Lunch Australia 3 for 102 (Warner 67*, Clarke 18*, Kallis 2-19) v South Africa
Live scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Jacques Kallis picked up wickets with two outstanding yorkers before limping off injured during an eventful opening session at Adelaide Oval. Morne Morkel also claimed one victim but while all the carnage was unfolding at one end, David Warner at the other end lived up to his promise to go after the South African bowlers and kept the runs flowing with a brisk half-century that helped Australia reach 3 for 102 at lunch.
By the time the break arrived, Warner and Michael Clarke had steadied somewhat, following a hectic period in which they lost 3 for 12 in less than three overs. Warner was on 67 from 79 balls, the majority of his runs having come from boundaries, and Clarke had survived some short-pitched hostility from Dale Steyn and Co - including one that crashed into his helmet - to reach 18, a couple of punchy boundaries through the leg side and a confident pull through midwicket his early highlights.
But it was South Africa who clearly had the better of the session after Clarke won the toss, their major concern being the injury to Kallis, who had 2 for 19 from 3.3 overs when he stopped during his run-up and immediately left the field. Kallis appeared to have hurt either his right hamstring or glute, and given that runners are no longer allowed in international cricket, the extent of his injury could have ramifications for South Africa's batting.
It also left them a bowler short, compounding their misfortune after Vernon Philander woke up with a sore back and was a late withdrawal from the side, replaced by Rory Kleinveldt. Kallis had been very impressive with the ball during his short spell, removing Ed Cowan and Ricky Ponting by attacking the base of the stumps.
On 10, Cowan was beaten by a Kallis yorker that struck him on the toe and at first appeared to have been given out lbw by Billy Bowden, but it later became apparent that he was caught and bowled. After the ball hit Cowan's foot, it ballooned off the bat straight back to Kallis, and under the laws of the game, a catch takes precedence over lbw in deciding how a batsman has been dismissed.
Kallis also accounted for Ponting with an outstanding delivery that was full and accurate, and swung away from the bat just enough to beat Ponting, who suffered the indignity not only of being bowled but of falling onto the pitch on his hands and knees after trying to keep the ball out. Ponting avoided another duck but only just - his only scoring shot was a clip for four off his pads.
In between the dismissals of Cowan and Ponting, the No.3 Rob Quiney fell for an eight-ball duck when Morne Morkel came around the wicket and forced Quiney to play a ball on off stump. Quiney's edge was well snapped up by Graeme Smith at slip and after his 9 in his only innings at the Gabba, Quiney was left hoping desperately that he would get another chance in this, his second Test.
While all of that was unfolding, Warner just kept scoring. He had got away with a pair of boundaries through and over the off side from Morkel, trusting his method of flashing hard. Not all of Warner's strokes were controlled but he ensured that Australia's innings did not stagnate, and his half-century came up from 47 balls with a clip for two through midwicket.
Warner's only six was a top edge from an attempted hook off Morkel that landed in the construction site and required a worker to scramble through the debris to fetch the ball. He also struck 10 fours and despite the early wickets, South Africa wouldn't feel entirely comfortable at lunch, knowing that he would remain a threat after the break.
Kallis injured after rattling top order
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Kallis injured after rattling top order
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Kallis injured after rattling top order
