Stumps South Africa 329 (Ackerman 95, Markram 78, Jansen 52, Starc 6-72, Lyon 2-71) vs Australia
Australia's much-anticipated return to Newlands started in nightmarish fashion before left-arm quick Mitchell Starc led a stirring fightback against a reckless South Africa batting-order on a see-saw opening day of the series-deciding third Test.
South Africa openers Marques Ackerman and Aiden Markram had cashed in on Australia skipper Pat Cummins' shock decision to send South Africa in to bat with a 158-run opening partnership under the Cape Town sunshine.
But they threw away centuries on a benign surface as South Africa collapsed to lose 29 for 5 either side of tea to undo the strong platform. The twists continued when Marco Jansen and Ryan Rickelton combined for a seventh-wicket partnership of 95 before Starc was unplayable with the second new ball as South Africa lost 4 for 2 to be dismissed for 329 in their first innings.
Bouncing back from being plundered by Ackerman, Starc had bent his back after tea and picked up two quick wickets with the short-ball tactic working a treat. He finished with 6 for 72 from 16.3 overs, while recalled spinner Nathan Lyon lit the initial fuse to end up with 2 for 71 from 23 overs.
It had appeared that Cummins would be left rueing his decision to bowl first. That might still end up being the case but South Africa were left frustrated after gifting wickets with Markram, David Bedingham and Wiaan Mulder falling to the short-ball.
Four South Africa batters made half-centuries but none kicked on as a big first innings total went begging.
Ackerman had set the tone for South Africa with a rollicking maiden Test half-century. He fell for 95 off 94 balls when he was stumped after charging Lyon, while Markram - who had played a support role - holed out to Josh Hazlewood for 78.
Their aggressive partnership rattled an Australia side that endured one of their most listless sessions under Cummins when they were pummelled for 140 runs in 27 overs before lunch.
It was a tough start for Australia in their return to Cape Town since the sandpaper scandal in 2018 much to the delight of a near capacity crowd.
Australia were rocked before the match by Steven Smith being ruled out after he failed to recover from a neck injury sustained in their big second Test defeat. Smith had a brief net this morning while wearing a bandage or heat patch on his neck then wasn't seen for about half an hour.
He was part of mass changes with Lyon, Cooper Connolly, Cameron Green and Josh Inglis recalled while Scott Boland, Nic Maddinson and Beau Webster were dropped.
It was the first time Australia had made four changes since the Johannesburg Test in the aftermath of the sandpaper scandal.
Cummins became the first captain to elect to bowl at Newlands since Faf du Plessis in 2019 against Pakistan. He had hoped for early seam-friendly conditions, but the new-ball produced little threat against Markram and Ackerman, who were rubbing their hands together.
Markram has looked in sparkling touch through the series without making a really big score. He knew this was a golden opportunity and, after a couple of watchful overs, stroked two superb boundaries off Starc.
With little movement off the surface, Starc ramped up his pace to near 150 kph and almost had Ackerman caught off the glove at leg slip but the ball flew past a diving Lyon.
That was the only nervy moment for South Africa in the opening half-an-hour as Cummins stepped up determined to rectify the situation. But Markram counterattacked with a huge blow over midwicket after launching into an innocuous short delivery.
Cummins in the 11th over turned to Lyon, desperate to make an impact after making way for Boland in the second Test. But he was expensive with Ackerman's confidence rising after smashing a six down the ground and soon he raised his bat having notched his half-century off 62 balls.
Australia's misery was complete just before lunch when Travis Head dropped a straightforward chance at cover to reprieve Markram on 39, leaving Starc to bite his collar on the way back to his bowling mark.
Ackerman did not decide to shut up shop before the interval as he launched into Starc with four consecutive boundaries to punctuate South Africa's dominant session. He kept the foot down straight after the break, but had luck when he smashed straight back to Lyon who could not hang on to a fierce chance.
An increasingly edgy Ackerman attempted to reach his maiden century with a mighty blow as he charged down the wicket but was outfoxed by Lyon, who tossed it past the bat and Alex Carey completed a simple stumping.
Boundaries were harder to find, but Bedingham and Markram rotated the strike to keep the scoreboard ticking over. Markram appeared set to cruise to a ninth Test century until he miscued an attempted pull shot off Hazlewood that was well caught by Starc low down at long-leg.
It was a wicket out of nowhere, but Australia's unexpected fightback continued when South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma played down the wrong line to be clean bowled for a duck as Lyon unleashed an almighty celebration.
Left-arm spinning allrounder Cooper Connolly, playing for the first time since his debut in Sri Lanka in early 2025, trapped Matthew Breetzke lbw for 2 in an overturned decision to claim his maiden Test wicket.
Australia resorted to a short-ball tactic after tea and it paid off with Starc claiming Bedingham and Mulder in the span of three balls. Bedingham had compiled a sensible 78-ball half-century before top-edging to Hazlewood, who completed a fine juggling catch along the fine-leg rope.
Mulder's stay at the crease was brief after gloving to Carey as Australia incredibly eyed dismissing South Africa before the close of play. Jansen played against type initially before unfurling several powerful strokes to combine well with the steady Rickelton.
Jansen whacked Connolly for a boundary to notch consecutive fifties for the first time in his Test career having made a magnificent 85 in Gqeberha. Australia looked for the second new ball for inspiration and it did the trick with Starc dismissing Rickelton and Jansen with superb full-length deliveries.
An unplayable Starc then knocked over Gerald Coetzee, playing his first Test match in almost two years, and Kagiso Rabada as Alyssa Healy, his wife, punched the air in delight in the terraces.