Anrich Nortje’s impressive Test cricket return hands Proteas narrow advantage over Aussies

South Africa’s first home Test since they beat Australia to win the 2025 World Test Championship began on a positive note at Durban’s Kingsmead cricket ground, despite the absence of some key bowlers such as Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi.

The duo’s absence opened the door for fellow quick Anrich Nortje to return to the Test team, after an absence of more than three years. 

Nortje blended in as if he had never left, zipping it in at speeds of around 145km/h despite his match rustiness in the game’s longest format. 

His barrage with the ball eventually paid off for him as he claimed the scalps of Aussie wicketkeeper Alex Carey, as well as seventh man Beau Webster, both in the second over. Nortje’s contribution saw the Baggy Greens reduced to 124 for six.   

“What we are blessed with is that whatever combination of bowlers we will go with can take 20 wickets. Whether it is seam heavy or features two spinners, they are all wicket-takers,” Proteas Test batting coach Ashwell Prince said ahead of the match.

Prior to Nortje’s contribution, the South Africans began the lengthy home Test summer by hastily reducing the Australians to 24 for two after dismissing openers Travis Head and Nic Maddinson. Marco Jansen opened the bowling alongside fellow seam-bowling all-rounder Wiaan Mulder after the Baggy Greens had won the toss and chose to bat first.    

Right-arm medium bowling all-rounder Mulder sent Head packing for just nine from 19 balls. 

Prior to Head’s departure, his fellow opener Maddinson survived an early leg before wicket (LBW) shout from the bowling of Mulder. Unfortunately, the South Africans opted not to review, but replays later showed that a review would have been worth it and would have seen Maddinson walk.

The Proteas corrected that wrong with a later successful review to earn Mulder a well-deserved wicket after a tidy bowling display upfront. South Africa’s referral to the third umpire showed that the dangerous Head had clipped the ball ever so slightly before it landed in the gloved hands of wicket-keeper Kyle Verreynne in the eighth over. 

Maddinson’s stay at the crease did not last much longer as three overs later, the Proteas claimed their second scalp of the day when Jansen sent Maddinson packing. The 35-year-old Australian batter departed having not registered a single run, from 33 balls, in his first Test appearance for the Baggy Greens in a decade.

Coincidentally, Maddinson made his Test debut against the Proteas in Adelaide back in 2016, before falling down the pecking order and not being picked for the Test until this tour of South Africa. Maddinson was called up to Australia's Test squad after Josh Inglis withdrew with a fractured right finger, and Cameron Green was ruled out with an abdominal strain.

The 34-year-old recently recovered from testicular cancer and played his first cricket match in September since successfully undergoing treatment. He could only have dreamt of being called up to represent his country for such a marquee Test tussle. However, there was no fairytale ending for him after he was dismissed for a duck in the first innings.

The Proteas maintained their upward trajectory with the ball when they landed double blows on Australia’s batting lineup with the wickets of Marnus Labuschagne just before lunch and Steve Smith just after lunch time. 

Mulder was responsible for the dismissal of South Africa-born Labuschagne, trapping him LBW for 37 runs just as he was starting to look dangerous. The wicket also severed a 60-run partnership between Smith and Labuschagne for the third wicket. 

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Then Smith followed his partner for 25 off 53 balls in his first Test match in South Africa since playing a starring role in the 2018 Sandpapergate saga. After the exits of Carey and Webster courtesy of Nortje, the Baggy Greens mounted a fight-back through captain Pat Cummins and Matt Renshaw. 

When bad light stopped play just under two hours before the scheduled conclusion, the pair had put together a 63-run stand to drag their country to 187 for six. Renshaw was the primary aggressor in this, with 46 runs to Cummins’ 33. 

“The thing about Test cricket is that it’s up and down. It’s a bit like life. You have to find your way through the tough moments, but when it’s going your way it’s lovely,” the injured Rabada said on SuperSport.

When play resumes on Saturday, the Proteas will be desperate to snap this partnership, with the hopes that they can then quickly skittle the rest of Australia’s batting lineup. DM