“When you win the toss, nine times out of 10 you elect to bat. The tenth time, you think about it and again elect to bat first.”
Ian Chappell’s words of wisdom were probably echoing around Pat Cummins’ head as he looked down at the green Gabba deck on Saturday morning and glanced up at the overcast conditions.
The fateful toss fell in his favour. Cummins turned to South African captain Dean Elgar and muttered, “We’ll have a bowl.”
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How often have we seen this decision backfire in the Test arena? At the same venue 20 years ago, England captain Nasser Hussain elected to bowl first on a pristine Gabba deck, with Australia cruising towards 2-364 at stumps on day one.
Ricky Ponting at Edgbaston in 2005, Joe Root at Adelaide Oval in 2017, Tim Paine at The Oval in 2019 — there are countless examples of captains coming to regret opting to send the opposition in.
But Cummins was willing to roll the dice. Conditions were perfect for seam bowling in the Queensland capital on Saturday morning, and he was eager to expose South Africa’s vulnerable batting attack.
History was on Cummins’ side — the five most recent Tests at the Gabba were won by the team that batted second.
The last time an Australian Test captain chose to field first in Brisbane was Steve Waugh against the West Indies in 2000. Glenn McGrath claimed 6-17 in 20 overs as the West Indies were rolled for 82 before the tea break.
However, Mitchell Starc and Cummins didn’t get their radar right in the first 20 minutes; some deliveries sailed down the leg side, while others were overpitched wide of the stumps.
“They’ve bowled about 18 balls and I think they’ve got about one in the right area,” former Australian Test batter Mark Waugh said on Fox Cricket.
“They’d be disappointed the Australians so far with what they’ve dished up.
“They were a little bit all over the shop.”
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The Australians unearthed the first breakthrough with a healthy dose of luck — Proteas captain Dean Elgar gloved a wayward Starc delivery directed at his hip, with Alex Carey taking a smart catch down the leg side.
But there was nothing fortuitous about Australia’s second scalp.
Cummins finally found his length in the 10th over, getting the Kookaburra to marginally nip away from Rassie van der Dussen and catch the outside edge.
Enter, Scott Boland.
The Victorian decimated South Africa’s top order with a double-wicket maiden. Proteas opener Sarel Erwee fended with hard hands, edging towards Cameron Green at gully for 10 before Khaya Zondo was trapped on the pads for a second-ball duck after the drinks break.
Boland’s Test bowling average subsequently dipped back below 10, sitting at 9.86 during the lunch interval.
The visitors had lost 3-0 in 12 deliveries, suddenly reeling at 4-27. Australia’s seamers were far from their best in Brisbane on Saturday morning, yet the pace trio still managed to snare four wickets in the first 11 overs.
Temba Bavuma and Kyle Verreynne thankfully steadied the ship, guiding the Proteas to lunch without any further damage inflicted.
Rabada analyses Proteas bowling attack | 02:10
