New Delhi:
Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood used the seaming conditions and the pitch's green tinge to great effect in the morning session to take three wickets with the pink-ball against South Africa in the day-night third Test at Adelaide.
Chasing a series sweep after victories in Perth and Hobart by 177 runs and by an innings and 80 runs, South Africa skipper Faf du Plessis won the toss today and elected to bat in his country's first Test in the day-night format.
Australia was dominant in the first 15 overs before du Plessis (26 not out) joined opener Stephen Cook (40 not out) in an unbroken 45-run stand to lift South Africa from 44-3 to 89-3 by the end of the first session.
Australia made five changes to the lineup which surrendered the series in Hobart last week, bringing in three uncapped batsmen in the top six.
But after losing the toss, it was up to the experienced new-ball pair of Starc and Hazlewood to make inroads for the hosts.
Starc trapped Cook lbw in the third over, when the opener was hit plumb in front and walked toward the pavilion, but the decision was overturned when TV replays showed the Australian bowler had delivered a front-foot no-ball.
Cook was edgy, but faced 84 balls and survived while three of his top-order partners were each out for five. Starc (1-24) had Dean Elgar edging to Usman Khawaja at the third slip with the total at 12.
Hazlewood (2-19) broke through on either side of the first drinks break when he had Hashim Amla well caught by20-year-old rookie Matt Renshaw, low to his right at first slip, and J P Duminy inside edging to recalled wicketkeeper Matthew Wade.
Du Plessis, who was fined but avoided a suspension after being found guilty this week by the International Cricket Council of ball tampering in the second test, was loudly booed as he strode to the crease but settled in quickly.
He admitted having a mint in his mouth when he licked his fingers to shine the ball in Hobart, but disputed the finding against him and said he'd been unfairly cast as a cheat for doing something that cricket teams all over the world have done for years.
The first ever day-night Test was played at the Adelaide Oval a year ago, with Australia winning a low-scoring match against New Zealand.
