to work for their runs.
Skipper Steve Smith spent an eternity on 47, before reaching his half-century from 90 balls.
He struck 10 boundaries, and again looked as if he was preparing for a massive knock at the crease.
But on 56, he under-edged Maharaj, and the ball deflected off Quinton de Kock into the grateful hands of AB de Villiers.
Shaun Marsh, who went to tea on 34, had survived a loud shout from Kagiso Rabada for leg-before, but umpire Kumar Dharmasena turned it down.
Replays showed that it would have been hitting the stumps.
At tea, the Marsh brothers were together, with Mitchell Marsh on eight not out.
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