28 October 2026 Punjab Khabarnama Bureau : Mitchell Stark experienced a remarkable day of contrasting fortunes in Cape Town, going from being punished by South Africa’s aggressive openers to producing a devastating late spell that transformed the opening day of the third Test between Australia and South Africa on October 27, 2026.
The Australian left-arm fast bowler finished with figures of six wickets for 72 runs as South Africa were bowled out for 329 at Newlands. His performance helped Australia recover after a difficult start, when the hosts appeared to be on course for a much bigger first-innings total.
The third Test is the series decider, with the teams having won one match each in the first two Tests. Starc’s late burst ensured Australia ended the opening day with renewed momentum after spending much of the morning under pressure.
Four boundaries in one over expose Australia’s early struggles
Australia captain Pat Cummins won the toss and elected to bowl first, hoping the conditions would offer assistance to his fast bowlers. Instead, South Africa’s opening pair of Aiden Markram and Marques Ackerman attacked confidently and made the visitors work hard for their first breakthrough.
Starc came under particular pressure during his seventh over, when Ackerman struck four consecutive boundaries. The sequence included shots through the off side and aggressive strokes that demonstrated the opener’s confidence against one of the leading fast bowlers in Test cricket.
South Africa reached 140 without losing a wicket by lunch, putting Australia’s bowling strategy under immediate scrutiny. Markram and Ackerman combined for a 158-run opening partnership, leaving the visitors searching for a way to stop the scoring.
Starc’s difficult opening session was made worse by Australia’s missed opportunity when Travis Head dropped a catch offered by Markram. The hosts took advantage of the reprieve and continued to score freely on a surface that initially appeared favourable for batting.
For Australia, the challenge was to remain patient and find a different approach before the partnership became even more damaging.
Nathan Lyon provides the breakthrough
The first major breakthrough came when Ackerman attempted to advance down the pitch against Nathan Lyon. The spinner deceived the batter with his delivery, allowing wicketkeeper Alex Carey to complete the stumping.
Ackerman departed for 95 from 94 balls, narrowly missing out on what would have been his maiden Test century. His innings included aggressive strokeplay and helped South Africa establish a commanding position.
Markram continued to bat confidently but was dismissed for 78 after mistiming a short delivery from Josh Hazlewood. Starc completed the catch in the deep, ending an innings that had given South Africa a strong platform.
The dismissal changed the mood of the contest. Australia began to make regular inroads, while the hosts were no longer able to dictate the pace of the innings as they had during the opening session.
South Africa’s captain Temba Bavuma was bowled by Lyon for a duck, and Matthew Breetzke fell for two runs to Cooper Connolly. The hosts had moved from a dominant opening stand to a middle-order struggle in a relatively short period.
Starc strikes again as South Africa lose control
Starc returned to the attack and continued to trouble the South African batters. David Bedingham provided some resistance with a half-century, scoring 50, but Starc helped Australia maintain pressure as the innings progressed.
Wiaan Mulder was dismissed for a duck, adding to South Africa’s difficulties. The hosts had lost several wickets after their impressive start, and Australia’s bowlers were increasingly successful in exploiting the batters’ mistakes.
Ryan Rickelton and Marco Jansen then combined to rebuild the innings. Rickelton scored 42, while Jansen contributed an important 52, putting together a 95-run partnership for the seventh wicket.
Their stand helped South Africa recover from the middle-order collapse and move towards a more competitive total. For a time, the pair appeared capable of taking the hosts beyond 350 runs.
However, Starc had one more decisive spell left in him.
Four wickets in six balls seal a stunning finish
With the second new ball available late in the day, Starc produced a remarkable burst of pace and movement. He dismissed Rickelton with a full delivery that trapped the batter leg-before-wicket before removing Jansen with a searing inswinging yorker.
Gerald Coetzee was bowled for a duck soon afterwards, leaving Australia on the verge of ending the innings. Starc then dismissed Kagiso Rabada leg-before-wicket to complete an extraordinary sequence of four wickets in six deliveries.
South Africa were all out for 329 in 82.3 overs, having earlier reached 158 without losing a wicket. Starc finished with six wickets for 72 runs, registering his 20th five-wicket haul in Test cricket.
The closing spell completely changed the atmosphere at Newlands. South Africa had looked capable of building a commanding total, but Starc’s late burst prevented the hosts from fully capitalising on their excellent start.
Australia regain momentum in the series decider
The day also highlighted Australia’s ability to adjust after an uncomfortable opening session. Lyon helped break the opening partnership, Hazlewood contributed important wickets, and Starc delivered the decisive finish.
Australia’s decision to bowl first had initially looked questionable as South Africa scored freely. However, the visitors’ response during the remainder of the day brought them back into the contest.
The match also took place without Steve Smith, who was ruled out because of a neck problem. His absence forced Australia to reshuffle their batting order and make several changes to the playing XI.
Despite the difficult start, Starc’s performance gave Australia a reason for optimism heading into their first innings. South Africa, meanwhile, would be disappointed not to have converted their strong beginning into a substantially larger score.
All eyes turn to Australia’s reply
South Africa’s total of 329 leaves the contest finely balanced. The hosts have runs on the board, but their late collapse has given Australia an opportunity to take control if their batters can produce a strong response.
For Starc, the opening day was a reminder of the unpredictable nature of Test cricket. He was punished for four consecutive boundaries in one over, yet later dismantled the lower order with a spell that produced four wickets in six balls.
His six-wicket haul has become the defining moment of the first day in Cape Town. Whether Australia can turn that late momentum into a series-winning performance will depend on how effectively they bat against South Africa’s bowling attack over the coming days.