Australia vs South Africa, 3rd Test, Day 1 — As it happened...

Adelaide: Australia were 14 without loss at the close in reply to South Africa`s 259 for nine declared on the opening day of the third day-night Test at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday.

Usman Khawaja was three with English-born Test debutant Matt Renshaw not out eight.

READ: FULL DAY 1 REPORT HERE

Skipper Faf du Plessis remained unbeaten on 118 when he declared late in the day, leaving the home side 12 overs to negotiate to stumps.

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AUSTRALIA 1st INNINGS; SOUTH AFRICA 259/9d

Over 12 || Score 14/0 (Usman Khawaja 3; Matt Renshaw 8)

Australia negotiated 12 overs' play without any damage, and stumps on Day 1, they were 14 without losing a wicket. They still trial by 245 runs in the first innings.

South Africa have used four bowlers in Vernon Philander, Kyle Abbott, Kagiso Rabada and Tabraiz Shamsi

The day belonged to Josh Hazlewood, who took four wickets, and Faf du Plessis, who hit a brilliant unbeaten 118.

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Over 10 || Score 13/0 (Usman Khawaja 2; Matt Renshaw 8)

First runs off the bat came in the seventh over, with debutant Matt Renshaw finding enough bat to find the fine leg boundary. Vernon Philander was the bowler.

Renshwa got his second boundary, two balls later, thanks to a cracking drive through midwicket.

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Over 4 || Score 1/0 (Usman Khawaja 0; Matt Renshaw 0)

Quiet start from the Aussies. One run from the first fours' play with openers Usman Khawaja and Matt Renshaw happy to block everything.

For South Africa, Vernon Philander and Kyle Abbott are impressive. Abbott has both his overs resulting in maidens. And that one run of the innings so far came from a front-foot no-ball from Philander, off the very first delivery.

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SOUTH AFRICA 1st INNINGS

Over 76 || Score 259/9 (Faf du Plessis ​118; Tabraiz Shamsi 18)

South Africa skipper Faf du Plessis declared the innings with a minimum of 14 overs' play left on Day 1 of the day-night Test at Adelaide. The skipper himself remained unbeaten on 118 and along with Tabraiz Shamsi, stitched a brilliant 390-run stand for the last wicket after Josh Hazlehood put the Aussies in command. But with the ball still doing enough talking at the Adelaide Oval, the hosts will find it tough to contain South African new ball bowlers.

Strange it may look, but the Proteas are going for the kill.

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Over 70 | Score 220/8 | (Du Plessis 102*, Rabada 1*)

Faf du Plessis has slammed his sixth Test ton and the timing couldn't have been better. A lot was written and said about him in the last one week and while his team-mates firmly stood behind their skipper, he has led from the front and has produced a captain's knock under tremendous pressure. None of the South African batsmen looked convincing at the crease today but he has made batting look so easy. Absolutely brilliant knock! Earlier, Bird ended the partnership between Faf and Abbott when he trapped latter in front of the wicket. Kagiso Rabada is the new man in.

KJ Abbott lbw b Bird 17 (50b)

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Over 65 | Score 203/7 | (Du Plessis 87*, Abbott 17*)

After dinner, these two have looked to step up the gas by going for their strokes. While Faf has been brilliant since his arrival at the crease, Abbott is supporting his skipper very well here. They have now added unbeaten 42 runs for the eighth wicket. Brilliant partnership so far.

Over 56 | Score 165/7 | (Du Plessis 65*, Abbott 1*)

DINNER: Philander was the next man to be dismissed. He has the reputation of being a hard-hitting batsman, but could not cause much damage and edged one behind the wicket. Philander immediately went for the review, but the snicko displayed a spike as the ball went past the bat. Kyle Abbott is the new man in. Faf is playing a wonderful knock under these circumstances.

VD Philander c Wade b Hazlewood 4 (9b)

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Over 45 | Score 126/5 | (Du Plessis 49*, De Kock 6*)

Bavuma couldn't show much resistance and was caught behind at the score of 8. Quinton de Kock is the new man in. He is a major threat to the Australian bowlers, having hit two centuries already in the series. He has strengthened the middle-order to a great extent for the Proteas and his team needs another big one from him today. Faf du Plessis, on the other hand, is playing a captain's knock, despite being under the scanner in the last one week.

T Bavuma c Wade b Bird 8 (34b)

Over 35 | Score 107/4 | (Du Plessis 40*, Bavuma 4*)

Starc struck once again as he dismissed opener Stephen Cook, who edged one to Steve Smith at slips. After getting a repeieve earlier in the innings, the right-hander was looking good before he went after a wide delivery. Temba Bavuma is the new man in. South Africa in desperate need of a decent partnership.

SC Cook c Smith b Starc 40 (99b)

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Over 28 | Score 89/3 (Cook 40*, Du Plessis 26*)

TEA: Cook and du Plesis are in the process of resurrecting the innings for South Africa. After losing three wickets for 44 runs, these two have added unbeaten 45 runs so far. Australia's session as their pacers have kept South African batsmen at sea.

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Over 15 | Score 44/3 (Cook 24*, Du Plessis 0*)

Josh Hazlewood removes Hashim Amla for 5 after the right-hander nicked one towards slips where debutant Renshaw held on to an excellent low catch. Aussies have been in control of the game so far. JP Duminy is the new man in. His team needs another special innings from him. JP Duminy was the next batsman to be dismissed as Hazlewood bamboozled him with an inswinger which got an edge and Mathew Wade doesn't miss those. Faf du Plessis is the new man in. He needs to concentrate with keeping aside whatever haappened in the last week or so.

HM Amla c Renshaw b Hazlewood 5 (11b)

JP Duminy c †Wade b Hazlewood 5 (11b)

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Over 7 | Score 12/1 (Cook 6*, Amla 0*)

Mitchell Starc got the first breakthrough for Australia, as early as in the seventh over of the innings. He bowled a fuller length ball to Dean Elgar, which moved away from the left-hander, took an edge which was neatly taken by Usman Khawaja in slips. Starc was unlucky in the third over of the innings where he trapped Stephen Cook in front of the wicket, albeit off a frontfoot no ball. Hashim Amla is the new man in. South Africa need a partnership.

D Elgar c Khawaja b Starc 5 (17b)

Changes: South Africa have given the debut cap to spinner Tabraiz Shamsi who comes in place of Keshav Maharaj. Matt Renshaw, Peter Handscomb, Nic Maddinson will make their debut for Aussies.

TOSS: Faf du Plessis won the toss and South Africa have decided to bat first. 

After allegations against South African skipper Faf du Plessis, the focus has shifted to the historic Test where both the teams would be keen to put a good show. South Africa have nothing to lose in this Test as they already have an unassailable 2-0 lead, but they would want to add to the misery of the hosts by a clean sweep.

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Expected starting XI

Australia: David Warner, Matt Renshaw, Usman Khawaja, Steven Smith (c), Peter Handscomb, Nic Maddinson, Matthew Wade (wk), Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Jackson Bird.

South Africa: Stephen Cook, Dean Elgar, Hashim Amla, JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis (c), Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock (wk), Vernon Philander, Kyle Abbott, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj / Tabraiz Shamsi.

Australia vs South Africa 2016 3rd Test: Schedule

Timing: 3:30 am GMT, 9 am IST

Australia vs South Africa 2016 3rd Test: Where to watch live

TV listing: Star Sports 2/HD 2.

Live streaming – Hotstar